Indian in Beijing

We have continued working our way around the sites of the capital, including Wangfujing pedestrian mall (including the snacks in the night market – think starfish, seahorse or scorpion kebabs… ) and still attempting to order dinner at the largely non-English speaking Chinese restaurants. 

 Tonight we found a menu that consisted of lamb spines, whole pigs head in a pot and deep fried cow’s intestines.  If nothing else it could be developed into a good weight loss program…?

Yesterday we took the subway out to the Summer Palace where the Chinese Emperors(esses) took refuge from the hot temperatures of the Forbidden City.  It’s an absolutely massive complex set around a lake, with temples, gardens, galleries etc.  It would take all day at a snapping pace to see it all.

It is extremely popular with Chinese tourists, who arrived by the busload not long after we did.  You see a mass of them surging towards you headed by their flag waving guide, sometimes complete with a face microphone like some sort of pop star, and know that’s when you know it’s time to get moving out of their way.

  The buildings are very similar to the Forbidden City, so it didn’t take long before the younger members of our party were complaining of boredom and sore feet so we were soon hunting for the exit (not as easy as it sounds!).

We finished the day off by meeting our American friends, who we met in Yangshuo, for dinner at an Indian restaurant.  Indian in China, I hear you say?  Actually it was fantastic food, and we all stuffed ourselves.  It was nice to have a change, after months of stir fries.

The Isom’s were using up some reward points by staying at a very impressive 2 bedroom apartment – complete with kitchen, lounge room and washer/dryer – such luxury!!  But as we well know – such luxuries come with the added work of washing up, doing the laundry and losing socks behind the lounge cushions!

Nonetheless, we made good use of the absolutely magnificent facilities – Paul by having a macchiato latte (?) from the coffee machine and the kids by swimming in the indoor heated lagoon pool.  The whole thing was rediculously opulent but we all decided that if someone had to enjoy it – it may as well be us!

We said farewell to our new friends, as they headed back to the States today.  Hopefully we’ll meet again in Utah.  Thanks for the great time we had.