Kao Ya Three Times in Under Two Weeks

I hadn't had Kao Ya (Peking Duck) until last week on Tuesday, when I went out with all of the Reed students here. Then I had it again on Friday with my classmates. Then, an excellent surprise, Ms. Liang took me out with Yangyang to DaDong, the place to go for Peking Duck in Beijing. Fancy! Fuwuyuans aplenty. So delicious. I ate the first piece (I think after dipping it in MSG?) and then they told me that I oughtn't chew it. So the next piece I let melt in my mouth. GOOD! Also ate a number of other delicious foods: duck liver in a crunchy nest of cabbage and crisp, tiny shrimp in basil sludge, another mysterious green covered tofu blob, pear slices, eggplant, a mysterious soup with delicious lumps, two delicious smooth and slightly sludgy desserts, and then some fruit. Haochijile. Wo chengsile. Really delicious, I'm full to bursting.

And then Yangyang and I headed over to Sanlitunr, a touristy shopping area, to show me where I could get some clothing made for me at a reasonable price. Though I doubt if it is the ideal place for me to go, I think it will be too expensive, though they're English skills would ensure that I would get exactly what I wanted. But the funny part was on the way there when there were scalpers (called "yellow oxen", in Beijing) galore, selling tickets to some male singer's concert. One guy tried to convince me to buy a ticket via Yangyang, and then when she had to answer her phone he stalked us for a while so that he (not knowing I could speak any Chinese) could ask her where I was from because he thought it was so bizarre that such a short Western foreigner could exist.

It was an unexpectedly fun evening, having come right after a mildly depressing day of finishing up midterm tests. I've been studying and testing all week long. But, luckily, tomorrow is China's labor day and we've got a three day vacation (that is, the weekend and no school on Monday). Trying to decide if I'll venture into Beijing's center and see the sights with the crowds or wait until next weekend. Haven't made it to the palace museum yet (or really any of the main tourist attractions that I feel required to experience). I did, however, get a view today of an enormous screen with the image of Sun Zhongshan (Sun Yat-sen) in the middle of Tiananmen, part of the labor day celebrations. Grand!

Also trying to decide if I ought to venture to Shanghai to see the Expo. Probably!