I Bid Catherine "Bai Bai"

Nothing exciting today, just some shopping and some lunch. 'Hot Pot, as you can see in this stock photo (I didn't bring my camera today). I swear this is 100% true. The sales-people were amazed by my haggling skills. One even said that I was the best foreign haggler they ever saw. You know me, I'm a ham. I used all kinds of ways of making a fool out of myself to get the price down. Sometimes the sales-person and I couldn't help but laugh. It was exhausting, but fun. Although, I think they got the last laugh. I bought four shirts, all 18 1/2 neck size (lately I've been really working out my deltoids, or was it my altoids?) but only one of the shirts actually fit! Geez, 10 bucks down the drain!

I just hired Catherine for four days. I'll miss her. It was nice to be around a woman again, Diego Garcia doesn't exactly have a swinging singles scene, and she did make small things like taxis and food some much easier. Thursday is a free day, I leave China on Friday. In Singapore for a night, and then off to Korea for some soju and kimchi!

Maybe tomorrow I'll visit Mao's tomb if the queue isn't too long. I've been meaning to visit the night market, and hit some bars. Although, I brought one of my computer games with me, my elf has a +10 vorpal sword! Decisions, decisions!

Acrobats!

I know the photos are terrible, but it was dark, the acrobats were moving, and so was my jittery hand. It's inhuman the things these acrobats could do. You get a sensory overload, because each feat is more unbelievable than the one you just saw. If I wasn't there, I wouldn't believe that this stuff was possible.

Rickshaw Ride

The rickshaw ride through old alley ways was nice, although a little bumpy, hence so few pictures. It's strange to pass 'new' buildings that are older than the United States.

The Summer Palace

The Emperess Cixi's little getaway. Nothing like the Forbidden Palace, but it was a nice walk to stretch my sore legs after yesterdays great climb.

Tomorrow, Rickshaw Ride Through The Alleyways!

Weather permitting. It rained last night, and again this afternoon. Getting down from the wall is almost as fun as being on top! I couldn't take any pictures of the ride, because I was too busy steering!

I just couldn't get enough of the view

Me and My Guide, Catherine

More views

Unbelievable!

It's one of these places where you can't believe that you are actually there, so I had to take a lot of pictures. Or I needed a lot of breaks from climbing those steps!