2:55PM
So I got bored by 10am and set off early. I started by taking a taxi to the Capital Museum. Well, at least the taxi kind of got me close and I managed to cross a bridge and figure it according to the map I had. The museum was 4 stories high and very nice inside. Almost anywhere you go you have to pass security checks. For some reason they stopped me today and asked me to open my water. Strange, but I went with it. Then they made me drink several swallows of it in front of them. Did they think I was going to poison the art work?
Once I got in the museum was pretty cool, even by my anti-museum standards. Some floors let you take pictures while others had angry Chinese people that come yelling if you pulled your camera out. I’m pretty sure all the signs were in Chinese because I couldn’t find a rhyme or reason to when I was allowed. I’m surprised at how many gods the Chinese culture has. I stopped trying to figure it out after the first room full. Religion has had a large influence on the culture here, thought the youth do not often believe in a religion.
After touring the entire museum I decided to walk to the White Cloud Temple, or “Baiyun Temple”. This was an actively used temple. I got to see people praying and offering incense to different gods. Imagine the smell of thousands of sticks of incense burning and that’s what it smelled like.
Snagging another taxi I tried to find the restaurant that served this famous duck. It took several failed attempts and some serious scrutiny of the menus, but I finally found the place! And they don’t serve it until 5pm. Oh well…I don’t even like duck anyways.
There was some confusion on the taxi ride back to the hotel. The guy had a hard time finding it even though I had it written in Chinese for him. Finally he found it and I’m now back in my room. Tomorrow is the opera and I would like to see at least one more place before I leave. Time sure is going fast. I don’t think I will go back out tonight. It seems like people get more aggressive later in the day about selling things or offering rides. I kind of miss the 7-11’s on every corner.
7:30PM
White truffle fettuccine alfredo, crème de sweet potato and pink rose tea. Yum! I’m definitely not going to want to come home after food like this! Plus my butler left me cookies and a weather report when I got back from dinner. Ah, the life of rich people. Now I only have to find a job to afford this forever…
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