Jun 17, 2004 - Andiamo a Beijing!!

As I sat there dining al fresco at my charming courtyard hotel in Beijing (a beautiful bowl of noodles with cucumber, chicken, and magic spice)a motley crew of Germans was determined to get grogged on the local beer (registering at a feable 3.5% alc.), and a lovely Swedish girl, looking everybit the stereotype (down to the blonde hair in pigtails and gratuitously using the word, "ya") sat with her androgynous, stoutly mum who watched protectively over her shoulder, and I reflected on what had been an exciting couple of days... By some...