What would Hale do??

So imagine that you are talking to your friend and Hale is sitting right behind you to. As you lean in to whisper something to your friend, What would Hale do? Guess by commenting.

Yeah So...

Hi. Apparently, there IS internet here in Hunan. I just got of the train an hour ago. So yay! Stay tuned for my new series of posts titled "What Would Hale Do?" (Hopefully Hale won't kill me after I'm done with these posts...

Hernan and Olympics

Today, I went back to Wanfujing and got some more olympic stuff. The next week or so, I will be in
Hernan (Prounounced: He-nan). So I won't have computer access. Just e-mail me and then I will get back to you when I get back!

Eric!!

Sanlitun, Wanfujing, and Boating

Today, my dad and I went to a lot of places. (heh. cheesy) Anyways, we went to Sanlitun because my dad wanted to see the apple store. Video chatted with Preston there, who pointed out that poeple were looking at me and him. Next, we took a bus to Chaoyang Park where we went boating!

In China, anyone is allowed to drive a boat! So, I got to drive it. (And Hale, even if you can't drive a boat, too bad. I always win. ( : ) Anyways, taht took up a good 1 and a half hours. Next, off to Wanfujing Road.

Wanfujing Road, is a GIANT marketplace with TONS of malls at least 3 times the size of the Stamford Town Center. I got a ton of Olympic things (their flagship store is there) and also got a case for my iPhone.

Meanwhile, I am making a list of who to give souveniors to. Tell me if you want me to add you in case I didn't. Just leave a message in the comments.

Airplanes and Friends

As some of you might have known, my parents are coming to China today, on CA 982. So far, most of my friends have come back from summer camp! (YAY!!!) That means, I will actually have someone to talk to (sorry Preston, but just talking to you is kinda boring, but fun!). Just to tell you guys, there is a 12 hour time difference, so I will be online probably in your morning or night. Please IM me!!! My AIM is: eli8527, Gtalk is: ericyoungli@gmail.com (idk if u need the "@gmail.com) and my Skype is: eli8527. 

Eric!

Beijing Botanical Gardens

Today I went to the Beijing Botanical Gardens and took about 200 pictures. I will upload them to my (Preston's) webpage as soon as I can.

Eric

Why China Rocks!

Today, I went to a shopping center called Ito Yokado. Apparently, in China, Coca-Cola markets a soda called Smart which comes in a ton of flavors. Apparently, they also sell watermelon flavors. So I bought one and it tasted great. I am writing this in honor of National Watermelon Month! (July) Happy National Watermelon Month everyone!

Eric

Sanlitun Apple Store Pics Are Now LIVE

Thanks to Preston, the pictures I took are safely online. Thanks to Preston for this awesome youtube video he made using my clips:

UPDATE: Newspapers are reporting at least 2,000 people attending the opening. Now 229th in line doesn't sound so bad! Just to tell you, I was 26th into the store. :)

Sanlitun Apple Store

Today was the grand opening of the first Apple Store in China. It opened in Sanlitun at 10 A.M. Beijing time. My grandmother and I got up at five o clock for this event. We got to the waiting room at 7:30, and were given numbers 229 and 230 in line. Apparently, the people at the front of the line came yesterday at 2:00 P.M. 

We waited for about 1 and a half hours inside this huge room, while apple played some new ads for iPod+iTunes on a giant LED screen. Then, we were herded outside to wait in the scorching sun where we waited another hour. Thankfully, the extremely nice Apple employees were there to give us free water and also umbrellas to keep us from dying. 

My grandmother and I eventually pushed up to the front, about 50 people from the front. And there, we waited. Meanwhile, I was spazzing over my twitter feed along with talking to Morgan, a friend who lives in Denver, CO, who is also Preston's friend. Some people came outside, apparently, very important, as people started clapping.

Then, for some apparent reason, the Apple employees inside the two-story building started clapping at us, and we started clapping too. One person shouted, "Kuai Kai Men!" which means, "Hurry up and open" in English.

10 minutes till zero hour, and the entire apple employee staff in the Sanlitun Store came out and high-fived a ton of people. Apple's way of building atmosphere, I guess. Finally, it was time.

At exactally 10:00 A.M. the doors to the store opened and a torrent of people began piling into the store. I got in at 26th in line, not bad for starting out at 229th. The t-shirts they gave out were nice, as are all of Apple's products, Black with a picture of a set of headphones bow-tied on the front, and on the back, white text that said: Apple Store, Sanlitun 7.19.2008. 

While in the store, I video-chatted with Morgan while a TON of people took pictures of us. So, hes pretty much famous now, and so am I. I also got interviewed by YouTube HK, some chinese TV network, and by an Apple person video taping the event.

