Bird's nests & fried scorpions
Trip Start
Sep 23, 2008
1
15
40
Trip End
Oct 31, 2008
Our final day in China and one with no tours or pre-planned events.
Beijing is different today - it is a bright sunny day and the national holiday week is over so the crowds have gone (that's a weird statement as the place is still teeming with people).
First stop was the Olympic park for a look at the Birds Nest stadium and a walk around the area, they've created a load of gardens and parks in the area.
Lunch followed our standard process - it's food time and that place looks ok. Well, we're not dead yet so it can't be too dumb an approach.
Then it was off to the Lama temple - an ornate Ming dynasty palace complex that was turned into a Buddhist temple.
We then headed to the main shopping area and wandered around an ultra modern shopping centre (with the types of shops that most locals can't afford to shop in).
Then it was off to the Donghuamen night market. The first stall offers fruit kebabs - simply skewered fruit. Then it got a bit more interesting. The stalls sell various foods that are cooked in front of you. These included such items as chickens hearts, eels, silk worms, worms, grasshoppers and scorpions.
Tomorrow is a travel day - we have a disgustingly early flight to Hong Kong and from there we fly to Bangkok.
Beijing is different today - it is a bright sunny day and the national holiday week is over so the crowds have gone (that's a weird statement as the place is still teeming with people).
First stop was the Olympic park for a look at the Birds Nest stadium and a walk around the area, they've created a load of gardens and parks in the area.
Lunch followed our standard process - it's food time and that place looks ok. Well, we're not dead yet so it can't be too dumb an approach.
Then it was off to the Lama temple - an ornate Ming dynasty palace complex that was turned into a Buddhist temple.
We then headed to the main shopping area and wandered around an ultra modern shopping centre (with the types of shops that most locals can't afford to shop in).
Then it was off to the Donghuamen night market. The first stall offers fruit kebabs - simply skewered fruit. Then it got a bit more interesting. The stalls sell various foods that are cooked in front of you. These included such items as chickens hearts, eels, silk worms, worms, grasshoppers and scorpions.
Tomorrow is a travel day - we have a disgustingly early flight to Hong Kong and from there we fly to Bangkok.

