Sunday, 9 April 2017
Beijing, China
Having already experienced a VIP transfer in Bangkok arranged through the hotel a few years previously, have also booked the same for Beijing. Greeted at the aircraft door by a beautiful young Chinese girl with a placard with my name on.
She whisks me through Beijing airport security and customs fast track lanes and down a side door to a waiting BMW 7 series in the private VIP entrance before whizzing through the traffic in air-conditioned comfort to downtown.
Could get used to this rock star treatment.
Arrive at the Four Seasons Beijng (www.fourseasons.com/beijing/). Doors are opened as car stops. Hotel Manager greets me at car door, hands me her business card and escorts me to the lift with the Assistant Hotel Manager who then escorts me to the 25th floor Executive Floor and in to my room for check in.
Was on an aircraft less than an hour ago.
This is the way to travel.
Assistant Manager asks me what I’m doing in Beijing. Explain I’m in transit to North Korea.
Later chat with the Executive Floor receptionist who asks the same question and again the response is ‘I’m in transit to North Korea.’ To which she exclaims, ‘Ah, Mr Taurean!’. Tell her she’s well informed and she responds with ‘I have my sources!’.
I was last in Beijing in 1996. A lot has changed.
Flashy new metro train to Tiananmen Square, having gone through full airport style X-ray security at the metro station to get on the underground train. Hope we don’t have that rigmarole in Europe anytime soon!
Eventually surface at Tiananmen Square and soon greeted by three young Chinese girls who are kindergarten teachers from the north east, near the border with Russia. They want to practice their English and ask if I would like to have a coffee and chat with them.
Ooer.
I’ve been picked up already.
Sorry ladies. This Englishman is a bit jet lagged and bordering on being a grumpy little ogre due to lack of sleep and needs to be left alone. They’re actually a bit miffed and clear off in a huff.
Long, long queues to pass through yet more security and x-ray checkpoint to enter the massive expanse of Tiananmen Square. When I came in 1996, there was none of this and you could come and go as you pleased.
21 years ago I remember a lot of people walking about in Mao style uniforms and lots of bicycles. So different now. Much more western styles and a lot more cars.
Stand in Tiananmen Square taking photos as I did 21 years ago. Back then, in 1996, it was minus 10C and I was THE tourist attraction on account of being tall and blond and a rare westerner. Back then I was there for half an hour having my photo taken with local families as I was such an ‘oddity’ (no sniggering!).
It happens again and a young lad asks if he can have his photo with me. Which starts other locals asking the same. At 6’5” am standing out a bit.
Dinner in the hotel for a quick pizza. All I want is some carbs, a beer and then bed for much needed sleep.
Have asked for a pizza with a tomato base as extra (not a pizza without a tomato base is it I hear you say). Arrives without a tomato base. Waitress soon realises the error of her ways. Tell her it’s OK and start scoffing as now hungry and just want to eat and go to sleep. Jetlagged as I am. Halfway through the pizza am told to stop. Chef has done another pizza with a tomato base and it’s on its way.
Flipping ‘eck.
Now have two pizzas before me. One with a tomato base and a half eaten one without a tomato base.
Well, that just means I’ll have to have another glass of wine.
Doesn’t it.
