Tell me how you really feel... not again! or; 1, 2, 3... BOWL!

Opening Ceremony is in Three days! The time is just flying and all of the staff are getting more and more stressed out trying to get ready. Last night took an unexpected turn shall we say. I was working in my room until 10 pm. All of a sudden my phone rang and a friend of mine called and said that she was going to slum it and come to our hotel to meet some people for a drink... my hotel is not the most luxurious of accomodations, but we have amazing people here and are having a good time. As a result, people have heard stories and have become curious... especially about the beds. Our hotel is a truly Chinese hotel, not really Westernized at all... (if asking for a iron for example, say "make clothes flat" and that should work). As it turns out, the Chinese like their beds low to the ground, and HARD. For the first two nights I was conviced that I was sleeping only on a box spring... but I am getting used to it now and sleeping much better. Anyway, our hotel has piqued interest among the staff.

I decided to go for 'one drink' to be social. Well, not so much to be social, but to escape my computer which I had been in front of for hours. I went down to meet the crew and I knew that 'one drink' was going to turn into many....I could have never expected what would transpire though... Everyone had been working so hard for so many days we were all just ready to let off some steam. The good times really started right from when we read the menu. Here are a couple of the many savoury samplings that the place had to offer... the English major in me was thrilled....

I can't even begin to imagine, but I think they must be wonderful.


From there, our good friend Maarten (from Holland) took us on a grand tour of the hotel as he is the staff member running the group in the hotel. "Have you guys seen the basement????" It was random, we were confused, the answer was no. "Well you have to check it out!" said Maarten. He took us downstairs. None of us were ready for what we were about to encounter.


The downstairs of the hotel is a random mish-mash of activities. There are karaoke rooms, pool tables, a night club (that was full of elaborate flower arrangements as the members of the torch relay are staying in our hotel...it was the first nightclub that smelled like a mortuary as Ethan put it). There is also a "Laser hunting" room (think duck hunt for nintendo on crack), and a bar. But the piece de resistance was a FULL BOWLING ALLEY! Game on! We had found our calling. We shoed up (some of us had to put on amazing sock/gause things if we had no socks) and started to bowl. It was a perfect stress relief.

What a fashion statement

We had a grand old time... the best part was - the staff would clap for us if we got a spare or strike. They were cheerleaders (I think it was because they were all girls and had a crush on Ethan)... They also let us bowl way past closing. They were supposed to close at 12, but we did not leave until almost 1:30 am. There was something really therapeutic about chucking a heavy ball at far away pins... all frustrations melted away..... the beer might have helped a bit too. here are some pics of our night of bowling:

Maarten thought if he rubbed his ball, he would do better.... interesting theory....

Paige showing off her beautiful socks
One of our many cheerleaders

Dean cleaning up... he was a ringer... I am sure he is either a member of the PBA or lives in a trailer.... nothing can be confirmed as of yet, however.

Once again, everything was going along swimmingly in China until John was blindsided by yet another person thinking it was ok to come up and say whatever it was they were thinking. As I was sitting minding my own business enjoying myself, one of the hostesses, who, up to this point had not uttered a single word, came up to me and said... "You Harry Potter!"... come on people! I get this even in China! So this is what Maarten decided to do with my name on the screen:

Thanks Maarten

...And then this... nice.

Regardless, a great time was had by all and it was exactly what we needed. When can you say that you went bowling in a private bowling alley equipped with cheerleaders in the basement of your hotel in Beijing, China... I can now! We want to start a weekly bowling league (not going to happen with the games around the corner...dare to dream). And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the CPP bowling league was born on a hot summer August night in China....

The founding members of the CCP Bowling League... (from left to right) Maarten (Holland), John (Toronto), Paige (Vancouver), Ethan (Chicago), Dean (St. Louis), official league photographer: Audrey (Australia/Singapore)...taking photo of course

Unrelated to the bowling blog entry - Coming home from work to my hotel today, I was decked out in my uniform and plastered with my credentials and accreditations. There was a man standing expectantly as I approached the lobby entrance.... He stopped me and asked: "Are you a member of the Torch Realy?" (remember they are staying at our hotel - it takes place tomorrow). I said "I am sorry, no I am not... but I would love to be!"... he laughed. I asked if I could be an understudy. He laughed again. I said "seriously!". He said no.

Can't blame a guy for trying....