BEIJING: April-May, 2004 (Part 2)

We were in Beijing on May 1, which is the Labor Day holiday in China. It would be a full week off work for most of the population. I thought perhaps we'd see tanks and armies on parade, but they don't do that anymore. What we did see were streets, squares and parks full of citizens on holiday.

I thought Hong Kong was notable for its construction, but Beijing had it beat with crane after crane perched high atop a series of giant structures. They spread across the skyline like some giant mechanical chorus line.

Everything was on a grand scale. We drove down a boulevard of ten traffic lanes, five on each side. The fences acting as the meridian were designed for speedy removal should a 747 jetliner need to land in the case of a military emergency. Ever-ready China.

Alongside the boulevard sat government offices, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and buildings so large they made Vegas look as quaint as an Idaho town. Glitz and glamour shone forth from jumbo hotels. I was grateful to be on a tour because a night at one of these places started at $300. China, desperate to compete with Paris, London and New York, was not about to dole out cut-rate rooms.

But I discovered a light scratch of the surface sometimes reveals a lack of finesse.

Our first night, we stayed far outside Beijing at a hot-springs resort. The bus cruised up the driveway at twilight and my heart lifted to see a tranquil haven of long, low structures. A small lake rippled with floating lilies. An ornate carved bridge spanned its breadth. Lovely for an evening stroll, I fancied.

I entered my room, which was decorated in simple hardwood, with two beds covered in snowy white duvets. Behind sliding doors a private deck housed a hot mineral bath. Heaven.

— until bedtime, when I clicked off my lamp and started to relax — and was jolted awake. Doors slammed and footsteps echoed on the marble floor as fellow guests returned to their rooms. Voices chattered and laughter bounced off the walls and my serene sanctuary collapsed.

Then at five a.m. it was the maids clattering in the hallway. When I took a shower, water sprayed indiscriminately and soaked the entire bathroom. I reached for a towel and saw mold creeping up the tile.

The façade, however, was stunning.