Woke up happily rested at 11.
Went downstairs to call Mingwei. He said he'd come over at 2. Until then, I went with Bob to see the Karate Kid with Jackie Chan!
The movie was incredible. Chan was no Mr. Miyagi, but it was really fun. And it takes place and was filmed in Beijing (I'm working a block from the crazy CCTV tower they show when they first move to town as part of the moving in montage) so I knew a bunch of the places they were in, and the culture jokes. The funniest thing, though, was that when they switched to Chinese in the movie, while in the states English subtitles would come up, there were only Chinese subtitles... Fortunately I understood it nonetheless.
We got out of the movie at 1:45. It was raining like hell. Bob and I weaved between overhangs of the open-air mall, pretending to enjoy the stuff inside before we went to the next one. We zigzagged back and forth until we got to one near the road.
We saw a taxi stand with an umbrella. We sprinted to it and waited underneath for a taxi. I dove inside first and Bob followed.
The drive was only 10 Yuan and he drove us all the way to the courtyard the hostel is in. We did some ninja moves to get into the hostel with minimum rain exposure, and got inside with our pride, and our clothings' relative dryness, intact.
Mingwei decided not to come due to rain, so we hopped on skype from our respective places to look at bikes. I found a good one I think will do for a reasonable price. But more pressing issues were on my mind.
Stephanie, Alex and I went down to YaShow to find me a phone plug and additional minutes for my phone.
The market was fun, easy, and fast. I picked up a new battery for my Chinese phone and a charger too for 32, down from 200. Had to play a few people off of each other but it was easy On the way out someone was fiddling with a rubix cube, so I tried my hand at it. When I reached a certain point I stopped and told the man it was impossible. I was holding a 4x4 cube and I knew how to complete it, but the one they were selling was faulty. He took out a brand new one which I used to prove my point. They didn't want to believe me, but when I showed them that someone had rearranged the pieces in a proof, he listened. I walked away. Can't be buying from people who
cheat.
Stephanie got a foot massage at the market so Alex and I walked back, stopping along the way so she could help me get a minutes card for my phone, and to stop at the supermarket where we got a liquid diet of water, orange juice, and gin.
Back at the hostel around 4:45, took a nap at 5:30.
At 6:30 I went to get a SIM card for my phone. Got one in a shop behind the Hostel. Easy.
At 7:30 Alex, Ross, Kuldeep, Bob, and Christopher (from Guyana) and I went back to Kro's Nest. We ordered two large pies for the six of us. It was way too much food. We had six extra slices. Gave two to a starving kid on the street on the way back, one to Amit, our Israeli hostelmate, and Kuldeep got stuck with the rest.
We got back at 9:30 and at 9:45 reconvened for chess. In the black pieces we put gin and sprite. In the white pieces we put screwdrivers. We fought tooth and nail to get the hostel to let us play (you can't bring outside drinks into the hostel!) but it was a good game once we started, though we had to play outside because they didn't want our alcohol in the restaurant.
We went to Sanlitun Village, the second biggest bar street in the city, which is right near to our hostel, and found ourselves in a rooftop club. I played an epic game of Beer Pong with Kuldeep, and sunk every cup for the two of us, and won, but we tired quickly of the expensive drinks and moved away from the village.
We walked back to our hostel's intersection and turned left instead of right to go to Cargo, a club with no cover charge. I tired quickly at the club, due to exhaustion not boredom, and went back down Chunxiu Lu to the hostel, stopping in the street for some lamb shishkabob on the way.
I tried to watch some of the Germany/Uruguay game, but I was too exhausted, so at 3 I went upstairs.
By 3:24 I resigned to a fantastic night's sleep.
7/10/10
7/9/10
Tim's Texas BBQ
Woke up at 9, when work technically starts.
I jumped into the shower, got dressed, and was out the door by 9:25.
Walked into the office a few minutes before ten, still within the hour grace-period I'm allowed to show up in. I don't know why they don't make it before 11 though, because even when I get here at 10 no one is in. Literally, no one.
Rest of the day was uninteresting, we had cake for July birthdays and I left at 6.
