tdaxp

Since yesterday, Lady of tdaxp has criticized my exorbitantly priced, wasteful, and just plain un-Chinese $80 tooth filling. So for her work, we left early for Peking University Dental Hospital to go the non-English-speaking-route and get her a better deal. Arriving at 10, we set up an appointment for 4:30. Thus we had a day to kill.

It was another day of firsts, including my first straight caffee mocha, my first sweet bun (or manto, steamed buns), and a visit to the first KFC in China.

It was also a day of true smog, thick fog plus the smoky grayness that had been growing since the last rain. A true rain clears the sky. The moist air we got from last night to this noon just made things miserable.

For instance, in this photo of Tianamen Square taken lengthwise:

The far end is almost completely obscured. Compare that to the embarrasingly idyllic shots from last year:



The air today was worse than anything I experienced last year, whether in Beijing or Tianjin. I'm exhausted from the lack of oxygen. My boycott of National Review and further photos will have to wait for a bit, I fear.

Today was a day of first. Today was my first day in a Beijing city bus (built as nice as American mass transit, and less scary co-riders), my first day with sour yogurt (like American yogurt, except with a tangy kick), and my first day as a medical tourist. But would orthopediatry with Chinese characteristics be able to save me money on my dental bill?

Read below to find out!

Today's travels took us to the largest mall in Beijing, the Lufthansa Shopping Centre, as well as the famous Peking University. While at the U we saw a memorial to Edgar Snow, whose wikipedia page is of course firewalled out of reach of PRC citizens.