In case of an emergency…all clothing is stacked perfectly…

The shot is a little dark, but if you’re following along in the blog, then there is no mistaking what this is – it’s the dancing “Friendly.” Although cute and cudly, this mascot nearly caused a game delay after a between inning celebration ran long. The crowd could care less – they loved every second of it. With day one in the books, your scores:

China 5, France 1.

Japan 3, Czech Republic 2 (11 inn.).

An example of the street signs that leave you no doubt as to where you’re heading…

Here is a good look at Wukesong at night…

And with this, the first pitch of the 2007 Good Luck Beijing International Baseball Tournament, we are underway!

The first pitch of Game 2…

Mode of transportation #1 for the locals – I wish I had one here.

And now back to the action…here Japan and the Czech Republic’s managers shake hands before the game.

Here is the security car port that we enter through each morning. Between this and the strict credential guidelines here, the security is as top-notch as always for international events.

And here is a shot of Wukesong’s basketball arena. A sight to behold in its own right.