When I got out of the building it was raining. Not a downpour but certainly not a drizzle.
I was in the rain for 45 minutes fighting the throngs of people for a taxi. I had no umbrella so my work clothes were exceptionally soaked by the time I stopped a cab going down a one lane road, in turn stopping everyone behind him. He said he was only going to drive me if I was going north. Fortunately, I was going north.
My driver had a serious case of road rage. He flashed his brights and cars going to slow, then cut them off when he passed and slammed on his brakes. He forced cars out of their lanes. He honked at everyone and everything. It was fun.
Got back at 7:15 and had to immediately change and leave for a company barbeque to welcome the interns who just started - me. But I was smart enough to bring the all-important umbrella.
Taxis were nowhere to be found in the rain, so I took a took-took for $3 to Tim's Texas Bar and Grill.
Walked in a few minutes late for dinner, but no worries because it was buffet style - I got some pretty good brisket and sausage and beans.. Good Texan food.
Sat with Ian, my mentor this summer, and Henry, at the end of a table and had a good discussion. The highlight was Ian giving me the green light to take a day off for South Korea next weekend, an idea I've been toying with for the last several days, but all the talk was interesting.
As the dinner wound down, David, the top dog Partner at the office, Della, Evonne, Henry and I were the only ones left. David and I gave Henry, who's going to study at Harvard for a year soon, a good list of things to do while he's in Boston. We discussed Garrison Keillor, fine cigars, vacations, company retreats, Korea, Japan, etc. It was a good time.
When we were all done, well after everyone else was gone, David gave me a ride home via his driver. It was a great change from taxis and took tooks to get home in beautiful car.
Since the skies had been open for the last several hours, when I got in at 10:45 or so I figured I'd stay in. Only Amit, a guy from Israel I met a few nights ago, was in the hostel that I recognized. Time to meet people.
Played pool with Hussein and Julien, from Pakistan and France, respectively, and when I beat them both I moved onto foosball, where I crushed Amit, an Israeli staying here, and then got crushed by a Frenchman.
With a drink in hand I started playing Jenga with a truly international group. Amit (Israel), Lisa (Calgary, Canada), Laura (Australia), William (England), and Pablo (Mexico). It was a weird version that included rolling a dice to narrow the choices of what piece you can pull out of the tower.
Around 1 I was exhausted (it's been a long week), and though it is a Friday night, I felt it time to go to bed.
Sleep @ 2:30.
I jumped into the shower, got dressed, and was out the door by 9:25.
Walked into the office a few minutes before ten, still within the hour grace-period I'm allowed to show up in. I don't know why they don't make it before 11 though, because even when I get here at 10 no one is in. Literally, no one.
Rest of the day was uninteresting, we had cake for July birthdays and I left at 6.
When I got out of the building it was raining. Not a downpour but certainly not a drizzle.
I was in the rain for 45 minutes fighting the throngs of people for a taxi. I had no umbrella so my work clothes were exceptionally soaked by the time I stopped a cab going down a one lane road, in turn stopping everyone behind him. He said he was only going to drive me if I was going north. Fortunately, I was going north.
My driver had a serious case of road rage. He flashed his brights and cars going to slow, then cut them off when he passed and slammed on his brakes. He forced cars out of their lanes. He honked at everyone and everything. It was fun.
Got back at 7:15 and had to immediately change and leave for a company barbeque to welcome the interns who just started - me. But I was smart enough to bring the all-important umbrella.
Taxis were nowhere to be found in the rain, so I took a took-took for $3 to Tim's Texas Bar and Grill.
Walked in a few minutes late for dinner, but no worries because it was buffet style - I got some pretty good brisket and sausage and beans.. Good Texan food.
Sat with Ian, my mentor this summer, and Henry, at the end of a table and had a good discussion. The highlight was Ian giving me the green light to take a day off for South Korea next weekend, an idea I've been toying with for the last several days, but all the talk was interesting.
As the dinner wound down, David, the top dog Partner at the office, Della, Evonne, Henry and I were the only ones left. David and I gave Henry, who's going to study at Harvard for a year soon, a good list of things to do while he's in Boston. We discussed Garrison Keillor, fine cigars, vacations, company retreats, Korea, Japan, etc. It was a good time.
