Quack Quack!

Trip Start Oct 22, 2005
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Trip End Ongoing


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Sunday, January 8, 2006

We decided to have a look at the local weekend Panjiayuam antique market today. Jumping on the train to the station nearby then came the hard part. We had to catch a bus down the road but we didn't know how many stops we had to go and when we came out of the underground train station we were a little disoriented. With no signs around we eventually we figured it out and waited for the bus.

When it arrived the bus was relatively empty. Now relatively empty by Beijing standards means you can just squeeze in and have enough room to expand your rib cage to catch a breath. Only just. We saw a bus the other day around peak time, crammed full with the windows steamed up. One guy tried to climb onto the already packed back steps and literally got crushed by the closing doors and had to jump out again. Imagine battling that everyday just to get home from work. They are apparently trying to improve public transport system before the Olympics in 2008. We read an article that said they are also trying to make the capital spit free and teach the locals queue etiquette. Basically the things parents teach their children back home, as they grow up, which seems to be lost on the locals. We are astounded that people in these countries are so afraid of bird flu and SARS and yet they spit indiscriminately in the street. They know how it is transmitted because they all wear masks to protect themselves and yet they don't have a problem with spiting. Strange.

We eventually made it to the market and wandered around for a few hours. It was freezing cold but the stall sellers were still so chirpy. Rick showed a bit of interest in an old toy car and the stall owner followed him the full length of the market, holding onto his arm, asking how much he wanted to pay. When we wanted to thaw out we bought a local specialty, baked sweet potato. It was a great way to warm the hands up and tasted pretty good too. We had a look at the World Trade Centre shops on the way back which had an ice-skating rink on the bottom floor. Some of those little kids were very talented.

For dinner we tried another specialty, roast duck. It was so oily and fatty. The idea was good, they give you wheat pancakes and you make yourself a wrap with the meat, some veggies and sauce. We really didn't enjoy it much because of all the oil, but how many people can say they have had Peking duck in Beijing?
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