First Impressions of China

When the taxi pulled out of the Beijing airport and onto the expressway, several things went through my mind.

1.) Wow, it's nice and cool! (only 85 degrees)
2.) Wow, this road is smooth!
3.) Look at all the space!
4.) Nobody is honking, and we aren't slamming on the brakes every three seconds!
5.) The air! I can breathe! (kinda, Beijing is still very polluted)
6.) This is paradise!

Coming from being in urban Vietnam for a few months, maybe anywhere seems like the Garden of Eden. But i have to say that China seems much more clean and civil than its savage neighbor to the south. I think it takes leaving Vietnam to really grasp how primitive it is.

The Olympics are coming next year, and everything in Beijing is getting a facelift. Entire sections of the Forbidden City are draped in scaffolding, and even Mao's tomb is under renovation so you can't go in. I'm a little disappointed I can't go see Chairman Mao, but i doubt there's a complaint box.

The tourist sights might be ready for the throngs next summer, but I tell you- the people ARE NOT. No one speaks a lick of English. The taxi drivers really need help with even basic English. I got in a cab and said "Tiananmen Square" and the driver looked at me like i was covered in ants. Come on, man, it's the single most important place in all of China! People are going to want to go there, trust me.

Even when you have the directions written in Chinese, the drivers still don't know where they're going. I was dropped off miles away from my preferred destination yesterday. These guys better get it together soon, or else it's going to be a total mess here come next summer.

One thing's for sure , the Beijing Olympics mascots are rad! Good job!