There's no such thing as free Opening Ceremony tickets; dumplings, maybe.

Today I took a bus into the old part of town. I just wanted to wander around some hutongs, or old alleyways. Along the old alleyways there used to be courtyard houses, or large homes where an entire family would live together around one courtyard. Since the start of the PRC these have given way to multiple families living around one single courtyard. This would mean these places went from eight people around one courtyard to eight families. Recently foreigners and wealthy Chinese are buying these old courtyard houses and refurbishing them to be modern-day homes on old properties.

Like most foreigners, I have a love for the hutongs. Their culture and history emanate as you walk between their stone gray walls along the alleys. Large red doors lead into each courtyard house and you catch glimpses of the world within when they're left ajar.

I came out onto a larger street. Feeling a little bit hungry, I went into a dumpling restaurant. Ordered some dumplings and a beer. I chatted a little bit with the boss and servers as they bustled around. The small 12 table restaurant was packed and tables were turned over before they were cleared of the leftovers from the party before. Typical for a busy restaurant in China.

The table across from mine sat two men. Before my dumplings arrived, a third man joined them. I got my dumplings and after finishing them, I was going to ask for the check when the three men at the table across from me invited me to join them. "We'll have another beer!" the man next to me shouted.

Started talking to them. The two men who were there originally were both from Beijing and they are police officers, the third who had joined them was from Taiwan he was there I guess for the Olympics. He could speak some English, but for the most part our conversation was in English. The Taiwanese guy was telling me all about how he has passes to all kinds of events, not tickets. So that means with a basketball pass, for example, he could go see any game he wanted to. Sounds pretty nice. He then told me he has opening ceremony tickets too. Not bad. I am so jealous. I think one of the cops was like, "give him your phone number" as far as helping me out with tickets. The Taiwanese guy shrugged it off. So I said, "I heard any tickets had to be exchanged before July 15 in order for them to work." The Taiwanese guy looked at me with a "and you believe everything you hear in China face?". Then one of the police officers said that that wasn't true. The Taiwanese guy then changed the subject.

So... my not believing everything in China side of me would say, take this with a grain of salt. I am trying to find a good idea for something to do that night. I'd love to be close enough to see the fireworks!

We talked for a while until we had all finished our beers. Then the older police man paid for my dumplings and my two beers as well as their food and beers. He wouldn't take no for an answer.

We went our separate ways after that, just a random stranger buying me a meal and offering a nice little chat. Though I didn't get any Opening Ceremony tickets, I can't complain about a free dinner.