Slow Boat to China

I'm going to China. 3 weeks. For 12 days. Official State of CT education trip. As a Board member, off I go. The Chinese want to learn essentially how to set up Western style locals board - not for control - they'll never give up state control - but for input and discussion. This ought to be interesting.

First, I'm spending about 13 hours in Tokyo - I'll be at the airport hotel right there - no reason to leave the area - Tokyo is too far away but i'm gonna take a taxi to a local town and sample the cuisine and meet some people as the Gaijin wandering over from the airport. See if I have the same good time I had in Cozumel. When I was on a cruise I walked into town looking for cheap tequila - I found it - so cheap I never in a million years ever though of buying it - but I did stop in at a bar. At lunch time I sat with a bunch of workers for a couple of hours, having Corona beers [at 50 cents each] and lunch [some kind of pastry with very tasty and spicy meet and vegetables]. I bought the house a round of beers [there were 8 guys there] and got to see picutures of their families in wallets- showed them mine - and we hooted and hollered over [now get this] not sports but 1970's reruns of the Dating Game and the Newlywed Game in voiced over in Spanish with english subtitles. This was hilarious. Between my LA bus spanish and their 6th grade english, we all got by. I was sad to go - but - the boat was leaving and they dropped me off at the dock in a rattrap old pickup. The tender security did want to let me on the pier - there I was - shorts, t-shirt, flops, very tan, coming off a locals 25 year Ford pickup. I literally had to go to the ship with the tender and a security card to prove who I was - since they take embarkation photos now - my room card scanned my picture. Juan the security guard was just dying to stay on the boat but I shrugged and said buenos dias.

Anyway, Japan, and then China for 12 days. I am fascinated but kinda scared at the same time. I am flying in separately from the rest of the crew - I'm using miles to go business class - imagine 14 hours in a coach seat? The plane is booked almost full, too, for the other members of my group who are getting to Beijing only an hour later than me.

The Great Wall. Monogolia through the gate - they say the desert starts literally on the other side of the gate. One side lush and oriental, the other side dry as Mongolian beef. Terra Cotta Warriors. Tien an Mein Square. A 6 hour bus ride to Jinan, near the Home of Tsing Tao beer and Confucius. Working with senior officials of government of 230 million people - who look forward to learning from those of us who are successful in a town of 6000.