DAY 2 - (April 24) ~ BEIJING

We arrived in Beijing the next day around 2:30pm (3:00am our time).  After getting off the plane we walked a long distance (following everyone else). All the signs in the airport had an English translation, so it was easy to follow the signs. We went through passport check, then took a shuttle (train) to the baggage claim.   

Pizza Hut, KFC and Starbucks at the Beijing Airport.

At the baggage claim we retrieved our luggage (yeah!) and went through the "nothing to declare" path and put our luggage and carry-on through an x-ray.  I walked through with my backpack on and was not stopped.  That was the customs check.  Easy!
  
We continued around a corner onto a roped off long path that went on forever.  Lined up along that path were, people (shoulder to shoulder) holding signs with names on them.  I felt like I was walking the red carpet with everyone staring at us.  We had on a large red Viking stick-on dots that identified us as Viking.  At the end of the path someone was standing there with a Viking sign waving at us.  Whew! Because we arranged our own flights I was so worried that we would have to find our own way to the hotel.

There was another Viking couple with that was on our same flight.  They are from Richmond, CA.  We were directed to follow this driver who led us into the parking area to a van.  It was a long drive through the city so we got a good look at the metropolitan city of Beijing.  This is a big city with lots of sky-rise apartments.  Some were run down and looked boarded up, but they were occupied.  The financial area was large and high with buildings.  I got a picture of an unusual one that housed a TV and radio network and probably other offices.

Regarding the other couple that was riding with us; the wife said to us "I heard your name is Charleston, do you happen to know an Elinor Charleston (Dave's mom)....  This woman was in DUP (Daughters of the Utah Pioneers) with Elinor.  She was in Elinor's home many times for meetings and had wonderful things to say about Elinor.  Wow...talk about a small world...

  

After a very long day and night and about 40 minutes of grid lock traffic and downtown driving in the rain, we safely arrived at our hotel in Beijing with our health and all our luggage.

KERRY HOTEL

This is a luxury hotel.  Before our van even got into the driveway, porters were at the door to assist us and also a Viking rep was there to direct us.  We were swept out of the van with people holding umbrellas over us and walked us into the lobby.  Others took care of our luggage.  Wow, what service.  We were checked in and walked to our room.  It is now about 4:30pm.

ROOM 1325
Our room is on the 13th floor.  We have quite a view of skyscrapers and city streets.  We have a great view of that weird shaped building that has the TV and radio station.  

Our room was spacious with a king size bed with large fluffy pillows. Lots of closet space, a very long desk with lots of plugs and USB outlets.  

The fridge had lots of goodies in it a a drawer with snacks.  All complimentary.

The tall red can is coke. 
The black trim on it means it is diet, or Coke Zero. Yeah!

The large Samsung TV screen had lots of channels, mostly Chinese.  But CNN, BBC World, Bloomberg, HBO and CINEAMAX is in English.  HBO and CINEAMAX had Chinese subtitles. 

The bathroom was interesting.  It was large with a glass room to the side that housed a large tub with a stand-up shower next to it.  The bathroom had what I would describe as a tech toilet.  It was electric with auto-flushing.  When you lift the lid a light would come on and also a fan.  On the wall next to it was a row of buttons that would make the toilet do other things, like spray like a bidet.  Did not touch any of the buttons.  Was afraid to.

 

 

The bathroom also had complementary goodies, plus slippers and robes.  We kept the goodies and slippers.

Working the lights in the room took a while to figure out.  At the entrance to the room is a slot that is the master lighting.  You have to put your key card into it to turn the power on.  There are lamps on both sides of the beds that have their own switch as well as the the desk and the bathroom lights.  But to turn off all the ceiling lights you have to push the 'master' button on one side of the bed.  On the first night we found out that the master button beside the bed also turns off all the power.  
  
When nature called in the middle of the night and you need light, you have to push the master button by the bed in order to make the bathroom light button work which also turns on all the lights in the room.  Or you have to handle things in the dark.  But wait, if you have no power, the toilet will not flush.....
  
On the second night we found a button on the other side of the bed that turns off all the lights, but not the power.  I hope the other two hotels we will be staying at are not so complicated.
  
There was complementary internet in our room, but it had a weak signal.  We were able to get our e-mail.  China has blocked Facebook and GOOGLE.  So I will be going through Facebook withdrawals for the next 13 days.  Unfortunately my travel BLOG is on GOOGLE so I will have to wait until we return from this trip before we can share our stories and pictures.

KERRY KITCHEN
All our meals during the land part of this trip are included.  So after we explored our room we went downstairs to the Kerry Kitchen to have a buffet dinner.  There was lots of choices, both Western and Chinese.  We sat with other Viking passengers.  This was a great way of meeting our fellow travelers.

 

When we returned to our room after dinner at around 7:00pm, we found all our luggage had been delivered to the room.  So we unpacked and retired for the night.  Tomorrow is going to be a busy day.  We visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.