Beijing

Today we arrived in Beijing. We came in on the overnight 13 hour train from Harbin. It is impossible to describe the unbelieveable amount of people at the Beijing Train Station. Amazingly we did not lose anyone getting from the train to the one block walk to our bus.

We then got on the bus for a 10 mile, one hour and 30 minute ride to the hotel in Beijing rush hour. Plus our bus driver got lost three times, once stopping half on and half off a highway off-ramp. He stopped there, got out of the bus and walked across the off-ramp to look down to the street below and see if it was the right exit. All the while he was partially blocking both the highway and off-ramp traffic at rush hour.

We got to our hotel and it appeared, from the outside, like a bad beach motel in south Florida, with teal coloring and a weathered exterior. Although, instead of overlooking the beach, it overlooks the highway. However, inside it is brand new! It could not have opened more than a couple weeks ago. The rooms are small but all new fixtures, furniture and everything.

Somehow, someone had forgot that we needed breakfast when we arrived at the hotel, so the “tall man” headed out to find a restaurant. He found one around the corner and we ate about 30 minutes after the scheduled time in a small corner restaurant and we filled up all of their seats.

After our 3:00 pm practice time was changed to 10:00 am and then 30 minutes later to 11:00 am, we headed to the rink to get settled in. We found that the new rink was actually still under construction on the outside, and after dodging cement mixers and falling plaster we got inside to find our locker room.

The team had a light skate without coaches to get the feel for the ice and relax a little. The inside of the rink is nice, but poorly layed out. It is where the Beijing Asian League team plays. However, none of the Beijing players are from China, all from European countries.


So, after the ice session, we went back to the hotel for lunch and catch up sleep lost on the train ride.

Tomorrow we have a morning skate and opening game with S. Korea at a new time 6:30 p.m. CST (China Standard Time)

Good Night from Beijing!