Beijing: The Chillier Version
Back so soon, you ask?
I’ve had my fill of the Far East these past few Games — South Korea, Japan, China. Marco Polo has nothing on me. I didn’t have to take the Silk Road, but my journey did seem endless. More than 24 hours from JFK to my hotel in Beijing, with a long stop in Paris and a long, cold wait in the Beijing airport.
But my room is nice and it’s about three times the size of the room in Tokyo. Good thing, because with the restrictions, I’ll be seeing a lot of it. Our hotel is surrounded by construction fencing which is manned 24/7, lest we try to make a run for it to the grocery store across the street. It’s so tantalizingly close. I imagine it’s filled with gluten free delights of all kinds. Soy sauce appears to be in just about all the meals at the Main Media Center and at the hotel, so pickings are slim for me here. The breakfast buffet is pretty good though. Lots of scrambled eggs to get me through the day.
Today, I hopped on the TG-30 bus to figure skating and when the bus stopped I was the first off to get off. As it turned out, I was also the only one to get off . Hmm, that seemed odd. I wandered around until a friendly volunteer informed me that I was at the short track training facility. “How do I get to figure skating,” I asked. She pointed to a building about a couple of hundred yards away. But I had to wait 15 minutes for a shuttle to take me there. We’re in a closed health and security bubble, so one has to take a shuttle bus even if the venue is across the street. We can’t ever leave the bubble. If I had just stayed on the bus for one more stop! But that’s why we show up early, to iron this all out before the Games begin.
And, of course, to get the blog off and running. Or is it skating? Let’s make the best of this, shall we?
Eat at Joe’s 
Great to see the blog is back!
I’m surprised to see a blog post. I thought that might not happen this time. You better eat VERY BIG breakfasts every day – if there’s slim pickings for the gluten free crowd. I’m guessing that bubble is going to feel pretty small by the time you leave 😕. Take care. Stay warm.
So excited to see a blog post this morning! Hope you find some more satisfying eats soon! Very cool pictures. Good luck with your navigation!! Stay safe and warm!
Wow, Joe, it all sounds so restricted, including the food. I’m glad you have a decent room at least. Thanks for the photos. But what a lengthy trip. I guess there won’t be fun postings about the food this time.
All best
Elizabeth
Joe, you should have come to New Hampshire this winter to prepare for cold weather. Looking forward to your blog.
So surprised to see a blog so soon , Joe. Actually , wasn’t sure you were going this year . Take care , eat well ( what you CAN eat ) and come home safely. I am leaving for Maine tomorrow for the first of 2 trips up to Biddeford this month. Tom’s daughter is leaving Texas —–thank you , Jesus —— for a new post at NEU, Now if we could get Kathleen Kiernan —– Jerry’s youngest–to come North of the Mason-Dixon line , ife would be SO much better .
Hope you can enjoy at least somewhat and good that your hotel room is spacious. I do like the volunteers’ uniforms.
Joey, will you be allowed out by the end of the Games? Is it a 21-day quarantine? … Also, be an ugly American and ask them to make you some Chow fun with no soy sauce. They can do it!
Very egg-cited to have the blog back!! Hoping you find something else to eat, soon.
Will you have to ski down any mountains this year? Just wondering what kinds of stories we might be expecting.
Looking good Joe. Cathy & I have a question. What are the large concrete looking stacks being shown in the background at the “big air” venue right now? They sure look like reactor stacks. Please tell us they aren’t.
Keep up the good work.
Stay safe (and warm).
Ray & Cathy