Bargaining, Bars and Bugs

Another busy couple of days, but I'm not complaining much happier running around trying to fit everything in rather than doing nothing! And thankfully looks like my last couple of weeks are gonna be just as good as this weekend!

So yesterday morning I woke up early (not quite the 7am exit I'd planned but left by 8, which wasn't bad I thought!) and headed to the Zoo Market. Although the Zoo market is not just one market, but about 7 different markets all spread out around the same area. Some of the markets were insanely crowded with screaming and shouting in chinese, people running their huge trolleys stacked with clothes into you, and tiny stalls where there were just heaps of clothes and I have no idea how they could even see what is for sale!! I hastily left those ones and in fact the first one I went into was the one that I bought the most from when I returned after the more traumatic experiences!! Still get shocked with how cheap everything is, and thats with me paying foreigner prices, which are probably about 10% higher at least than Chinese would pay. I got a coat/jacket for £18, which I think is such a good price! All this was over by about 11.30 and I was absolutely exhausted but I couldn't nap as the cleaner was coming so my bed was all folded up. So instead I treated myself to a nice lunch, I had read reviews about the restaurant I went to and was hoping for slightly more Western chinese food from what I had read unfortunately the reviews were wrong, and although it was quite yummy, it was definitely not western style in the slightest and was expensive, so I used one of my few chinese phrases to make sure I got a "dabao" - doggy bag! - with the leftovers!

I was supposed to spending Sunday in the countryside, but my travel plans didnt work out so unfortunately I couldnt get there, however this meant that I could go all out on my night out and not have to worry about getting up in the morning - Perfect! And now here is possibly the best part of my weekend, I had a proper night out in Beijing. After not being able to go out for weeks, even months, I was so pleased to be going out. And what was even better is it meant I got introduced into a group of friends who are all expats, and we're all really nice, and i've already been invited to loads of other things they're doing and arranged dinner and drinks with a few people during the week. I just wish I'd had found them all a month earlier!! But now I just have to make the most of my 3 weeks left :)

So my night out was great, and Beijing lived up to being cheap with a 50 RMB entry into the club, (£5) and an open bar once you are in (although the alcohol quality was dubious!). The guys had to pay more - the benefits of being a girl! If only these kind of deal existed in Newcastle, then again, I think it could get very messy if this was in Newcastle! One of the things I love about Beijing bars and clubs is the roof terraces, it is so much nicer than being stuck inside!
I did have to use a squat toilet though, and whilst a little tipsy lets say I was worried it was not going to go well, however I think it was in fact much easier! I've been lucky with avoiding them so far though, and only had to use them a few times since I've been here. The other great thing about Beijing nightlife, there is no closing time!!! And as many know, and probably one of my more annoying drunk moments being when I dont want to leave the club ever, even when it shuts, so no closing/late closing times are perfect, so this meant I got home around 5.30, and tried my best to be quiet and not wake Vivian up!

After all that excitement I took the chance of a lie in and caught up on some sleep! Waking up in time to get ready for Chinese class and scooted off there. Then ended up with some last minute plans to go to Wangfujing Street markets with my new friends! Wangfujing markets are food markets where you can get all the foods you see being sold in the street plus some interesting extras! The extras being the bugs, the snakes, and a bit of cat and dog! As you can guess I opted out on tasting them (that could be poor Oscar!), although some of the others did. I honestly don't know how they did it. Some stalls even had live bugs which you watched being deep fried and killed!!!! So gross. But an experience none-the-less. Here are a few pictures of some of the stalls:

Crispy Fried Creepy Crawlies!!

LIVE scorpions ready to be fried!

Gross things, especially the cat and dog! (Second in on top left, next to the snake)

And that's my weekend, and a very good one it has been! Now I better get some sleep before work in the morning!!

xxx