Long (And I Do Mean LONG) Weekend in Beijing - Part I

Aside from our very pleasant and fun travel companions, Sofia and Cenk all the way from Londontown, Beijing was not quite the exciting getaway I had in mind. In a nutshell, it was exhausting. It drained the life and fun out of me.

Okay, maybe I'm being a little dramatic. It wasn't all horrible. For instance, the entirety of Saturday was spent away from Beijing and at the Great Wall. That was a good day. And I liked the brand spankin' new architecture which was definitely impressive. I'm sure there were charismatic neighborhoods and splendid sights I didn't get a chance to explore. I'm willing to give Beijing another shot.
Our trip to Beijing in some photos and commentary.
The first highlight of leaving Hong Kong for the weekend was discovering Popeye's at the airport. I have been disappointed to find a plethora of KFC all over the world, in every country and city I've visited in the last several months. But no sign of fast food for the gourmand like an Arby's or Popeye's where the fried chicken is undeniably superior (it's the batter). But at last, mecca:


Not sure of what to expect on a semi-domestic 3-hour flight to Beijing, I made sure I was well-fed and full before boarding the plane. Turned out to be a mistake. I should have known that I'd be taken care of on an Asian airline. Asian airlines deserve every bit of their current reputation - fantastic and friendly service, very decent food, and general cleanliness. We flew Dragonair, and with the exception of a worn and a mildly unpleasant-smelling interior, our flight was very nice which is more than I can say for any airline in the States.

My surprisingly nice sole fillet with tomato sauce and vegetables.

Stu got dim sum!

We had perfect weather in Beijing that weekend, albeit dampened by the dirty haze hanging over the city like a sour expression on an otherwise decent face. Some aerial shots just before landing in Beijing:


More from Beijing to come...