Summer Palace, Master of the Transit and Hunger....

So... not speaking Chinese or the language of the country is the funniest thing I have ever done. I have talked to some of you before about how it interesting it will be to not be able to communicate and really it is.. only the younger generation wants to help you and the older ones shake there head.. no..no.. and scurry away in the other direction.

I woke up this morning refreshed and ready for the day. So why not eat? I go to the restaurant at the hotel and for 58 yuan ($6), I had the world's grossest meal. It took me for ever to shove the food down, based on the principal alone that I am huyngry and should eat. The boiled tomato, fried egg, fried veggies, fried spring roll are not my idea of a breakfast and they were flat out disgusting. I ended up filling up on the orange juice or aka "tang" and one piece of bread. Oh yes, the fun begins..

Then for the rest of the day I keep burping the flavour of the morning.. yuk, But it makes me laugh each time..

I then embark on my trek across the city to the SUmmer Palace. 3 subway switches, 4 groups of scary chinese men who stare at you, 1 cab right for 10 yuan ($1.60), I am there. It's gorgeous. Hills, lakes, and more people I have ever seen in my life in one place. A young man talks to me, takes my photo and tells me I am gorgeous.. is a great way to start the day. This place is huge.. I mean huge.. the intricate details on the walls and paintings is by far like nothing I have seen before. One area of the palace is set up to be like you are walking through a painting and it really does feel that way. The opera house for the empress was incredible, and the Hall of Happiness cracked me up as the photo of the emporer and empress didn't look like they were happy at all! I then bought what i thought was coke, and it was herbal tea that I almost puked out.. so then I bought a cola and popcorn.. yes this was my lunch. Tonight we are supposed to be going out for a traditional chinese meal.. so this will be funny. My stomach is full of hunger pains right now.. and I wonder if I should just make the trek to the local Starbucks.. I can fill up on liquids, can't I?

So I leave the palace and try to get a cab.. there is none. I walk and walk, and really am starting to freak out. I manage to find one and they were going to charge 3 x the price, but I didn't care. I just wanted a way to get back to the metro. Then I met Duncan and Catrina from Brasil and they told me to share a cab with them and off we go. Fabulous couple who I chatted with a bit today. They are staying across the street from me and asked me to head to this shopping district with them, but after being in +30 weather all day, I just needed to get back to the hotel to relax.

Only to find out they put me in the wrong room and I have to move. Now. Feck. I didn't get to really pack just grabbed everything and moved to another room, where I met Emily. She's from England a med student who is on my tour. She's 18, but super nice, and I think I got a good flatmate. She's hungry too, so I am sure we will be quite the pair.

So, outside of being man handled for photos today at the palace, overall a fun day! I do have to say, CHinese have a very annoying habit. First, you suck all the contents of your nose into you throat... then you swirl in your mouth, then spit. Lovely.

As well, if you preten to be handicapped you can use the western toilet versus the standing and squat bathroom in public places. I have yet to master aim, and thank got for the baby wipes! Seriously.. why no western toilet. THank god the hotels are equipped!

My pics are nice and blurry thanks to the cloudy nature that is called Smog. But overall blue skies above me today!