So my final days in Beijing come to a close tonight as we board the night train to Wuhan to meet up with Toto.  So excited!  Wrapped up my time here with a visit to the Summer Palace on Lake Kunming.  The royals would move here to escape the summer’s heat in days of old.  Another splendid set of buildings and temples on a large lake that was beautiful in winter and must be gorgeous in spring.  This was a solo venture as Zak was teaching this day.  Earlier,  (much earlier – 6:30am!!) I boarded the bus that takes Zak to his classroom at the satellite campus.  I observed him teaching 2 of his classes –well done, Zak, and shared some stories about teacher Zak with his students.   Love all of his students who all thought I was his sister or cousin.  Zak says it was his older sister but I’ll take it.

Today we thought about a visit to Chairman Mao but I couldn’t work up too much enthusiasm so we had a lazy morning and then headed to Silk Street for some shopping.   What a crazy, crowded, pushy place.  As you walk up and down the aisles salespeople are hawking their wares.  “You need a purse Miss?  Louis Vuitton, Coach????  You need shoes, Miss?  You need earrings, Miss?  It was time to keep your head down and push thru.  I did make some purchases, negotiating prices with Zak’s help.  But had to put him out of his misery as shopping isn’t his thing.

We were both starving by now so we headed out for Peking Duck.   Yummy!!  I now know how to eat Peking Duck.  After the chef carves, (being sure to get some crackly skin on each slice) it is presented at your table with some super thin  pancakes, thinly sliced scallions, thin cucumber sticks and really tasty plum sauce.  So, you roll all of the ingredients up in the pancake like a burrito and dip into the sauce.  Really loved it!  They take the pieces of duck that aren’t carved, (the parts with bones) and deep fry them.  Zak says  you eat these pieces and spit the bones on the table .  Did not try this.

In a few minutes we take off for Wuhan.  Hope to post some more during my time with Tori.