When we were all done, well after everyone else was gone, David gave me a ride home via his driver. It was a great change from taxis and took tooks to get home in beautiful car.
Since the skies had been open for the last several hours, when I got in at 10:45 or so I figured I'd stay in. Only Amit, a guy from Israel I met a few nights ago, was in the hostel that I recognized. Time to meet people.
Played pool with Hussein and Julien, from Pakistan and France, respectively, and when I beat them both I moved onto foosball, where I crushed Amit, an Israeli staying here, and then got crushed by a Frenchman.
With a drink in hand I started playing Jenga with a truly international group. Amit (Israel), Lisa (Calgary, Canada), Laura (Australia), William (England), and Pablo (Mexico). It was a weird version that included rolling a dice to narrow the choices of what piece you can pull out of the tower.
Around 1 I was exhausted (it's been a long week), and though it is a Friday night, I felt it time to go to bed.
Sleep @ 2:30.
7/8/10
Shot Chess
Went through my usual morning routine. Woke up at 7, snoozed a million times, got up, finally.
Breakfast of eggs and fruit and then a cab to work since I have yet to get a bike.
Stuck in traffic, I got to the office at 10 sharp.
Had lunch with Joel and Ian, lawyers at the firm, and Della, one of the interns, across the street in the China World Hotel.
After lunch, and having been given my first assignment, I went about researching it. I will have a lot of my research done by mid-Wedesday, so we can move onto the next step in the project.
Got a cab back at 6. The cab driver couldn't stop talking about girls in his horribly confusing accent, honking at every girl we passed. Most cabbies are liberal with their horn but I've never seen it used as a catcall in China before.
At 8 the hostel was serving free duck. Win. About 15 people gathered around a table where the pancakes, sauce, and cucumbers were and waited for the duck. 3 ducks appeared and disappeared within 2 minutes.
Ross, Alex, Ebba, Kuldeep, and Stephanie wanted to go to dinner, so while we waited for Bob to come downstairs I chatted with two Australian girls and a French guy, Julien, at the pool table. After the game I went back to meet up with the group but they had forgotten about me and left already.
I bumped into Cole to see if he'd call them to double check it they'd gone or were just missing at the hostel. They were gone, forgetting about us.
Cole and I shared a pizza. It's 40元 for a 9inch pizza and 55元 for a 12inch, and I did some math and found it's only a 37.5% increase in price for a 77.8% increase in total pizza area. Puzzle of the ripoff pizza solved.
Cole passed the time for our group's return with chess. My chess set that I bought in Irkutsk. With shotglasses. Unfortunately it was only beer, so two games was a pint apiece for us, but the game was fun nonetheless. Lose a piece, take a shot! The number of times the hostel employees came over to stare, too, was great.
The guys came back and Cole and I tried to wash the glasses but the kitchen staff refused to let us behind the counter. They washed and dried all 32 shotglasses and the board for free for us. Double win.
Played cards for a bit then bed at 12:30.
Breakfast of eggs and fruit and then a cab to work since I have yet to get a bike.
Stuck in traffic, I got to the office at 10 sharp.
Had lunch with Joel and Ian, lawyers at the firm, and Della, one of the interns, across the street in the China World Hotel.
After lunch, and having been given my first assignment, I went about researching it. I will have a lot of my research done by mid-Wedesday, so we can move onto the next step in the project.
Got a cab back at 6. The cab driver couldn't stop talking about girls in his horribly confusing accent, honking at every girl we passed. Most cabbies are liberal with their horn but I've never seen it used as a catcall in China before.
At 8 the hostel was serving free duck. Win. About 15 people gathered around a table where the pancakes, sauce, and cucumbers were and waited for the duck. 3 ducks appeared and disappeared within 2 minutes.
Ross, Alex, Ebba, Kuldeep, and Stephanie wanted to go to dinner, so while we waited for Bob to come downstairs I chatted with two Australian girls and a French guy, Julien, at the pool table. After the game I went back to meet up with the group but they had forgotten about me and left already.
