Baby, You're a Firework

Independence Day in China did not feel like it was the 4th of July. For one, Beijing is 15 hours ahead so we celebrated it a day earlier and since we are not on a military base, but an embassy, there were no fireworks, parades or BBQ's to attend. Nonetheless, it was amazing. We went to Summer Palace as a whole group and spent most of the day there. Summer Palace is the largest imperial garden in China and it was restored in 1886, making it the most well preserved world park in China. I had no idea that Summer Palace encompassed such a large area complete with pavilions, palaces, temples, bridges, ornamental buildings, and dining areas. The site was full of tourists much like the Forbidden City. However, if you ever find yourself in Beijing, I highly recommend going here. It is full of serene views and the architecture is a site to see for yourself! The geography of where every temple and palace is located is very confusing and can be frustrating to try and figure out if you are looking for a specific place. A group of us took the ferry to the other side and we went walking to an island that was separate but attached from the rest of the Summer Palace. The view of paddle boats, ferries, and electric boats filled the water that seemed to stretch on forever. When we first entered this palace, water sprinkled as if warning us, but then the sun shined down. Moments before leaving, it started to down pour. Our group of 9 people split up unexpectedly and the three that I was with rode a tuk tuk (makeshift vehicle) to the  subway station. From there we traveled to Sanlitan to explore more of the bustling city. Sanlutin is known for it's big outdoor mall, international dining places and the night life. When walking through the streets, we never once got stopped for pictures nor did we receive any stares from other people. Instead we were among a diversity of different people. Every few blocks, my ears would catch the sound of a foreign language and I would strain to listen to a conversation that I couldn't decode, but intrigued me. 

       
We ate out at an Iranian restaurant called 1,001 nights. The food was a complete change from our rice and noodles routine. Many of the people eating there also had a hookah next to them,  a combination that I had never seen at a public restaurant before. We sat outside under an umbrella which protected us from the heavy rain. Never would I have thought that I would be eating out at an Iranian restaurant in down town Beijing outside while it was raining.  

    

The next day we went in search of Central Perk, the replica cafe from the TV series "Friends". But to our dismay, we could not find it after three hours of walking around and asking for directions. I was finally able to purchase some comfortable traveling shoes at a shoe outlet. As a person with small feet, I did not have any difficulty finding shoes my size in China, unlike my roommate. On the way back to the metro, I ran into a woman trying to sell clothes on the street, desperate for clothes and something that didn't come from a mall, I bought a skirt from here, but not without bartering first. I ended up getting it for less than $12 US dollars.

Olympic Green was not what I had anticipated. There was a huge plaza and the Water Cube was across from it. Once again, this area was full of people, children running around, tourists snapping pictures of everything they see, families enjoying dinner. The stadium which hosted the 2008 Beijing Olympics as well as the Paralympics was quite a site to see. The exterior design was brilliantly crafted and the amount of technological work that was used was unimaginable. The entire building lit up with commercials and lights. The entire scene felt futuristic.