Face it; we've all had them, and it's nothing to be ashamed of. Bad hair days just happen. Only a few weeks ago during a visit to the 798 Art District in Beijing, I was sitting down for a brief rest on a pink plastic chair when my good friend "Daney" snapped this photo of me. Any other day, my Simpson-esque mane would have been perfectly coiffed, but, well ... I didn't have the right conditioner. But to show I'm a good sport, I'm posting this photo as a testament to the fact that even the bold and beautiful have off days.
For most of Daney's visit, there was another woman who hung around us quite a bit. We called her "The Lor". She's very organized, tends to read aloud and write meticulous notes in travel journals. Rumor has it that my driver (see my last entry) was very impressed with her Mandarin. Personally, I've always thought she was a bit of a show off, but...that's just me. (Bitter...party of one? Bitter?)
Seriously, I had a wonderful time visiting with my friends Lori and Dana last month. Not only was it great to see and spend time with them, I also got to explore new areas of Beijing, including:
- The Lama temple, where there was some major incense burning going on. I haven't been that high since I hung out in my teenage sisters bedroom in the late 60s.
- Longqingxia Gorge -- think mini Grand Canyon with bungee jumpers and high wire act entertainers, the longest dragon shaped escalator in the world (I'm not making this up, folks), a very relaxing boat ride and assorted Buddhist temples dotting the landscape.
- The Hutongs -- a pedal-cart ride through the old stone homes and alleyways of Beijing which leaves you with the feeling that there really is such a thing as time travel.
- The Green Team Room -- a hip, trendy eatery that is described as "something out of Alice in Wonderland". No photos were allowed, but it didn't disappoint.
They were also here for the 24th anniversary of my 21st birthday, a very special occasion celebrated at Peter's Tex Mex with some of my closest friends in Beijing. In a scene right out of Ripley's Believe It or Not, the folks at the table on our right were from Columbus, Georgia; and one of the young ladies at the table on our left was an Auburn grad (and it was her birthday, too!). What are the odds? Only in China!
This is me in my winter that that my friend Donna bought me for my birthday. Frankly, the Communists aren't known for fashion, but they do make rather hip hats. I look rather dashing, no?
We also enjoyed a fun night at Hard Rock Cafe-Beijing -- no drugs or nuclear weapons allowed (the sign says so) -- where a band from the Philippines played some fairly danceable pop tunes.
Anyway, I posted yet ANOTHER photo album you can check out on the left column with some pictures taken by Daney during the Daney/Lor Birthday Visit. (Are you sick of seeing my photos? Please say "yes"; I hate resizing them for viewing on the Web.)
By the way, for anyone who wants to know, and the rest of you who have nothing better to do than read my blog, I will be "home" for Christmas, which, currently means "Illinois, Tennessee and Alabama". For Turkey Day, however, I'll be flying South to Hong Kong. Jackie Chan beware!
Should be another adventure. Stay tuned.
