Caroline met me at the airport last night. We had Chuan (meat on a stick) with Chiba (her Japanese friend) at a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in a tiny alleyway. This morning, after buying a scarf, a hat, gloves and long underwear (I am an XXL in China), I went for a walk in the Back Lakes district, not far from my room at Beijing Normal University.
In the heart of the city, many people still look as though they are living in the countryside.
The view from a tea shop on the lakeshore.
Chilling out on the edge of the lake.
A bit further down, people were playing on the ice.
Out for a swim.
Everyone was in a good mood this afternoon.
After his shower, this man came over to chat and asked me where I was from. "Janada," I said. Grinning from ear to ear, he pointed to the small pool of water at the end of the frozen lake and bellowed "TRY!!!" As tempted as I was, my Frommers guide expressly discourages joining the locals for a swim... I had to turn him down.
I wandered through the adjoining hutongs. These officers were hard at work keeping the peace.
Walking away from the lakes
I ended up on this street.
I turned back
and caught the last few rays of sun.
After sunset I remembered that I was hungry and bought a piping hot sweet potato off the back of a cart. This fellow skated past me on my way home.
We had dinner at a Muslim restaurant with Joy (one of my sister's students) and her family. Joy's dad is a professor at Beishida (Beijing Normal University). He's interested in wildlife conservation and specializes in Panda bears (thanks for the Panda tie!).
Joy playing with her desert.
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