As usual, my Thursday classes are early. It’s really dark when I leave at 6:30 am. The trains are not too crowded this early, which is great. When I go in a little later on Fridays, it’s “prime time”, and there are always big crowds.

Classes go well, and I finish at 9:40 a.m. I work until lunchtime at 11:30 and visit with everyone until 12:30. Between 12:30 and 4:00, when the Orchestra Club meets, it’s tough to stay busy. I’ve got a lot of my materials collected for the semester, and it takes some time organizing it, but overall, I’m not that busy. I’m done with my arranging projects until after Xmas. If the internet were working better I could find a few things to do, but it’s so slow these days, even at school, it’s frustrating to try to use it.

I try out my new arrangement with the Orchestra Club students after school today. It’s been “forever” since we last met, so attendance is really poor, but the students who showed up had a good time. When we finished, they didn’t want to leave. I was trying to get out in a hurry to join some of the faculty for Thanksgiving Dinner. The main group left school about 45 minutes ahead of me.

I finally got out of the building and on the train, headed to Tim’s Texas BBQ. My destination is about 8 stops down Line 1, consistently the most crowded line I ride. I avoid it whenever possible. 13 or 14 BHSFIC faculty are already “chowing down” when I arrive. The restaurant has been advertising a traditional meal, and they don’t disappoint! It’s a huge plate of food (ham, turkey, dressing, green bean casserole, corn casserole, rolls, etc.). There’s even a choice of apple pie or pumpkin pie at the end. Judy had already decided it was too far from her school, and too late for her to join us. It’s a shame. She would have enjoyed it.

I met Brad at his hotel and we headed back to “Eyeglass City” to pick up his 3 pair of glasses. When we visited last Saturday, we stumbled on the Panjiayuan Antique Market nearby. I had heard about it and always wanted to visit, but just hadn’t done it. We went back by today and spent more time wandering around. Brad had seen a few items he thought he might like to take back to the US. He ended up purchasing a small birdcage with a windup bird that moved around inside the cage.

One small section of the Panjiayuan Antique Market.

The upper area is a bike and cart parking area. The lower area was all books.

We were wondering how some of these items were 

Row after row of vendors.

This is one of the antique bird cages, similar to the one Brad bought to take back to the US.

After he picked up his glasses (really great job on the lenses he thought), we went to the Silk Street Market, where he bought two watches on Saturday. One of the wristbands had come loose, so he wanted to let them fix it. They took care of it quickly. Unfortunately, while I was waiting, I started looking at “Rolex” watches and ended up buying one.

After the Silk Street Market, we were hungry and Brad was ready to try some “local” chinese food, so we took a taxi to the small neighborhood restaurant near Judy’s school. I knew the food was good, and also how to order what we wanted. As we got out of the taxi and it drove away, Brad realized he couldn’t find his phone. After scouring through all his pockets and bags, we realized it must have slipped to the floor of the taxi when we got out. By the time we got where we could call his phone (US number, I don’t have international service on mine) it had already been turned off by someone. Either the driver or his next passenger is now the owner of a new (10 days) iPhone 6+. Ouch!

After the realization the phone was gone, there was nothing else to do but finish our sightseeing plans. We ate lunch (it was great), and then headed up to the Olympic Park. We had a nice visit, walking through the Water Cube, and then out and around The Birdcage. After the Olympic Park visit, jet lag was beginning to get to Brad so we headed back to his hotel.

Brad Barnes at the Beijing Olympic Park, in front of the Water Cube.

The Birdcage is still lit up for APEC

We had a good two days of seeing Beijing. He had seen it when the weather was great and pollution was low (around 75 on Saturday). He also saw it when the pollution was terrible (it was over 400 today). “Apocalyptic” was the word he used. When we left his hotel this morning it was around 260, but got worse with each hour. We visited areas of Beijing I hadn’t seen before, and I’m sure I’ll be taking Judy back to them in the not too distant future.

Since I have plans with Brad Barnes tomorrow, I have to make sure everything is ready for my classes. I’ll be too tired when I get home Wednesday night to do anything but sleep. I spent most of my time finishing up an arrangement for the Orchestra Club. After I get the parts finished, I put together an accompaniment on Garageband. It always takes me longer than I think it’s going to, but I eventually get it finished.

One of the signs around the apartment complex

Lots of babies looking for a little sunlight!

After visiting the eyeglass market with Brad Barnes on Saturday, I find myself motivated to find a new market area for toys. It’s Christmas shopping time and I’ve heard there is a big toy market, so after a little research, off I go. The market is only one block from a train station, so it’s a fairly easy trip. I find the toy market, and it is big. There are rows and rows of vendors selling all manner of toys. I had my usual fun time, checking out the items that appealed to me, and eventually trying to settle on a price with one of the vendors.

I found some good items, and after I make the deal, the vendor helps me pack it so I can easily transport it on the train. That’s something I’ve noticed before. Because most of the people in Beijing have to walk long distances, the vendors know the best way to put several boxes together with tape and sacks to make it easy to load it into a taxi, or carry it on a train.

Back home later, I have to get everything out of the boxes, test it, make sure I have batteries, and then pack it again so we can get it home in a suitcase. Sometimes that’s easier said than done.