At Incheon Airport on the way
out they had an ensemble ((?) I'm not sure at what point something goes from an
ensemble to an orchestra, or if the two are even related...) uh, they had a
group of four musicians playing for us.
There was a keyboardist, a violinist, a trumpeter/trombonist (I was too
far away to really see and I didn't care that much) and a woman playing the
gayageum, a traditional Korean instrument.
I didn't realize until today that Under the Sea has been adapted to be
played on the gayageum, but so it has.
Chinese immigration has
smiley face buttons. I had forgotten
that. Each official has a little machine
outside his booth with four buttons ranging from a big smile (Very Satisfied)
to a happy, but not overly enthusiastic smile (Satisfied), to a neutral face
(Basically Satisfied) to a sad face (Not Satisfied). After your consultation you get to push a
button if you want to. On my first trip
into China I was too intimidated, but I've pushed the button at both my chances
since then. It's just... not something
I've ever seen before, nor something I expected of China.
I too the Maglev from the airport to downtown, and very much enjoyed that - not that I haven't gone 300 km/h before on a train, but it just sounds
cool. Maglev. I was on the Maglev. It's new (or even semi-new) experiences like this that I love
the most about travelling. That, and immigration's smiley faces. I have to assume that's the first time anyone ever has used the phrase "immigration's smiley faces".
My area is very, very
quiet. I got to my hotel around 9:30 PM
and there were almost no cars in the streets.
There was a constant trickle of bicyclists and walkers, but in general
it was all just... quiet. I remember
that about Beijing, too - then, as now, my hotel was in a very tranquil
area. I can't say I really mind...
Tonight was devoted to unwinding and VPN research; tomorrow, the real fun begins...
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