Several things were new on this flight. Flight instructions were given by a line of stewardesses in the aisle in perfect unison, like a choreographed dance. The stewardesses were introduced, and bowed. Mid-flight a lottery was held with scratch tickets. This plane was nearly full. The stewardesses made the two hour flight pass quickly and pleasantly.
We flew over first cropland and then mountains. The view was hazy the entire way.
Unlike the Jinan airport, the Beijing airport was not empty; it was the opposite of empty! Mingruo left us at the airport, and we were met by hotel staff. Here is a view of the city on the way to the hotel. Building construction is even more ubiquitous here than in the other cities we have visited.
This is the view from my hotel room. (Actually from a reception area a couple of windows down from my room; my room does not have a balcony.)
Attached to the hotel is an office of the Agricultural Bank of China. The two buildings are nicely lit up at night.