I bumped into Cole to see if he'd call them to double check it they'd gone or were just missing at the hostel. They were gone, forgetting about us.
Cole and I shared a pizza. It's 40元 for a 9inch pizza and 55元 for a 12inch, and I did some math and found it's only a 37.5% increase in price for a 77.8% increase in total pizza area. Puzzle of the ripoff pizza solved.
Cole passed the time for our group's return with chess. My chess set that I bought in Irkutsk. With shotglasses. Unfortunately it was only beer, so two games was a pint apiece for us, but the game was fun nonetheless. Lose a piece, take a shot! The number of times the hostel employees came over to stare, too, was great.
The guys came back and Cole and I tried to wash the glasses but the kitchen staff refused to let us behind the counter. They washed and dried all 32 shotglasses and the board for free for us. Double win.
Played cards for a bit then bed at 12:30.
7/7/10
Relatively Uneventful
Woke up at 7 feeling well-rested for once. Win.
Decided to get into the ONE cab in Beijing that drives with no AC and the windows down! But he knew the city better than any driver I've had so far so he took me right to the office instead of to the long tunnel on the other side of the road from my building. He also showed me a really easy way to get to work once I get a bike (hopefully very soon).
I arrived at the office at 3 minutes to 9, to find only Della and Evonne, the other interns, were the only people in the office. Literally. We went to the Han conference room, where we had a training program about a work allocation system in the office.
Finished at 9:30 and passed the time for a while. We aren't getting any work yet so we have nothing to do.
At noon I had a video conference call with the Shanghai PH about unilateral termination for an hour and a half, lunch included.
Passed the time for a bit before the nothingness overtook me. I sent out a few emails, and while nothing needs to be done today I'm told there will be stuff to do starting tomorrow.
At six I left and caught a cab. Spent the time to the hostel teaching him English. Nice guy.
At 8:30 I went to a duck restaurant just down the street a ways to meet Michael and Sofia from the trans-Mongolian train. I brought along Bob and Ebba and Stephanie and Cole.
The duck was great but there wasn't enough. I insisted to the woman they'd only given us half a duck. She said it was the whole duck and then proceeded to tell me she'd bring more. She brought the bones of our duck and plopped it down on the table. Stephanie and I ducked into it and ate the scraps off the bones.
At the hostel I ran into Tom, Kris, and Kat, who are leaving at 5am tomorrow. We chatted for a while, pushing my bedtime back a bit.
I went to bed and was asleep at one.
Decided to get into the ONE cab in Beijing that drives with no AC and the windows down! But he knew the city better than any driver I've had so far so he took me right to the office instead of to the long tunnel on the other side of the road from my building. He also showed me a really easy way to get to work once I get a bike (hopefully very soon).
I arrived at the office at 3 minutes to 9, to find only Della and Evonne, the other interns, were the only people in the office. Literally. We went to the Han conference room, where we had a training program about a work allocation system in the office.
Finished at 9:30 and passed the time for a while. We aren't getting any work yet so we have nothing to do.
At noon I had a video conference call with the Shanghai PH about unilateral termination for an hour and a half, lunch included.
Passed the time for a bit before the nothingness overtook me. I sent out a few emails, and while nothing needs to be done today I'm told there will be stuff to do starting tomorrow.
At six I left and caught a cab. Spent the time to the hostel teaching him English. Nice guy.
At 8:30 I went to a duck restaurant just down the street a ways to meet Michael and Sofia from the trans-Mongolian train. I brought along Bob and Ebba and Stephanie and Cole.
The duck was great but there wasn't enough. I insisted to the woman they'd only given us half a duck. She said it was the whole duck and then proceeded to tell me she'd bring more. She brought the bones of our duck and plopped it down on the table. Stephanie and I ducked into it and ate the scraps off the bones.
At the hostel I ran into Tom, Kris, and Kat, who are leaving at 5am tomorrow. We chatted for a while, pushing my bedtime back a bit.
I went to bed and was asleep at one.
7/6/10
In a World....
