Jumping Around Like an Idiot in Beijing!

In the booming crowded city of Beijing, China, I strolled around the garden of Tiananmen Square. Neon flowers shined like satin as they dripped with morning dew. I couldn't imagine how such a gorgeous peaceful place could have once held riots, resulting in massacres. I wandered some more, but this time around the fountain which was dancing with sprites of water. Feeling a bit lucky I gathered eight cents and tossed them into the fountain, as I would in America, after all, eight is consideres a lucky number in China, and I was feeling as lucky as a four leaf clover on St. Patricks Day! Only seconds after I tossed my coins in, I felt a droplet of water settle itself on my cheek. Assuming it was just a recoiling splash from the fountain, I continued walking through the blossoming garden, but then I was showered with little sprinkles of fresh, chilly, refreshing water! Then it hit me, it was raining! More drops showered my face, and I came to the conclusion that I would have to leave this marvelous garden, only to return once the drizzling had stopped. I said my silent farewells to the delicate blooms, as they're bright as sunshine themselves, I couldn't help but wonder if they were the closest thing to sunshine I'd see all day.
Not wanting to walk to my hotel in the rain, I atempted to hail a taxi. I stood there for 15 minutes in pouring, foggy rain, waving at every taxi that passed by, with no success! So, being the impatient American that I am, I started jumping around and waving my arms in the air like a lunatic! Exasperated and drenched I decided to call over a local hoping that they could help me get a taxi, but every single time I got someones attention by waving them over, they just gave me a disgusted look at turned away! That is the exact moment when I remembered that i you want someone to come to you, don’t wave them over with an upturned finger. This is impolite. Wave them over with your fingers turned down, as if they were sweeping something toward you. The same motion is used when hailing a cab. I had been unknowingly been insulting kind strangers! I was so embarassed and ashamed I walked through the pouring rain all the way to my hotel nearly a mile away. In America we always wave people over by motioning them towards us with our hands pointed up, how was I supposed to know? I guess maybe I'm not as lucky as a four leaf clover!