So after countless hours of flying, we finally arrived in Beijing, The airport is absolutely awesome and it is freaking huge. The guides from the university are extremely friendly. I hope everyone I meet in China is like this.
While we were driving to the hotel I noticed a lot of different styles of architecture from traditional to modern. I think it’s ridiculous how bicyclists manage to keep from getting pancaked by cars when they ride their bikes in the streets at night! It seems like having a bicycle is almost more popular than having a car.
The hotel is really nice but a few things seem odd to me, like how a lot of hotels that are located in residential districts advertise with flashing lights. Going to eat our first meal in China was also very interesting. I made a promise to myself before I left that I would try new things when I came here, and I’m proud to say I tried some of everything we ordered, even the tofu. I didn’t quite like the tofu, but the other things I tried (noodles and dumplings) were delicious. The restaurant itself was very nice and reminded me of an American restaurant (although the chopsticks and the small plates were unconventional). I’m really excited to get out tomorrow and see what the country looks like in the daytime. It was really difficult to get a feel for things whilst driving in the dark. I find it interesting that people say Beijing is crowded because I have yet to experience it. When we got off the plane the airport was nearly deserted, and I barely saw anyone on the way to and from the restaurant. Maybe I’ll experience more of that when I start to visit some of Beijing’s more popular destinations.