Woke up at 7, and again and again over and over between 7 and 8. Called home to hear about my Grandfather's funeral service. I am happy to hear that he got his veterans flag on his coffin.
When I finally got out of bed I got ready for work and headed out. Made a call or two home and in my hurry to go to work I left the briefcase I was given yesterday at work with all my internship stuff on the hostel couch.
Arrived to work at 9:30, IT training at 10. We did IT training from 10-6 with a lunch break in the middle. Ugh. Enough said. I found myself in the bathroom at 1:30, slapping and punching myself in the face repeatedly - and with serious power - to stay awake...
At 6:30 I left the office and headed back to the hostel. Chilled with Bob and Jack, his friend, and Cole and Stephanie and Ebba. We went out to dinner at the Kro's Nest, supposedly the best pizza in Beijing. It was right above Vics, the club I went to my first night.
Surprisingly, the pizza was really good. Highlight was definitely the Beijing Roast Duck as a topping.
Went from Kro's Nest to Smugglers again, had several beers and played kings. Went back to the room at twelve so I could get a good night's sleep.
Don LaFontayne's alter-ego. Coming Soon.
Bed by 1.
When I finally got out of bed I got ready for work and headed out. Made a call or two home and in my hurry to go to work I left the briefcase I was given yesterday at work with all my internship stuff on the hostel couch.
Arrived to work at 9:30, IT training at 10. We did IT training from 10-6 with a lunch break in the middle. Ugh. Enough said. I found myself in the bathroom at 1:30, slapping and punching myself in the face repeatedly - and with serious power - to stay awake...
At 6:30 I left the office and headed back to the hostel. Chilled with Bob and Jack, his friend, and Cole and Stephanie and Ebba. We went out to dinner at the Kro's Nest, supposedly the best pizza in Beijing. It was right above Vics, the club I went to my first night.
Surprisingly, the pizza was really good. Highlight was definitely the Beijing Roast Duck as a topping.
Went from Kro's Nest to Smugglers again, had several beers and played kings. Went back to the room at twelve so I could get a good night's sleep.
Don LaFontayne's alter-ego. Coming Soon.
Bed by 1.
7/5/10
Orientation-Oriented Day In The Orient
What's the good of setting 6 alarms for yourself if you wake up naturally 20 minutes prior to them?
I woke up at 6:40 and started preparing for work. Shower/shave, nice clothes, etc. Boring stuff.
8:30 I left for a cab. Stopped downstairs first for breakfast - eggs and toast and poor excuses for sausage and bacon - with David, Tom, Kat, and went to find a cab for real. But there never is a cab when you want it in this city. I had to search for it and sprint when I saw one finally.
The traffic in the morning was terrible. Reason number #2 I need a bike (reason #1 is the heat - walking is not an option). I arrived a tad late for work.
And a few comments about work...
Arrived and went down to floor LL where the odd numbered elevators are (odd, I thought). To the 19th floor of Yintai Office Tower and walked out to a large Paul Hastings sign. Unlike two years ago, when my work in Shanghai was, well, bull, this seems like I'll have plenty of work and things to do, since the only thing worse than having too much to do is to have absolutely NOTHING to do at work.
I walked in and met the Receptionist, Shirley Pei. She showed me to my desk, on the opposite end of the building (PH has the whole floor), where a name tag had already been printed and mounted at the entrance to my cubicle.
I was given a few packets on the company and told to be at a meeting at 10:30. I met my cubicle-mate, Evonne, a third year undergraduate in a Beijing prelaw school.
At 10:30 we had an hour and a half of sensitivity training...
At noon a tour, followed by form filling, contract signing, etc. Today was a very orientation-oriented day here in the Orient.
At 1 I attended a lunch for a Paul Hastings Partner from the States coming through for vacation. I met all the senior people in the office and got some good food to boot.
Sat down after the meeting with Britt and Sam, two interns who are finishing their work here soon, Sam on Wednesday and Britt on the 15th.
We had a meeting at 3 with IT where we were set up for phone and computer privileges, and given key card access to the office.
