Day 2

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We had our first day of class, which was really just orientation – a campus tour, a Chinese lesson, etc. We got out early, so we were able to explore Beijing a little in the afternoon. We ended up going to a section of old Beijing and walked around the hutongs, or neighborhoods, with shops, restaurants, and bars.



We then headed over to a small lake (Houhai) with more shopping. We stayed in a large group of 20 (1/3 of the class!), impressive for a large city like Beijing. We stopped for appetizers, and one of the native speakers ordered food for everyone. We had a flour and egg dish that tastes like sweet dough. It was a favorite dish for the last emperor. We also had a fish dish that looked like a blooming onion, but with a fish head stuffed with a cherry tomato. It tasted like French fries dipped in orange sauce.



Back on the street, someone almost bought a scorpion skewer (not me!), but backed out because it was too expensive. And we say senior citizens playing hackey sack with what looked like a badminton birdie. Incredible.

We ended up in Olympic Village, which was beautifully lit up at night. I was without a camera, so the photos were all with my phone and just don't capture the beauty of it.



My classmates are all incredibly friendly, and we all share a passion for traveling. It’s been fun sharing experiences of places we’ve been, places we want to go, and where we will go together on this trip.

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