I made it

Egad, what time is it there?!? It's 5PM in beijing, and I've finally gotten a shower in our 16-star hotel, or at least that's what I feel about it, after the events of the last 24 hours.
Plane left timely from memphis, where I had the tightest security check of all my passages through security (go figure).
LA airport is not nearly as exciting or glamourous as I somehow imagined it would be. We hauled bags from Northwest to China Air, and then manually to their x-ray machine, then went to the gate to hang out for over 2 hoursand pay $14 for a sandwich and a water, and it's already past my bedtime. Finally at 1AM (on time) crew members start to arrive... and arrive, and arrive.. turned out it was a 747. Over the Pacific that's logical, but I don't do this much. First class and business class were in a separate level above the economy class where we all were ( I swear I saw Woody Harrelson and companion zip on board at the end of the 1st class line, but nobody else saw him, and we couldn't see that section.
So, now, finally settled in for the mother of all flights (14 hours), bone tired, neck pillow, noise-cancelling earphones and eye mask, and it's still pretty brutal.
At 5AM, we touch down in Beijing, and somehow, I don't know how, a bunch of us are game to do the "optional tour", for an extra $30, we are fed dim-sum style (twice, breakfast and lunch), visit the old Hutong district. It's basically a neighborhood, arranged sort of like a chess board, houses face inward to a central square, and the adjoining roads are reallly alleys. All brick here is grey because the dirt is gray, and these buildings are left that color because, apparently, all paint colors have meanings, or significance. A family welcomed us in to see their courtyard, a palatial one reallly, with a pear and persimmon tree, and koi in a huge ancient tub. The very proud owner told his the government gave his father the house because he wasgood soldier.
Eye level billboards on the ally walls show citizens being appreciative of the military, and soldiers helping old folks, and that sort of thing.
We rode bicycle rick-shaws and were assulted by steet venders... all in all had a great time!
Andrew, you were right about the toilets, but thank heaven there are some western ones. I'm no ready to learn how to stand over a hole! And Daniel, you were right too, it helps to have a notebook along to scratch notes so I can write ya'll a halfway decent blog.

this hotel has www access and we're gonna be here 2 more days. Don't know what the other places will be like.
Right now I'm going down to the 3rd floor and spend 228 yuan for a full body massage. Tough life, eh?