Emma Yu, one of my bosses, gave me a Paul Hastings briefcase as a present for starting, which was nice, and I'll probably be using it for work, since I have no substitute.
I spoke with Mingwei, my friend from Wash U, who is working down the street a little ways, and we set up a time to meet after work so I can get the rest of my work clothes I had shipped to his house.
Met with Ian, my mentor while I'm in the office. He's from New York. We chatted about the various things I might be doing while I'm here.
Left about 15 minutes early to meet Mingwei to catch the 6pm bus. We met in the lobby of my building, and crossed under the road to get a bus to his house.
The ride took about an hour out to the fifth ring road. Arrived at 7 to a beautiful complex of houses out in the outskirts of Beijing. Mingwei's house is beautiful, with rich wooden floors and a tasteful interior, to say the least. Mingwei gave me a quick tour and then his driver came by to bring us to a restaurant nearby.
It was Taiwanese food, and it was delicious. Mingwei treated, which was very kind and will be repaid by summer's end, I'm sure.
Back at Mingwei's house, I picked up the package I had shipped to his house with all my work clothes. We called a cab and I went home.
Got back to the hostel, brought the box upstairs and unpacked.
Went back downstairs and saw Cole, whom I met last night. He was with several new people. I met Bob and Monty, Americans, Ebba (I think that's how it's spelled?), a Swede, and Stephanie, a German. We sat on the couches for a while, played some foosball, drank some 3.5元 beer ($0.50) we got across the street from the hostel, and discussed in depth our involvements in the kidney black market.
Bed at 2.
I woke up at 6:40 and started preparing for work. Shower/shave, nice clothes, etc. Boring stuff.
8:30 I left for a cab. Stopped downstairs first for breakfast - eggs and toast and poor excuses for sausage and bacon - with David, Tom, Kat, and went to find a cab for real. But there never is a cab when you want it in this city. I had to search for it and sprint when I saw one finally.
The traffic in the morning was terrible. Reason number #2 I need a bike (reason #1 is the heat - walking is not an option). I arrived a tad late for work.
And a few comments about work...
Arrived and went down to floor LL where the odd numbered elevators are (odd, I thought). To the 19th floor of Yintai Office Tower and walked out to a large Paul Hastings sign. Unlike two years ago, when my work in Shanghai was, well, bull, this seems like I'll have plenty of work and things to do, since the only thing worse than having too much to do is to have absolutely NOTHING to do at work.
I walked in and met the Receptionist, Shirley Pei. She showed me to my desk, on the opposite end of the building (PH has the whole floor), where a name tag had already been printed and mounted at the entrance to my cubicle.
I was given a few packets on the company and told to be at a meeting at 10:30. I met my cubicle-mate, Evonne, a third year undergraduate in a Beijing prelaw school.
At 10:30 we had an hour and a half of sensitivity training...
At noon a tour, followed by form filling, contract signing, etc. Today was a very orientation-oriented day here in the Orient.
At 1 I attended a lunch for a Paul Hastings Partner from the States coming through for vacation. I met all the senior people in the office and got some good food to boot.
Sat down after the meeting with Britt and Sam, two interns who are finishing their work here soon, Sam on Wednesday and Britt on the 15th.
We had a meeting at 3 with IT where we were set up for phone and computer privileges, and given key card access to the office.
Emma Yu, one of my bosses, gave me a Paul Hastings briefcase as a present for starting, which was nice, and I'll probably be using it for work, since I have no substitute.
I spoke with Mingwei, my friend from Wash U, who is working down the street a little ways, and we set up a time to meet after work so I can get the rest of my work clothes I had shipped to his house.
Met with Ian, my mentor while I'm in the office. He's from New York. We chatted about the various things I might be doing while I'm here.
Left about 15 minutes early to meet Mingwei to catch the 6pm bus. We met in the lobby of my building, and crossed under the road to get a bus to his house.
The ride took about an hour out to the fifth ring road. Arrived at 7 to a beautiful complex of houses out in the outskirts of Beijing. Mingwei's house is beautiful, with rich wooden floors and a tasteful interior, to say the least. Mingwei gave me a quick tour and then his driver came by to bring us to a restaurant nearby.
