Adventures round two had me visiting a variety of palaces, the Yonghe Buddhist Temple, and navigating the trickiness of buying things at the local markets (super- and otherwise). I quickly learned the written symbol for "meat" (since being a vegetarian is a bit tricky there), the symbol for "spicy" (since some of the peppers are brutal hot), and the symbol for noodles (since noodles are delicious).
And after a week, I was finally forced to use one of the scary squatting floor toilets. I'd already had a bit of wine and I absolutely didn't want to be the girl who fell into the toilet. I summoned all my balancing and focusing abilities and managed to remain adventure-free despite the incredibly awkward positions. Hole in the floor toilets are generally easier for guys to navigate. Anyway.
I learned that folks who complain about air pollution here in the states should really spend some time in Beijing to compare how good we currently have it here, even though there still is room for improvement. I never saw a clear day or night and the visability was often like a very heavy fog. After a few days, your nose is running constantly and your throat burns. Since it'd be bad publicity to how it really is, almost every day is declared a "green" or maybe a "yellow" level air quality day.
I suspect this intense level of pollution is a contributing reason that everyone spits there. All the time. In the subway, in the airport, in the elevator, and even in restaurants. Luckily (or perhaps in response to this) very few places are carpeted.
In this same vein, I routinely saw toddlers in ass-less chaps. Diapers seem to come off at an earlier age and if a toddler has to go potty, they do. Sometimes on the sidewalk. And if you think U.S. dog owners are bad about cleaning up "left-overs," this is worse. It's too bad really. I'd always assumed my first real-life encounter with ass-less chaps would be in the sexy 1980's-MTV-Prince fashion. Alas. Overall, I really wouldn't advise walking barefoot, anywhere, in Beijing.
And these were a few more of my adventures on the other side of the world...
An Erinku:
little dumpling
on my chopstick
dipped in
some unknown sauce
yummy
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