Beijing New York

Back in the City and lunch with Shannon. Szechuan style in midtown.

How many ways is this wrong?

Food arrives individual plates. Too salty. Too bland. Cai xin (aka bok choy) has to be special requested. No tea. All around us Americans drink Coke.

I'm back and not back, as always.

If you're wondering, yes, it's a common question, at least for me: why'd you go to China? What was it like? And, yes, nearly impossible to answer in a word or two.

I'd love to hear what you think of your first Chinese meal back in America.

Hou Hai

Fog and mist in the afternoon become rain in the evening.









After dinner we watch dancers at the Lotus Gate and navigate hutong alleys, bright and glistening, and loud with soccer on the plasma screens.

End of day refresh

At the end of the day -- long jet-lag day of meetings and taxis across Beijing -- I return to the hotel to find this nice refresh note of wonder. Delicious.