It was Taiwanese food, and it was delicious. Mingwei treated, which was very kind and will be repaid by summer's end, I'm sure.
Back at Mingwei's house, I picked up the package I had shipped to his house with all my work clothes. We called a cab and I went home.
Got back to the hostel, brought the box upstairs and unpacked.
Went back downstairs and saw Cole, whom I met last night. He was with several new people. I met Bob and Monty, Americans, Ebba (I think that's how it's spelled?), a Swede, and Stephanie, a German. We sat on the couches for a while, played some foosball, drank some 3.5元 beer ($0.50) we got across the street from the hostel, and discussed in depth our involvements in the kidney black market.
Bed at 2.
7/4/10
Settling In
I woke up at 11:30 with a massive hangover. Today's job - unpack and find where to go to work tomorrow.
I decided to stay in the room I was given last night, which just means I'll have two single beds instead of one double: oh well, at least I'll have shelf-space for my clothes... we have no drawers here.
Spent a few hours playing pool and chatting with random people. Around 3 I saw the Brits from last night had come down so I sat with them.
@ 4 I had had my breakfast, a sandwich, and got in a cab a few minutes later to find where work is.
After a few wrong turns and a stop at a bank (my card was declined because last night at the club I drunkenly tried to enter it wrong 10 times or so and got blocked out - gotta call to fix that - so I got a small cash advance on my credit card) I made it to the place. Or so I thought. Had to walk over a few buildings in 97 degree humid heat to find it.
Still not sure which floor it was on, but I at least found the building, labelled Yintai on the top, and I got a cab back to the hostel and returned around 5:30.
By 8 I was rested, unpacked, and ready for work tomorrow.
Went downstairs and met Ross, Cole, and Kuldeep, all American, from NC, CA, and NC, respectively, drank two beers and played Pyramid, a drinking game, after which we were joined by Chris (Lishuan), a local Beijinger, and Alex, a girl from Seattle. We went out for drinks for the Fourth of July.
We settled in at Smuggler's at 10:30, a bar in the Sanlitun Village, one of the three major bar streets in Beijing and a ten-minute walk from my hostel. I have work tomorrow so I got one glass of Black Label. We played Kings. I was convinced to have a shot of tequila and a vodka/red bull as well, but I drew the line there and left at 12:30, after setting phone alarms at 7, 7:10, 7:15, 7:20, 7:31, 8, and 8:30.
Asleep by 1.
I decided to stay in the room I was given last night, which just means I'll have two single beds instead of one double: oh well, at least I'll have shelf-space for my clothes... we have no drawers here.
Spent a few hours playing pool and chatting with random people. Around 3 I saw the Brits from last night had come down so I sat with them.
@ 4 I had had my breakfast, a sandwich, and got in a cab a few minutes later to find where work is.
After a few wrong turns and a stop at a bank (my card was declined because last night at the club I drunkenly tried to enter it wrong 10 times or so and got blocked out - gotta call to fix that - so I got a small cash advance on my credit card) I made it to the place. Or so I thought. Had to walk over a few buildings in 97 degree humid heat to find it.
Still not sure which floor it was on, but I at least found the building, labelled Yintai on the top, and I got a cab back to the hostel and returned around 5:30.
By 8 I was rested, unpacked, and ready for work tomorrow.
Went downstairs and met Ross, Cole, and Kuldeep, all American, from NC, CA, and NC, respectively, drank two beers and played Pyramid, a drinking game, after which we were joined by Chris (Lishuan), a local Beijinger, and Alex, a girl from Seattle. We went out for drinks for the Fourth of July.
We settled in at Smuggler's at 10:30, a bar in the Sanlitun Village, one of the three major bar streets in Beijing and a ten-minute walk from my hostel. I have work tomorrow so I got one glass of Black Label. We played Kings. I was convinced to have a shot of tequila and a vodka/red bull as well, but I drew the line there and left at 12:30, after setting phone alarms at 7, 7:10, 7:15, 7:20, 7:31, 8, and 8:30.
Asleep by 1.
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