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"Dinosaurs Along The Silk Road" -- Sinofossa 2009 1 - Trip To Beijing

Pictures of the beginning of my 2009 trip to China to co-lead the "Dinosaurs Along The Silk Road" geotour, beginning in Las Vegas, going through San Francisco, and on to Beijing!
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  • In San Francisco, I hooked up with tour co-leader Matt Lamanna (left) and our friend and colleage Jessie Atterholt (right -- she's not usually this blurry), now a grad student at UC Berkeley. Here we are grabbing last-minute American food before boarding the plane to Beijing.

    In San Francisco, I hooked up with tour co-leader Matt Lamanna (left) and our friend and colleage Jessie Atterholt (right -- she's not usually this blurry), now a grad student at UC Berkeley. Here we are grabbing last-minute American food before boarding the plane to Beijing.

  • This is Mike, an old friend of Jessie's that she browbeat talked into taking our tour. Mike's interest in paleo comes from his long-time work at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

    This is Mike, an old friend of Jessie's that she browbeat talked into taking our tour. Mike's interest in paleo comes from his long-time work at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

  • Here's the Air China plane we took...last year, I took Air Canada, and I think I'll be paying the extra expense for Air Canada again in the future. Not that the Air China flight was awful -- just that Air Canada had individual climate control and seat-back screens with individual choice selections of movies, TV, music, and games. Plus, their first class was droolingly posh...must find a way to pay for that some time...

    Here's the Air China plane we took...last year, I took Air Canada, and I think I'll be paying the extra expense for Air Canada again in the future. Not that the Air China flight was awful -- just that Air Canada had individual climate control and seat-back screens with individual choice selections of movies, TV, music, and games. Plus, their first class was droolingly posh...must find a way to pay for that some time...

  • Our gate at the SF airport...it wasn't a full flight, though it was too full for me to be able to lay down across three empty seats (see why I want to find a way to pay for first class?!?).

    Our gate at the SF airport...it wasn't a full flight, though it was too full for me to be able to lay down across three empty seats (see why I want to find a way to pay for first class?!?).

  • Toll roads are ubiquitous in China, and all the toll takers sit in these little booths that look like some sort of squat truck...maybe they just drive them in everyday and dock...

    Toll roads are ubiquitous in China, and all the toll takers sit in these little booths that look like some sort of squat truck...maybe they just drive them in everyday and dock...

  • More random shots of Beijing.

    More random shots of Beijing.

  • Beijing again.

    Beijing again.

  • I have no idea what this building was/is...it's not near the Forbidden City, but looks older than all the stuff around it.

    I have no idea what this building was/is...it's not near the Forbidden City, but looks older than all the stuff around it.

  • Typical Beijing apartment building.

    Typical Beijing apartment building.

  • We always know we're getting close to our hotel when we see this set of buildings, which is right at one of the major public transportation hubs. Insert your own analogy here for what these three buildings remind you of...

    We always know we're getting close to our hotel when we see this set of buildings, which is right at one of the major public transportation hubs. Insert your own analogy here for what these three buildings remind you of...

  • It's been joked that the national bird of China is the crane, and one does indeed see literally hundreds of these things in every sizable city!

    It's been joked that the national bird of China is the crane, and one does indeed see literally hundreds of these things in every sizable city!

  • Sadly, McDonald's has invaded China...though this one sure doesn't look like the squat, ugly brown buildings that most American ones reside in!

    Sadly, McDonald's has invaded China...though this one sure doesn't look like the squat, ugly brown buildings that most American ones reside in!

  • One of the only places to get cheese in Beijing, Pizza Hut has also invaded China (as have KFC, Dairy Queen, and probably other American fast food chains -- also Starbucks, natch).

    One of the only places to get cheese in Beijing, Pizza Hut has also invaded China (as have KFC, Dairy Queen, and probably other American fast food chains -- also Starbucks, natch).

  • The lobby of the Xinjiang Hotel, where we stayed both this year and last.

    The lobby of the Xinjiang Hotel, where we stayed both this year and last.

  • The Xinjiang Hotel's policy, in light of the H1N1 "epidemic" (plus a dose or three of paranoia) was to take everyone's temperature at check-in and check-out (and often in between). Thankfully, they've eschewed oral or rectal thermometers and opted for some sort of infra-red gun aimed at your forehead, which Matt is enduring here. On the other hand, evaporating sweat on the brow seems to give these things poor readings, since I invariably came out a good 1.5-2° C (~3° F) below normal body temperature...!

    The Xinjiang Hotel's policy, in light of the H1N1 "epidemic" (plus a dose or three of paranoia) was to take everyone's temperature at check-in and check-out (and often in between). Thankfully, they've eschewed oral or rectal thermometers and opted for some sort of infra-red gun aimed at your forehead, which Matt is enduring here. On the other hand, evaporating sweat on the brow seems to give these things poor readings, since I invariably came out a good 1.5-2° C (~3° F) below normal body temperature...!

  • Jessie's turn with the Temperature Gun.

    Jessie's turn with the Temperature Gun.

  • I know that there are entire web sites devoted to "Engrish" (strange translations of various Asian languages into English), and I admit we had several laughs at some of them...but in the end, they're still way better than anything I could produce translating English into Chinese...! So I'm more apt to try and (a) learn a little Chinese, and (b) try and figure out what this was supposed to say... This was the cover of the room service menu for our room at the Xinjiang Hotel. Matt, as he is wont to do, made this into a song lyric.

    I know that there are entire web sites devoted to "Engrish" (strange translations of various Asian languages into English), and I admit we had several laughs at some of them...but in the end, they're still way better than anything I could produce translating English into Chinese...! So I'm more apt to try and (a) learn a little Chinese, and (b) try and figure out what this was supposed to say... This was the cover of the room service menu for our room at the Xinjiang Hotel. Matt, as he is wont to do, made this into a song lyric.

  • The Xinjiang Hotel's front all lit up at night.

    The Xinjiang Hotel's front all lit up at night.

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