First Chinese Internet Cafe

I'm in an internet cafe in the city of Baoding right now trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to check my email and pay this month's housing bill. Naturally, the housing billing system is down from midnight to 7am PST (it's just after midnight now PST -- local time 4 in the afternoon.)

It's been a remarkable journey thus far. Forbidden city day before yesterday. Great Wall yesterday. Been keeping up with my notebook.

Just read in friend's email that Francis Crick died. First news from America since I arrived. Tragic. (Why couldn't it have been Watson!?)

Ok. Try to get to my Gmail again.