Day Two: The Silk Market will destroy your soul..

It’s hard to believe that we have been here for only about 24 hours and have already accomplished so much. It's nearly impossible to write down and describe all that we have experienced thus far- so I'll try my best to give a short explanation of our first full day in China.

Our first morning in Beijing was quite the experience. After getting ready for the day, we headed downstairs for breakfast, which was an eclectic mix of only somewhat identifiable foods like sausages, potatoes, and rolls (prepared in a completely foreign style of course). We sat on the back deck of our hotel while we ate, which overlooks a small lake. At about 9 in the morning, it already felt like at least 80 degrees outside. We had a few extra minutes before it was time to go to the tennis center, so Emily and I walked across the street from our hotel where we discovered a breathtaking park. There was a river and bridges (see picture 1) and hiking trails where tons of locals were getting their morning exercise. They seemed surprised to see foreigners there, and a man even took a picture of me taking a picture of Emily; this was our first example of how very entertained the Chinese are by us.

We then hopped the shuttle to the tennis center for our first visit and orientation, which was bigger and more amazing than I could have ever imagined. On our way we past all of the Olympic village, including the Bird's Nest, Water Cube, and even the apartments that housed the athletes. When we reached the tennis center, we were lead around the entire inside and outside of the complex and the courts, even getting to go inside the locker rooms and walk around and take pictures on center court where all of the Olympians got ready and played (and where all of the stars will soon be competing again in just a few short days). It was impossible for any of us to stop smiling while we walked around- we were shown where press conferences were to be held, where the players would enter the courts, the promotions and sponsorships centers, the players lounge, and media center, just to name a few.

Soon after our tour, we broke up into two separate groups, media and player services, to get our assignments for the tournament. I am in the media group, where we will rotate between three different jobs. One of our assignments will be to attend all important press conferences, and to take notes and transcribe so that afterward we can write articles on the matches and players being discussed. This will be such an amazing journalistic opportunity; I am so excited about being around other reporters, famous athletes, and getting my work published on the China Open website. Our second assignment will be to assist other reporters in the media center, making sure that things are running smoothly. Lastly, we will be helping out in the promotions and sponsorships field with several different assignments, which will be great experience since I am in the strategic communication sequence.

Even though being at the tennis center for a good portion of the day was a busy whirlwind, all of us were still excited to get back to the hotel and change so we could get out into the city and explore. We decided to take the subway (which is extremely efficient and costs less than 50 cents including all transfers) to the Silk Market, one of the largest markets in the world that sells any and everything imaginable- silk scarves, fans, jewelry, designer purses and clothing, figurines, shoes, you name it. The best part is that you HAVE to haggle for what you want to buy. This definitely took a lot of practice. On my first few purchases, I was nervous and definitely paid much more than I should have, but as the night wore on, we all definitely became more experienced and aggressive (which was also a lot more fun). The Silk Market truly was overwhelming- I have never seen so many items for sale in one place before and have never wanted to buy so much. We all found ourselves sweating and wanting to escape after a few hours. As Emily put it, "The Silk Market almost destroyed my soul."

After a lot of shopping, we were all starving, so we crossed the street to go to an amazing hot pot restaurant. You pick a broth that you want and they place the pot in front of you. Then, they give you a giant plate of vegetables and an enormous amount of meat, and you cook all of the food yourself. It was extremely filling but also very delicious.

It was about 9:30 p.m. when we finished dinner, but our night wasn't complete. Five of us decided that we wanted to go out and explore the bar and nightlife scene on our first real night in Beijing...best decision ever. Many people had suggested to us that we visit an area called Hou Hai, and we really had no expectations or leads on where to go as it is all of our first visits to Beijing, so we decided to try it out.

When we arrived, we we all in complete disbelief. A giant lake was sitting in front of us, dotted with boats and completely surrounded by bright lights, bars, restaurants, clubs, and live music. By the end of the night, we had made a complete lap around the lake and had explored several bars, many of which had bands playing and couches outside to sit on and enjoy the beautiful weather. We encountered many scary and unfamiliar bathrooms, and even ran across an outdoor gym (yes, they have random fitness equipment in public places for people to use) which we couldn't pass up an opportunity to play on. Our first night out in Beijing was a definite success and was a great taste of the culture and entertainment of China.

Well...I know that I'm about a day behind on my blog but I'm exhausted after another incredible day, so I will have to update you on our second day at the tennis center and our other cultural adventures tomorrow. :)