Long Vacation: Day 2

We woke up to a bright, cloudless day and wondered if some kid digging a hole to China had actually made it—because it looked as if we’d made it back to central Utah! Flat land galore and miles of powerlines. Very strange. And another hour later we were in neighborhoods of low, flat houses that reminded me of Mexico. I’ve never actually been to Mexico but if I had been, that’s what I imagine it would look like. We were on the train for a couple more hours and were anxious to arrive in Beijing. We got off at the train station and the first thing we noticed—it was DRY here! Not like our humid coastal home in Southern China! Weird to have to use chapstick again but after a couple of days I was used to it. Our party of 17 herded through the train station like cattle and in our wandering eventually found the bus station that would take us to the metro. It wasn’t until we got on in a daze and settled into the crowded bus that we noticed Anna and Erin weren’t with us..so Tiffany and Shaw went back after them. The rest of us made it to the metro station (I was excited, my first time!) and timidly tried to push our way to the subway doors. We got on a crammed subway and waited for our stop. The doors opened, most of our group got off but as two girls and I elbowed our way from the other side of the train the doors closed..and we were still on it..um..kay? We weren’t too worried but we didn’t know exactly what we were going to do. We got off at the next stop and luckily one of the girl’s sister came looking and they were on the same brain wave that she found us and we went back to the Llama temple stop to go to our hostel. Up out of the station and the first thing I notice: wow, this place LOOKS Chinese. Lanterns as far as the eye can see, Chinese-designs painted on the trim of buildings, dragons guarding the entrance to every shop. This is more of the China I’ve been expecting to see for the last 3 months! Turns out it’s a touristy-pleaser type of thing, not that I’m really surprised but it’s just an interesting discovery. We checked into our awesome hostel (Anna and Erin were found, phew!) and our minds rested on what else but FOOD.


Eating Goat! It was pretty good, I was surprised.

We went on some directionless wanderings for the rest of the night up and down the street of our hostel.

This is pretty much Beijing. Lanterns. Very artificial but still fun nonetheless :)

Five girls walking around and eventually we are going to need a bathroom. Introducing the most shocking squatter I have used thus far during my stay in China. And believe me, there has been some fierce competition. (I’ve considered making a squatter blog detailing all of the despicable places I’ve been forced to..relieve myself..but then I remember that’d be nasty and no one would want to read it, and that’s why I haven’t done it ;) )

Look closely. These squatters do not have stalls or doors. Only small walls. I've become accustomed to tolerating weird experiences, and although this one was especially awkward I will admit I used it, yes, and I felt very..exposed. That’s pretty much the only word I can use to describe it. I did NOT like having an audience; I never want to have to cover myself like that from Chinese people ever again!

Anyway……..moving on!

We heard there was a park down the street where old people danced and I’m not really sure why that appealed to us but it did so we went to find it.


Beijing at nighttime, crossing a bridge


The entrance to the old people dancing park. It ended up being kind of a waste, the old people were sure dancing but it was just a little jig for exercise, and it was dark and we were dead-beat from the day but it was mindless so we liked it. We headed back to the hostel and as I started thinking about getting ready for bed someone suggested going to a club for foreigners..so we did! How’s that for being spontaneous on a vacation? I was so tired already but I figured you’re only in China once with an opportunity to go clubbing so what the heck! It was interesting--great to hear English music but it was so stuffy and crowded that it made dancing hard. So many weird people but it was a really good time with our group.

Here's a pretty bad picture but the kid in our group who took better ones got sent home so the chances of us seeing them are pretty low. But it was fun!

We dragged our feet home before the club got too crazy and slept very heavily. In hindsight it probably wasn’t the best choice to start out the vacation like that but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do :)