First, a word to Air China. I would recommend that you show more sympathy to passengers that are going to have to wait an additional 23 hours in Beijing due to the late arrival of your plane. While customers are in a state of shock or panic, rather than sending them on a wild goose chase to five different desks, it would be better to give them clear instructions and get them quickly to a hotel. Speaking of hotels, I recommend finding a hotel that is closer than one hour from the airport. I recommend finding a hotel that doesn’t reek of smoke and that has real mattresses, not lumpy, sheet covered, springs.
Finding myself marooned in Beijing for the day I made an attempt to take advantage of my situation. After taking the hotel shuttle to the airport this morning, I took the train from the airport to the heart of Beijing. I walked around in Tiananmen Square and the Imperial Palace (the Forbidden City).
The Imprerial Palace is quite expansive. I spent hours walking around in it and did not see everything. The palace houses some beautiful art collections.
During the day I was accosted by an art professor and, later in the day, an art student. Both tried to sell me some very beautiful paintings. I, however, had not come prepared to purchase.
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