For the fourth time, I took a cab last night. For the third time, the cab driver got lost. He had to stop, get out, ask some bystander which way to go. After a minute of discussion and pointing down the street, he returned and we were on our way again.

Did I say this city of 16 million people is big?

Even the cab drivers get lost.

The good news: They're incredibly cheap fares. The first 45-minute cab ride amounted to about $11. How is that possible given the gas prices today?

Two ways to pass the time in a Beijing taxi cab.

1) Trade words to learn. They want to learn English. I'd like to learn a little Mandarin. So we sit there and trade expressions. LIke I now think I can properly pronounce the word for "Thank you" It's a phonetic, "S-h-e-a, s-h-e-a." You need to say every letter. Shea, shea, Mr. Taxi.

2) Listen to their music. It seems they have their personal selections, as you would if you had to regularly drive across Beijing. One drive had - back to the '70s, please - "The Best of Leo Sayer." Who knew he even had a Best Of?

On to Day 6 of the Olympics.

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