Hello! For those of you that couldn't view my pics on myspace, I think I fixed the problem if you want to try again.
It is hot here. Enough said.
Yesterday, we had breakfast at the hotel and then made our way to Lenovo. Lenovo makes PCs and notebooks, etc. They have some really great innovation (see pics on myspace from Innovation Center). We weren't allowed to take pics in the factory so there aren't many. Businesses here are a little different in general. They have campuses where their workers are housed. They have a nice big space for parks and basketball courts, etc. This allows them to keep their employees on the premises and to pay them a lower wage by giving them housing.
After Lenovo, some people went to the Summer Palace. I did not go because I was wearing a suit and it was very hot as stated above. Some of us didn't get the memo that the clothing requirements changed to business casual. (There was no memo.)
The rest of us came back to the hotel and changed into cooler clothes. Then we hit the markets. YIKES!!! These people are scarey when they want to sell stuff! They all yell at you and some of them hit you with whatever they are selling. If you don't want to buy from them, they hold onto your arm and you have to drag them away with you. Needless to say that this is a negotiation type place, you don't pay full price. I bought a backpack (needed for the plane) and an iPod speaker set. Then we drove through Tian'anmen Square.
I went with the Dean to get some snacks for a little shindig we were having later and we went to the Olympics store. INSANE. They couldn't keep things on the wall long enough before someone would come up and buy it. Tons of people. Hot.
I had to go back to the hotel and shower because did I mention it was hot? That night, we all had a 2nd fitting of our suits that we had ordered. Mine was way too big so it needs alterations. By this time, it was about 9pm and I decided to stay in for the rest of the night. Good thing, because my roommate went out with everyone trying to find some dumpling restaurant and they never found it. Walked around for an hour for nothing and didn't even eat.
Today is a laid back day. Our group has three business meetings and then the big group is going for a traditional Peking Duck Dinner. Tomorrow we hit the Great Wall and head out to Chengdu. So I may not be posting for a couple of days. I'll try to get in tomorrow, but we leave early and I'm not sure what time the business center opens!
Hope everything is well at home. What's with Owen Wilson? We Chinese keep up with the gossip of you strange Americans.
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