My goal of the day is to get a haircut. I have a little anxiety about finding a place that will cut my hair in a manner similar to which I’m accustomed. I google “mens haircut in Beijing”, read through some sites, and settle on my target. After a train ride, and a brisk walk, I arrive at the salon I’m looking for. This is a little fancier than the “Great Clips” I’ve been visiting for years. The shampoo is more of a massage, and the stylist is very meticulous. At the end of the cut, I’m offered a 2nd shampoo. It seems to be included in the price, but I turn it down. The finished product is really very good. I’ve got the stylist’s name, and I’ll be back when I need another cut.
I spend the rest of the day trying to find printer ink and upgrading my phone to 3G. In my early rush to get our phones working and struggling with the language barrier, we ended up with less service than was available. A “translation” app is no good if you can’t access it out on the streets, when needed. I found a China Unicom service office nearby and ventured in. An hour later I walked out with 3G. It’s supposed to start on Sept. 1. I guess I should reserve judgment on my success until then.
Judy has had a very full week. Monday afternoon was the Passport Office visit. Tuesday afternoon included a visit to the dentist, which I forgot to write about earlier. The second day we were in Beijing, at the “BISS Peking Duck Dinner”, she realized a crown had slipped off. She was able to salvage it, and carried ii with her to the dentist Tuesday. The dentist was very efficient and seemed to do a good job reattaching the crown. Getting to the dentist was the problem. Several taxis turned her down. Finally, a taxi driver pointed at her phone, and Judy called the dentist. She handed the phone to the driver who took the directions from the clerk at the office. When she arrived at the very large building, the name of the dentist office was in a big sign on the wall. There wasn’t an entrance to the dentist office on the outside, anywhere. She had to call the office again and they sent someone out to the parking lot to find her and lead her in.
Wednesday was the faculty meeting, and Thursday was “Meet the Teacher”. Judy’s ready for some relaxation. We head out to meet some BISS faculty friends. The taxi gets us close, but the restaurant, Homeplate BBQ (Burger Cup 2013 Champion), is located in a courtyard, in the middle of an old neighborhood. I thought I had the walking route aced, but I was wrong. I finally give up and we make contact for help. They find us, and lead us in. I would have never found it. Dinner is great and less than $20. It’s really fun to compare stories with the Australians we’ve joined. We finish the evening with a taxi ride, and head meets pillow.