Wanted to let you know I am enjoying my visit to
Beijing. So far, the Chinese have been very nice to me
and most hospitable. The hotel is very comfortable and
I even went for a swim in the indoor pool yesterday.
It is very hot and humid here now, a little worse than
even xxxx in July. (But at home, I do not walk
5-10 miles sightseeing in the mid-day everyday.)

I went to the Summer Palace yesterday and several of
the places you recommended over the last 5 days. I am
getting much better at riding the buses and subway
which always seem to be 50% over capacity! But I still
want to travel like the locals so I can really
experience what it is like to live here as much as any
visitor can. The yyyy has been
introducing me to some very good researchers and some
staff members plan to show me a section of the Great
Wall and Ming Tombs this next Saturday. The shopping
has been fabulous and I have enjoyed negotiating on
the price. Of course, the 18 year old female sales
clerks always say I am "killing them" even though I
know it is the other way around! They always say I
should give them more money for ice cream. :o) They
must be all trained to say the same things to
foreigners. Nevertheless it is still fun!

The air is more polluted here than I expected with the
city engulfed in a thick fog all the time. It makes me
feel like it is about to rain even though I know it is
sunny out.

Well, Beijing is calling me. There are so many cute
women here. I thought they had all come to the US!