Conquering the Great Wall in February

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It's July and I'm writing about China in February. It's not all that clear anymore and you have soju (Korean poison) to thank for that. I flew to Beijing back in February for a long weekend. I was received with hugs at the airport via Tony and Rachel. Tony I know from back home and Rachel is now my friend from China.

Beijing is a beautiful and DELICIOUS city. If you're going for all the cultural greats of China, Beijing will not disappoint and in my opinion, not too many things are overrated.

The Great Wall was REALLY GREAT! It was an awesome sight, even if I was hiking it in what felt like 100 mph windstorm in the dead of winter. Don't worry, I got protection via a furry panda hat! The panda hat was also the first time I had experienced a true Chinese haggling session. It was a game of "call my bluff" and "who can act more offended". Prices fly back and forth and people are throwing fits. You act insulted when they suggest a ridiculously high price and they throw a fit when you suggest a lower price, like you're trying to exploit them. I was happy to have the locals with me. Then you set your maximum price and walk off like you don't even want their shit. Then you wait to see if you've called their bluff correctly. If you have, then the storekeepers will yell after you and give into your price. If they don't, then you know you've gone too low. Then you try with the store next door which is inevitably selling all the same shit. That's the good thing about the haggling game. You almost never have to hang your head in shame and let them know you give in.

The great wall is really quite the monument. You think, oh it's just a wall and then you get there, and it's just WALL everywhere you look for miles and miles. And you think, WHO the FUCK got the idea to build a wall around this country?! That idea just sounds so outrageous today. We're not talking about building a wall around the Vatican, Monaco, or Ireland here. China is enormous. I was awestruck.

After the wall, we stopped at a restaurant for some yummy grub. Having been starved in Korea, I was on cloud nine throughout all of the China trip. I loved the food there. AND the clincher, if you ask them to take the meat out of a dish, they will do it! I'm vegetarian. They GET it. No ANIMALS please. They won't be able to take the meat out of every dish on the menu but IF they can, you ask and they will.

Happy as a house cat I was. Next day, Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden Palace. AND more food!

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Photos

Tony's apartment
Tony in the kitchen

At the Great Wall
Newly acquired panda hat.

Great Wall
Me and the girls

Great Wall
Sitting on the wall

Chinese Food
Yum.

Chinese Food
Yum.

Chinese Desserts
YUM.