Day 3: I will survive...I think...

By now I had caught up on sleep, pesky headache was going away, but still could not breathe…I have learned one of the best things for me to do is start the day with a LARGE breakfast at the hotel. I have determined the acceptable food on the hotel buffet, which includes protein, vegetable, and a grain, it can be both nutrient and filling. It looks as if I am gorging myself, when in reality it is about the only meal of the day I eat, since lunch is always at an authentic restaurant, and I am pretty much over authentic Chinese food. Dinner has been an on the go snack.



To honor the Sabbath, we went to church in Beijing. I had no idea the Church even had a branch here, but they do and it is one specifically for ex-patriots, because nationals and foreigners are not allowed to co-mingle when it comes to religion. Of course our group doubled the population, but they are used to visitors straggling in and out, and I think they enjoyed the energy we brought.

Buda, my buddy.

After church it was on to the pearl factory. Now I love pearls so I really had to contain myself. However the prices helped me do that. While I did find a great set for myself that I fell in love with, it was still rather pricy, and not the good deal on pearls I expected.

Julie and I at the Pearl Factory.

More fun new jewlery.

Next we decided to join about half of China at the summer palace for a tour. The original plan was for boats to sail across the lake to the palace, however the water level in the late was too low, and boating was not allowed. We walked the grounds, which were still beautiful.

It was dinner time and the plan was the Hard Rock Café, Beijing. Yay, American food! I had been savoring all day what I would choose from the menu. Would it be sandwich, would it be a thick juicy burger and fries? I knew what it would not include, rice. Upon arrival at the Hard Rock, my taste buds were salivating at the thought of the delights that awaited me. Ummm, it was closed. Apparently in Beijing you can rent out the ENTIRE Hard Rock Café for a wedding if that is your dream, and someone’s dream became the disappointment of my already salivating taste buds. It was Pizza Hut delivered to the hotel for dinner. Still a veritable American feast, however Pizza Hut in China is slightly different than America. Small is really small, and garlic to an excess is supreme. BUT IT WAS NOT RICE.

Julie decided she needed a massage. The mousse came to our room and I watched Julie get flogged, she apparently does not think coming to China is enough torture. I passed on the flogging. I have been tortured enough.