The Last Supper

Some of our fellow travelers have already left for home, but a few of us got together tonight for dinner at Annie’s Italian Restaurant. Next door to Annie’s we happened upon the wait staff of a nearby restaurant standing on the sidewalk for a pre-dinner shift inspection. They were lined up, standing at attention, and barking responses to a supervisor. Had he been wearing a Smokey Bear hat, I would have sworn we were at Parris Island Marine Corps Recruit Depot. China is full of surprises, and Annie’s was certainly a big surprise. The four-cheese pizza Glenda and I ordered was as good as any Italian food we have enjoyed either in Italy or outside of it. A short walk in downtown Beijing exposed us to some young folks who are keeping Armani, Ferragamo and Michael Kors in business. They looked as though they just stepped out of the pages of Cosmopolitan or GQ. The upscale neighborhood of our hotel glistened with lights and the sounds of a city that never sleeps.

Tomorrow we leave for home, and we’re ready. That is not to say, however, that we are tiring of China. The visit has been wonderful and we have only good things to say about the Chinese people. They are a remarkable nation intent on moving forward economically and politically. China wants not just to take its place in the family of nations; China wants to take the lead. From all we have seen, they stand a fair chance of attaining their goal, but the rest of the world must be watchful to insure that all nations behave with equity and fairness toward one another. This is a remarkable nation, a determined people and a special time in their national history. We thank them for their excellent hospitality to us foreigners and wish them all the best for the future.Read more