China Part II - Beijing, the new Rome

My first impression of Beijing was on the plane as we were approaching the airport.  As I looked out the window and saw the immense-ness of Beijing,  I felt like a person 2,000 years ago seeing Rome for the first time, in awe about how big and expansive and developed the city is.  The enormity and magnitude of the city took my breath away, and I knew immediately that this is where I wanted to be.  It was nice to be greeted by Jeremy Lin at the airport.

We stayed in the Wangjing neighborhood near the airport, and I was treated to real Peking Duck the first evening.  Now I consider myself somewhat of a conossieur of Peking Duck.  The skin of this duck was AMAZING.  It was like eating an M&M: crispy texture but melts in your mouth, not in your hands.  I wouldn't mind never going on a diet again if I can just eat crispy duck skin everyday for the rest of my life.  My overall impression of the Beijing Peking Duck: the ones at Peking Gourmet Inn in Falls Church, VA is still the best.  It's because they have a very unique and flavorful hoisin sauce, they give you an ample amount of spring onions, they have this amazing spicy pickled peppers, and the duck is served with homemade flour wrappers.

My little friend being carved.  Check out the fast knife skills!

They carve the duck differently than at Peking Gourmet Inn.

My real purpose for going to Beijing because my uncle was going to be a guest lecturer at Tsinghua University.  My uncle's lecture was on Noise Control for Petro-Chemical Plants in China, and I think the students really enjoyed his lecture from the feedback and questions they asked in the end.

One of the posters advertising the guest lecture series.

My uncle's bio, all in Chinese.

Afterwards, our driver spent the afternoon driving us to the Olympic Bird's Nest and Tienanmen Square.  In memoriam of the 23rd anniversary of Tienanmen Square Massacre this week, here are some of the picture I took.  The square size is no joke and I can see how the Communist Government was able to roll the tanks in.  And those aren't pollution monitors: it's networked security cameras that are installed in every lightpost to prevent smelly people from opening tents and making a temporary permanent residence for the Occupy Tienanmen Square movement.

The Olympic Bird's Nest Stadium

Tienanmen Square

Monitoring cameras on every light post

The big picture of Mao at Tienanmen Gate

This area in Beijing is known as "Chinatown".  Yeah, I'm confused too.

I had some free time in the afternoon before another farewell banquet and karaoke, so I went to get my nails done.  I had an adorable Chinese boy who individually painted each nail.  It was 70 yuans (~$11).  Unbelievably cheap!