Pictures are coming soon, along with videos of the event.

For full, minute-by-minute details, go to:

www.twitter.com/eli8527

And look for this post:

eli8527 we're in! and lol. i know 36 min late :) but anyways. awesome place! got free tshirts. gona put vids on utube about 10 hours ago from web

Live blog continues after that post as that is the last post of the blog.

More to come later,

Eric

China Video's And Twitter

Today, I ate out at TGI Fridays. The food is a lot better than the food in the USA. Preston helped me upload videos to youtube, and also, I created a twitter account for quick posts.

China Videos


Twitter

Official Pictures Site

Ok. Here it is! After tons of hard work, Preston and I would like to unveil the official site for my China pictures. It is still a work in progress, but here it is!

Official Site

(Site is password protected for security reasons. For those who don't know it, please e-mail Me or Preston requesting a password. Or, use this Form.)

Opinions Please

I took this picture a few moments ago and I would like your opinions on it. Please comment.

Postcards

Some postcards being mailed out today. Eight in all. E-mail me when you get yours.

Camera Tests

I'm testing out my new camera, and am going to be testing its abilities with some of these pictures.

Olympic Stuff

If anyone wants to know, these are the events I will be attending:

August 15: Athletics-National Stadium (Birds Nest) 9:00 A.M. Sector A, Tier 3, Aisle 504, Row 10, Seats 8-11; 100 RMB

August 12: Tennis-Beijing Olympic Green Tennis Center 10:30 A.M. Gate 5, Section 210, Row 30, Seats 20-21; 200 RMB

Cow Farts

I found this article on Digg.com. Hope you enjoy it! Plastic Backpack Bags Cow Farts

Yesterday and Today

Yesterday night, as you should know (if you have been reading my blog), I went to this show that featured 12 acts, that included hoop jumping, and some other cool acts. It was extremely good. My Great-Grandaunt, invited my grandmother and I to there. On the way back, we took the Beijing Subway, which involved a security check (they're really becoming serious about this now). 

Today, I went to my GrandAunt's house, and then we went to this buffet that cost 200 RMB per person. It had a lot of choices that looked good, but tasted horrible. Tonight, I am going to go the the Olympic Green, and hopefully, the lights will be on.

I will be posting photos as soon as Preston gets MobileMe web galleries set up.

6/12/08

Today, it went to a high of 37 Degrees C. So we didn't go anywhere so far. Instead, we stayed inside and waited the entire day for a cable repair guy to come. Tonight I'm going to a "Cirque du Soleil" like event. (Thank you Hale for the correct spelling.) Tomorrow, I am going to one of my Grandaunt's house (the rich one) to help her set up some stuff. 

My Birthday...

So, I had my birthday party, not much. We ate at this really fancy buffet called Todai. It cost 200 RMB (Yuan) per person. After that, not much happened. So, my birthday was pretty much lunch and thats about it. Here are the two pictures I took.

Guess What?

Todays my 13th birthday! Can't wait to see what happens today, as Preston tells me MobileMe is also transitioning today, along with some other random stuff.

Temporary Picture's Site

This site is temporary, until Preston gets MobileMe, this is the site.
Pictures

Olympic Green At Night

Not much of a site, as the lights aren't on tonight. But, this is the Olympic Green at 10 P.M.

What I've Been Up To The Past Two Days.

7/5/08

I went with some of my relatives on a relatively private tour of the Olympic Green. We took the car to the Main Press Center (MPC), where we went on a private tour (along with several other families) of the main press workrooms, the AP workrooms, along with a tour of the hotel in the MPC.  We also got to see the main conference room, where they will hold all the announcements, etc. The hotel, is owned by the Bei Chen Group, whose president let us go on the private tour. We went all the way to the top of the hotel, the 16th floor, where we were able to see the National Aquatics Center (Water Cube) and also the National Stadium (Birds Nest). After that, we were treated to a 12-course lunch at the hotel's restaurant, where the food, was, horrible, yet expensive. Just to tell you guys, I got to see all this stuff, before the general public gets to see it. I'll be posting pics as soon as I get a good web hoster. 

7/6/08

I got new glasses today, along with a ton of food. I also sent out 6 postcards that should arrive in the next 10-15 days, but it should be earlier. 

7/7/08

Today, I got a new violin. Thats pretty much all I did today.  ): 

What I've Been Doing So Far

I've been really busy these past days, shopping and stuff. I also am getting settled down too. Look for postcards in 2 weeks or so.

Webcam and Stuff

I finally got my webcam installed! I can video-chat with anyone who has skype now. (skype username: eli8527)

Today, We're Going To Make Some History. (Sort of)

I got an iPhone.