Bustling Beijing

Early observations after nearly 18 hours in Beijing, China:

-- Basketball star Yao Ming is very popular here.

-- Yao Ming would never fit in my shower.

-- There are supposedly 15 million people in Beijing. I'm guessing that there are 15 million cars, too.

-- And 15 million honking horns.

-- If you miss smoking in swank hotel lobbies, you'll love Beijing.

-- I can't tell if the air is polluted. It's too cloudy and dreary to know.

-- If after an 13-hour flight, you need a Starbucks fix, you can find one at the airport. KFC, too. I didn't check if they sold chicken or some other fried C food.