Eric's Beijing Diary

Mark flew in from Japan Friday night. Saturday was rainy, but we took a trip down to Tiananmen and the Forbidden City. Sunday, Naomi contacted Mark on Skype, and asked him about all the Chinese food he had been eating, so he gave her the list: pancakes, french toast, omlettes, Big Mac, pizza... Naomi was aghast.

I don't know, I guess I don't think about it that much...I can have Chinese food anytime, so I don't have a compulsion to eat it all the time. One thing you find out when you live in Beijing is that there are lots and lots of Chinese restaurants. I mean they're all over the place. But Chinese restaurants don't lend themselves to one person eating alone, because you buy several dishes and share them. Two is OK, I guess. but four is better. Sunday evening Mark and I went to a Peking Duck restaurant near the West Gate of Renmin University with Claire and Michelle. Peking Duck, of course, is the Beijing specialty. The ducks are force fed to fatten them. I must admit I have some questions about just how that works, and what the ducks think about it. But it sure is delicious. And it came to 25 kuai a piece.