8:13 PM, Wednesday July 15

A couple of observations:

Duo, my driver and often my guide, is very shy and doesn't talk much when his cousin Ying is around, but we chat a lot when we're traveling around Beijing. After we went by the CCTV screen last night with the picture of the Uighur man, he said, "Uighurs are thieves. They train their children to be thieves. Even the little ones." "Oh," I said.

A little later we were talking about what's on TV around here, and almost 24-hours a day you can get state-run programs (dramas) about WW II. He said, "Americans don't know why we hate the Japanese, how horrible they were to us from 1933 until the end of the war. The Koreans feel the same way about them." "Oh," I said.

We went to the Police Station this morning, and the Supervisor was there. Duo's uncle (Ying's father) had gotten somebody (I'd guess--a secretary) to type up the other missing documents. Pages and pages of vouchers and affadavits and proofs of ownserhip, giving me permission to live in a Chinese neighborhood. The Supervisor typed tons of info into her computer and out printed a little 5-copy NCR form giving me official permission to be here. I need to carry it with me at all times, with my passport...The woman was very pleasant and efficient. She seemed to like it that I said, "Ni hao" (Hello) and "Xie xie" (Thank you.)

After lunch at a mall, Ying and I had our nails done. It was actually quite a lot of fun. We are going to get professional foot massages tomorrow--not just pedicures, but real Chinese foot massages. Can't wait.

Duo brought me to the Silk Market (he went off to do an errand), & I spent an hour walking up and down the aisles of the five-story building. Everywhere I went, young women called out, "Lady, Lady, come here, you wanna buy (a necktie for your husband or boyfriend?, a pashmina shawl? some unnerpants? a chess set? a silk nightgown?...." At one place I stopped to look at a cute Chinese two-piece pajama set for a three year old, and I asked how much it would cost. 580 RMB, said the woman ($84). I said, "I'm not buying anything today, just looking." She said, 400--200--100. And I kept saying "I'm not buying anything today." Finally, I walked away and she called out, "For you, 50!" I still didn't buy, but now I know how far I can go with my "Tai guay leh" (costs too much) line. There were a few of the saleswomen who were really pleasant, and I took their cards and will go back to them when I'm ready to buy.

Then Duo and I went to the Lama Temple--Tibetan Buddhist--(getting lost--oh, not really lost, but in the wrong lane and so having to drive an extra few miles before we could turn around), where I've been before and where I love. Too bad: we got there at 4:35 and it closes at 4:30, so we walked down the street to the Confucian Temple, whose gates were open. It really is beautiful, built hundreds of years ago in classic Chinese style, with a series of gated courtyards leading into, the final, and most important, hall. In that building are bells and gongs and guqin (classical stringed instruments), altars, and--photographs of Chinese leaders--even Communist--paying homage to Confucius at this temple to gain credence with the people for their government.

Then another meal. Who can believe this. Ying and I are talking about how we each plan to lose 15-20 pounds this summer (what I gained in nursing school and what she's gained since coming to the US to get her master's at Tufts in 2003). Hah. Keep up these four course meals and it ain't gonna happen. Anyway, I asked Duo to order, and he got little pork bones in a very flavorful sauce, two different dim sum (dumplings)--shrimp & seafood, Chinese yogurt (very sweet), steamed green veggies, plum juice, and sweet bean dumplings. All excellent. When Ying joined us (she had been at Beijing Union University, doing more work to prepare for the opening day of our classes next Tuesday), she also ordered noodles. Amazing quantities of food. Where I sat, I got to watch the shrimp, crabs, lobsters, and fish swim (or crawl) around in their tanks. Great fun.

So now I'm back at Maliando 15, feeling quite sleepy. Duo figured out why I've not had any hot water, so I hope to have a long, luxurious shower tomorrow!