Unless you’ve been in some kind of isolated, underground cave for the past two weeks, you’re aware that the Olympics are currently taking place in Beijing, China. You’ll also recall that I had a chance to be there and do a lot of tourism there on a school trip two and a half months ago. So last week, when The Daily Show sent one of its correspondents to Beijing, it was quite interesting to watch and see some of the sights through their cameras that I was able to see through my own eyes. This is a cleverly funny clip that gives a rather, um, interesting tour through this interesting city.

Tags: Beijing, China, Olympics, Rob Riggle, sights, The Daily Show, tour, Video

Well first of all, I am back from China. I got back six days ago–last Friday, but between getting caught up and getting over jet lag and watching two weeks worth of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, I’ve been a little delayed in getting a blog post up and out. But now is probably the best time, so here goes.
Continue reading »

Tags: beer, Beijing, Boys State, California, China, concert, earthquake, Great Wall, illness, itinerary, mock, Sichuan Province, state government, tour, trip

Well, however nervous I may or may not be, today is the day that I’m heading off to China. I’ll be back on Friday, June 13th and hopefully won’t be too far out from jet lag.

You’ll notice on my blog that I’ve added the current Beijing time (they’re 15 hours ahead of San Francisco time) up above and the current weather in Beijing so that you can see the conditions that I’m in at the time. Our trip also apparently has its own blog (obviously NOT designed by me) where you can follow what we’re doing, see our minute-by-minute schedule, etc.

Anyway, it’s time for me to get packing. Here’s hoping that I make it back in one piece!

Tags: Beijing, China, leaving, packing, tour, trip

All right everyone, better get your Little Red Books out and handy because I’m off to China!!!

Uhh, say what?

Well, here’s the idea. My school’s band, choir, and orchestra (with me being a member of the latter of those three) has been invited to tour and perform in Beijing, China ahead of the 2008 Olympics (which seem to be on the news constantly these days, and not for good reasons). We were also originally going to spend a few days in Xi’an, but that canceled a week or so ago due to the recent earthquake and the declining political situation in that region. However, as it is, the trip will be an 11 day/9 night stay in Beijing (with one day lost up in an airplane or two), with a couple of concerts and a hopefully-not-too-overwhelming amount of sightseeing. But before I share my itinerary, how about a little peek at everything that I’ve gone through ahead of this trip, eh?
Continue reading »

Tags: Beijing, China, itinerary, music, Olympics, orchestra, tour, trip