Too much to see!

Just thought I'd give a much needed update on my doings from the past couple days. For my own reference I have been cataloguing some prices for many different things here in Beijing.

One RMB, 1/7th of a dollar. There are so many things that blow my mind...

Bottled water... 1 RMB=($0.14)
Coca-Cola "light" 6pack cans... 11 RMB=($1.50)
Premium Custom Tailored dress shirt with your choice of fabric, collar, cuff, buttons... 250 RMB=($35.00)
Longest cab ride... 20RMB=(2.8)
32oz Yan-jing beer (Beijing local)... 14RMB=(1.75)

It is really easy to spend money here... I have to be careful. Sadly, my dreams of getting a Canon 40D with lens for less than amazon... Went to a big place called BuyNow, the place sounds like buynow in chinese but it means (a hundred brains (computers)). I asked a guy how much a 40D was (body only) and he put in a calculator 6853 ($979)... I though ok... first price and he's high balling me... lets talk lens combo and see what happens, I picked out a comperable lens, and that brought his total he showed me to $1300, I put in $1000, and he laughed and threw the calulator down and walked away from me. I pissed him off haha!!! Then I wanted to buy a simple DVI-VGA plug, one that comes free with every video card haha, and these guys tried to tell me 120RMB which is like 22 bucks!!! I laughed at them and walked away! Not to mention the one they showed me looked like it got kicked around on the floor haha.... good times.

On to the tourist things... Me and Ron met one of our co-workers Alex Robinson, who is very fluent in Chinese at the North Gate of the Forbidden City. We didn't want to go in but we hiked up to the top of this hill that overlooks the whole complex. It was a tease to look out over the entire Forbidden city. We could see so much stuff from the top of that hill. The old Hu-tong courtyards that used to sprawl out over the enitre inner ring of Beijing. Then we headed out to the ancient drum and bell tower, and saw a quick drum performance. After that we ventured into BeiHai park for some lunch. What an awesome place! There is a small lake with stores and restaurants all around it, with boats that are apparently very cool to get in and take someone special with some take out and a lady playing that ancient chinese guitar... I forget what it is... but that needs to happen! Then we ventured into the Hu-tongs for quite some time, went in some vintage stores and all sorts of little courtyards, and the coolest part was we saw this courtyard that Alex used to live in. It was so cool! All the rooms were about 7 feet deep, and facing the courtyard in a sqaure. He used to heat it with real, carbon-monoxide releasing coal! Really awesome to see.

Then we ventured out to do some serious tourist shopping. I think first we went to the Ya Show clothing market. You buy anything there from raw fabric, to bags, shoes and custom tailored shirts. I shouldn't have brought any clothes! There is so much to see there I am sure I will be back for a new wardrobe or two.