Here are my digs!

Hi All - another great day here in China -

I thought I would give you an idea of where I have been living - we are staying at the Beijing Phoenic Palace Hotel - website is www.pphotel.cn

I am told I have the biggest room in the group - I wonder if I got this room due to the fact my suitcase weighed a ton! As you can see I have been very busy decorating it with all my stuff! No dressers or closets - for all my friends who know how I keep my room at home, you can see that I have been preparing for this trip my whole life! LOL

Our bathrooms have western toilet and a I even have a tub - everyone else has a shower that leaks onto the floor - Living in luxury!

The meals we have been feed can truly feed a Chinese family of 3 for at least 1 month, maybe longer. I have never had such a wonderful experience.


June 30th a day I can not and will not forget! This is the day that Ms. Smith actually used an NON-Western toilet!

The day began with a 40 minute drive to China University of Political Science and Law - we had a lively discussion on the 3 religions in China; Daoist, Buddhist, Confucius. After the meeting we went to the ladies room to only find a non - western toilet! That was our 1st introduction!

We left the college and attended another fabulous lunch at this amazing restaurant. We were put in a private room, we drank Great Wall (name brand) Red Wine - very nice. We had such delicacies as sea cucumber! Our food was spicy but yummy! We were on the second floor overlooking the 1st floor where they was a stage. We sat back to watch the show. The first act where the acrobats - check of the picture of the boy going through the tub! Pretty impressive! Then there was a singer and a musician who played the traditional musical instrument the Zheng - this is a horizontal harp made of wood and string.

After dinner we headed to the ladies room and sure enough another non - western toilet - It was very clean and smelled fine - so I decided to take a picture.

Yes, you put the paper in the basket, because the Chinese septic system can not handle the paper! I have now become and expert! Please note the silver square is an automatic flusher... They can put in an automatic flusher but yet they can not put in an elevated seat! Yes this one had paper and soap to wash your hands... CRAZY!


It has been another busy day and it is quite late (12:17 am) I need to be up for 7am... Off to Chairman Mao's Mausoleum and a Peking Duck Lunch! It is all about the food here...

Dsai jian (Good Bye)