First day in Beijing
Dateline: Sino Swiss Airport Hotel, Beijing China, 11 Aug 2004
To say it was fun beyond our best expectations would be an understatement. It was absolutely fabulous all around.
Woke up early despite our sleeping pills. Got organized, then got cell phone from our guides for day, special assistant to Dr. Yu Keping of Beijing U (director of two center there on comparative politics and int'l econ + one on government innovations) and a recent BU grad who served as the special assitant's translator. Prof. Yu treats us very well: Mercedes with driver plus our two guides.
First order is to drop me off at China Reform Forum HQ, which is found in classic walled compound home in old part of Beijing. There I give 2.5 hour brief to senior reps from that organization and BU profs. Great exchange for 1 hour following. Then they put me in different car with Secretary General of CRF and we're off to very high-end restaurant. Escorted to lush private dining room upstairs for meal with all 7 experts + Vonne and two guides (who both pull me aside separately and declare how much they instantly "love" Vonne--so I'm assuming Vonne's morning of shopping was fun all around).
Turns out Vonne had herself fitted for custom silk dress at one shop, then went to famous pearl shop where guide Zhang proved herself to be brutal and relentless negotiator (a skill she displayed all day long).
Mean at restaurant was unreal. It is true that eating "Chinese" in US is nothing like eating here. I tasted about 30 things I never saw before, and most of which I never want to see again. Great 2 hour discussion over lunch. Secy General of CRF presented me with commemorative stamp book issued on 100th birthday of Deng, which has actual stamps embedded in thick pages. Also gave me nice briefcase. I signed a copy of book for director of CRF, who's tied in enough to have pictures of himself with Henry Kissinger, Brent Scowcroft, Condi Rice and--oh yeah--George W. Bush on his office walls.
After lunch off to sightsee around Tiananmen with guides Zhang and "Jennifer" the translator. We jump (as pairs) into a couple of those weird bikes where guide peddles up front and you ride in back. We circle Tiananmen that way, only coming close to being run over by buses and zooming cars about 30 times. I was stunned when Vonne immediately agreed to our guides' suggestion to take rides--that was how much fun she was having after the shopping and VIP lunch.
Following bike tour we tour the Great Hall of the Peoples building and then the Museum of the Revolution.
Then off to another great restaurant for dinner. Supposedly the best "old style" restaurant in town. Another back room, and the best noodles I have ever had (with bean sauce to die for). Then off to famous Tea House to see Ed Sullivan-like revue of Chinese opera songs, magic acts, acrobats--you name it. Hosts got us front-row table and it was still more plates of deserts the entire show.
At that point they truck us back to hotel after 14-hour day of non-stop activity. I haven't received this sort of VIP since my trip to India in 2001, so it was really nice for Vonne to share in all of it. We did so much so fast it made me realize how hard it would have been to do all that on our own, without guides, a car and driver at our beck and call, plus the translator and our unbelievable negotiator Zhang.
We part at 10pm with hugs and kisses all around--it was that kind of magical day.
I know I will not last if every day is that much excitement. I know it won't be, and yet tomorrow shapes up as the same. First hint? My brief tomorrow is at the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party . . .
Can't wait and neither can Vonne. Everyone in our little quartet is already expressing sadness that we'll only spend two days together. I'm not the world's quickest bonder--far from it. So clearly our hearts were touched today. Tomorrow this life-altering train makes its next station. Baby Vonne Mei is only four days away now.
Tom (for conked-out Vonne)