Starting to get regular...

Today's title has nothing to do with the food here in China, or anything associated with food.  Simply, it means today felt "fairly" normal.  Got into the office today and worked on two folks' knees for about 2 hours.  It actually felt good getting back to rehab and workout plans.  After that, I rode with some colleagues to the sports store, Decathlon in Wingjie (I think...it's close enough!)  Basically it is like a small Academy or Dick's Sporting Goods.  On the way back, we decided to get some lunch, and I was asked if I wanted Chinese food or western food....Of course, I'm in China, went with Chinese.  The next question was "Rice or noodles?"  Since I have had rice a few times, I thought I'd try noodles.  The restaurant we went to today (can't remember the name right now) was AMAZING!  Talk about comfort food!  The only problem was it is perfect for a cold winter day/night; and today was the absolute opposite of that.  The weather here has been very reminiscent of back home in August-sticky, hot and wet.  After managing to eat, sloppily with chopsticks, my noodles, I looked to my two friends and said, "Gosh, I'm dripping sweat!"  (we were in an air conditioned place too!)  Their reply was "Well, you're eating hot noodles!"  This was the first time in my life, that I have ever sweated that much while eating.  Maybe it was the workout trying to eat noodles with chopsticks, or the spice, or a combination of things, but I realized, I will just have to get over this hatred of sweating-it is inevitable, much like paying taxes.

Upon return to the office, I went back out to town to get my bank account started.  This is nothing like opening an account in the states.  It literally took me 10 minutes, a copy of my passport, and a piece of paper, and I now have an account.  They didn't ask for my first born, or for me to sign anything in blood, really just two signatures, I was amazed.  Oh, and I walked out with my card!  I didn't have to wait 7-10 business days; finally, something efficient in China.  Then back to the office to work with a couple more folks in the gym then it was off to dinner.  Tonight's meal was again at Annie's (Italian).  After dinner, my friend took me to the center of the Beijing.  I finally got to see where it all started.  Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.  Beautiful is all I can say about the Chinese architecture.  The buildings (that I saw from the car)  was stunning.  I can't wait to take the camera out and be able to walk the square and the city.  This is what I was waiting for, the "Real" China.  I say that, but what I am in the midst of is more real than what I saw tonight, more on that in a later post.  My friend and I did stop at a food market as well, where they had just about anything you could imagine grilled on a stick.  They had squid, fruit, grasshoppers, cocoons, scorpions and seahorses, all for your culinary pleasure.  I tried them all...NOT...actually the smell of some of them was enough to make me nauseous.  The rain came so it was back to the apartment for me.

So, there was excitement today, just not as much as yesterday (thankfully).  It seems as though things are starting to settle down, only to pick back up in two days with new staff orientation!  Yay, I'm no longer the newest staff member!  

Thanks to all who have read my posts...If you have any questions or comments, please leave them!  I'd love to hear from you.

Josh