FAR FAR AWAY

Ah yes, Boca and Bubba hit the road again. More or less. "To stay young, the doctor said to exercise and eat the right foods" said BUBBA. "What?" said BOCA, " I thought he said ACCESSORIZE AND BUY NICE SHOES." And so begins Boca and Bubba's next adventure.

HOW TRAVEL DECISIONS ARE MADE

After several long car drives, Boca thought it was time for a bit of a different kind of "cruzin". Ah yes time for the high seas. NO NO NO yelped Bubba. "Don't you understand we are in a recession aka depression!!!" That was until one of his good buddies said, "Hey Bubba, this cruise looks pretty darn good. Are ya goin?" And that was all it took. "Well, hell yes. We are in good buddy!" Must be a man thing. And so begins Boca and Bubba's next adventure. It has all the making's of some Bubba and Boca madness...start in LA and end in Shanghai. Look out Charlie Chan- be sure to follow the google calendar below. And yes yes I am behind already.

DAY 38 MARCH 20 SUNDAY BEIJING, CHINA

While I wrote the blog data while in China I had no access to it on the Internet...along with Facebook, Twitter and many Internet sites....guess Boca's Blog made the Commie Top Ten No Peek-ing.  Ok bad pun, but I couldn't resist...so now that we're back on US soil- Amen and God Bless America, I will post our China tour.





CHINA
Smooth landing into the XINGANG Port.  Brand new and growing.  Boca loved the idea that we had a military and police arrival? They must have heard about Bubbs and Boca crossing boarders and carrying "stuff" up to ol'Canada.  So they wanted to make sure no Kerfuffle with the Collins.  They did let Pleep do a little marching with them and blow the siren.  The port is huge and new....the only way the Chinese do anything these days.

Our guide, Oscar, and driver, Mr. Yang were waiting for us and had a tough job cramming our stuff in the car.  Off to Beijing via the new superhighway.  Is the "Crane" the National Bird?   95 mile ride to Beijing and every single mile...construction!  Crews were going at it on Sunday.  Oscar said they worked everyday 3 shifts to keep up with the demand.
 Oscar, was born  a few hours outside of Beijing but went to College here-Beijing International Study University.  His English is excellent.  Oscar, actually "Libo", gives us the overview of China-quickie for the attention deficit Americans please-on the ride in.  Beijing has over 15 million people in a country of 1.3 Billion.  Wrap your head around that...a country in land mass not much bigger than the US of A.  Bo-that's what family and friends call him is an only child-as are 99% of anyone born after 1949 is.  His parents were a part of the Cultural Revolution 1966-1976- one family one kid.  If both parents are only kids they can have two children, or if you have a disabled child you can have a second child.  If you don't follow this you will be fined, demoted at work or maybe even loose your job.  And at this time men/young men out number the gals by millions!  And yes, the wealthy can afford to pay the fines and have more children.  Learning about this restriction was sad-talk about lack of freedom and NO CHOICE.  Nearing the city here come the skyscrapers....one after another.

The city is loaded with modern hotels-we are staying at The Regent -about 4 years old.  Carlon Travel built it and then sold it to a Taiwanese company.  Who knew?Bubba sure doesn't remember this Beijing circa 1976.   Not all in the same grey uniform Mao PJ's and they look a lot happier. Yes, Bubs there have been a few changes...our modern Hotel, one of many, The Regent.


Those clever "chinese ninja's" posing as window washers will have to be more cleaver than that to get a peek at Boca!   Sleek lobby and Bubba checks us in....gee Mr. Secret Police, you're not too obvious checking out Bubba's tourist story.  And sure enough when I go to the lap top to upload to my blog-Nada!  Huh?  So the computer man is sent up to see what is wrong?  We can get to the net and many web sites but not Boca's.  Not Boca's Blog!!!!  And may I quote Bubs "Cock Blocked in China, some things never change".   Oh Bubs you're forever paranoid.   Let's go out for a walk to let the computer "warmed up"....

WALKABOUT AND NIGHT MARKET
Several of the gang disembarked with us so we rendezvoused at the Regent of course....ok how about a walk about in Beijing?  The streets are loaded with locals...shopping, eating and more shopping.  Over to the pedestrian walk and then to the "night market"...









Hey, Boca how bout a little fried scorpion????


Not sure what all this stuff is.....Beijing never had it's own distinctive cuisine but as the center fo the Empire it imported elements and influences from a variety of sources.
 Oh joy!  More Bugs to choose from!  MMMMMM

 And that is a ??? Sparrow?  And they eat the heads?  Obviously a popular item!  PLEEP started to get a bit nervous.  When Kublai Khan made Beijing the capital in 1271 he brought along a lot of Mongolian tastes and that would be tweety pie?


Come on Bubba give it a try....diverse cuisine to say the least.  An endless variety of traditional Chinese snacks.

 What are those fury urchins Bubba!???  As the birthplace and home of Confucius, it also had influence on the chow.  Slugs and urchins a Yellow River specialty- mmmm.  Where is the Drunken Empress Chicken or some of the stir fried Kidney-flowers?  Bubba had to pass on the sweet and sour carp.
 Glad to get the band back together!  Nothing like a Regent Posse for some laughs.  Over to Wangfuging Street for some good "buys".  Giant malls with everything western (designer please)...everything from curios, objects d'art, antiques, clothes and books are plentiful and available.  MADE IN CHINA took on new meaning.

Bubba's personal favorite shop......I think he had a suit made here on his last trip- Robin's Egg Blue- triple knit...bordering on a leisure suit.  It went with his fu-manchu mustache.  And a good time was had by all.








Posted by at