The Beijing Airport Olympics

Our flight from Incheon to Beijing wasn't until 1pm, so we could proceed at a leisurely pace to the airport. Despite a minor flow delay to Beijing, the flight was uneventful. The real excitement began after landing. We were entering China using a transit visa or 72 hour visa that would enable us to temporarily stay in the country without an official visa that one has to get at a US embassy or consulate. Such visas require actually knowing the date of arrival and departure -- something we didn't know until yesterday. Upon arrival into Beijing, we waited in line for about 50 mins at customs and immigration before being turned away at the desk for not having the transit visa stamp, which evidently is received at a separate station. It would have been impossible to find on our own considering it was on the opposite side of the terminal and we actually had to reverse through a health inspection checkpoint to get to it. When we filled out some paperwork and returned to the customs line, it was now extending well beyond the ropes themselves.

It was as if two A380s and a cruise ship had docked and we were now behind all of them. After finally getting back to the desk, we were approved and moved onto our next challenge. We now had to take a train to the city. We couldn't buy tickets because the machine wouldn't take credit card.  The nearest ATM was back where we came from, but at the far end of the terminal. 15 minutes later, we returned with multiple 100 yuan notes. I looked at the machine and it indicated that it would take 100 yuan notes, but when I inserted one, a nearby employee shook his head no repeatedly. I was confused. Evidently the machine was not going to take my notes, so now I had to stand in line to pay in person. When we finally got on the train, we rode it for almost 15 minutes only to make a stop at another airport terminal. What does it take to leave the airport? Then the train began reversing direction. Nicole and I looked at each other in terror that perhaps the train just does circles around the airport. Fortunately, it continued toward central Beijing, but that experience should be viewed as a metaphor. In communist China, one has to go backward to go forward to where they had already been,

Once we made a transfer and finally got off the subway, it was easy. Communism could no longer inhibit us while we were walking. We had landed at 230pm and arrived at our hotel when it was dark. After dropping our bags, we walked over to Tiananmen Square. It is more closed off than I remember. We had to pass through a security checkpoint before we could get close. There was some kind of water/light show that began to the tune of music at one point. And in the middle of the square was a giant illuminated bouquet of flowers. I don't know why. Eventually we made our way back to the hotel.

Hopefully tomorrow goes more efficie

ntly.