a self-guided beijing bike tour...

I woke up this morning thinking today was going to be a wasted day. To be honest, I kind of wanted it to be. I am really into my book, The Other Boleyn Girl, and I was totally content with laying in my bed reading it all day. However, around 9:30 I became restless, apparently I was feeling better. I found out Leroy, Andrea, and Kesley were planning on a city bike tour. How could I pass up a bike tour in Beijing? Uhh, correct answer, YOU CAN'T!

We hopped on to the subway and headed towards the Forbidden City. The tour that is mapped out in Leroy's National Geographic book starts at the FC. Apparently, Nat'l Geographic thinks that we all travel with our bikes because it does not tell us where we can rent such a thing. It is decided to start walking the tour and eventually we have to come upon a bike rental. About 30 minutes later we passed one rental that only had two bikes, we needed four. We arrive at this park which according to the book "is a MUST see." The park was beautiful. It had a HUGE lily pond and a couple temples scattered about. We headed aimlessly down the path to see what was there. We stumbled upon a couple different Chinese folk bands...I guess that is what you would call them...and people crowded around them to listen.

Once we exited the park we finally found a bike rental. I was sure this was how I was meant to die. I have already explained traffic to you: do as you wish. Well there is this "bike lane" except any car that is trying to pass another car, or any bus or taxi dropping people off can entire the bike lane. So not only am I trying to navigate away from pedestrians and other moving objects, like motorized bikes and rickshaws, but now I am dodging large buses and cars. Excellent. We start in one direction and realize we have missed our street for the self-guided Beijing Bike Tour. I, ever so brilliantly, start to cross the street to change directions, but instead get caught in the middle of the intersection. It was at this point that I saw my life pass before me. Cars were turning left in front of me. Other cars were pulling up behind me, I really thought I was going to die. Thankfully I maneuvered myself out of the situation and was back on track. There were other close calls throughout the two hour tour but generally we stayed pretty safe. Some how during this adventure we ended up riding through the Forbidden City. It was kind of crazy. It was an exciting few hours, but given the small, non-padded bike seat I now hurt in places that I have never hurt before. I am hoping the recovery time for such a thing is short. I'll keep you posted.

Dinner tonight was probably my favorite thus far...a small Italian place. They gave us bread with oil and I had mushroom risotto...scrumtrulecent! The best part of the entire meal was getting to speak the minimal Italian I know to the manager. Despite my lack of confidence with the language while in Italy, I was excited and ready to use the language today. He was pretty impressed, ha. Anyway...so great. I wish I could have moved the entire restaurant right outside our gates so I could go everyday. It was like home to me. Yeahaha!

Tonight has been another low key night. A couple people went out, but the rest of us decided upon another night of blogging and relaxation. There really isn't much to do here at night unless you are going to the bars and that excitement wore off about a week ago.

Tomorrow is hopefully our last day off for a while. I am so anxious to get started. The photo people weren't off this weekend and they got their uniforms. Which is good news for all of you because that means the much desired uniform photo is on the way! I am also pretty stoked because the Daily Herald wants three of us to write a separate blog for them. (I guess I will have to start proof reading more.) It's not like it is going to be printed or anything, but it is still, in the most minimal way, writing for the Herald!! Yeahaha.

Have a great day everyone!