Beijing last day 10-9

today was a bit slow. checked out of the hostel and went to see the forbidden city which is apparently one of the best preserved set of old buildings in china/beijing. you couldn't go inside the buildings but you could look in. lots of thrones. then we toured through the garden which was pretty.

went to a place and had half of a peking duck. they put half the head on a plate and i tried a little piece of cheek meat but it was a little off. the duck itself was yummy. hoisin sauce and little pancakes with scallions. pretty good, but we felt kind of greasy and tired afterward. worth it though.

other than that, we haven't done a whole lot. got foot massages and had a cup of tea and a beer. the ladies giving the foot massages asked me a million questions. at one point my brain stopped working in chinese and i couldn't think of any words. sometimes i just get chinesed out.

in the train station right now with about an hour and a half until our train for xi'an leaves. miriam gave me a recommendation for a hostel, so we'll probably head there once we get there. do not like carrying my backpack, though it only weighs 20lbs. still heavy when you're hot and tired.

things we'll miss about beijing: the trophy and medal shops on the way to our hostel, hepingmen station exit C, the guy who took us to the great wall who lives with the people who did our laundry today, 1 yuan water, the stink of beijing, public restrooms, people who don't smile at you in the street, the metro system and their 2 yuan tickets, the bicycles, the spitting, the hostel with the pillows and blankets we didn't find until night 3, and guillermo's loofah which was left in the middle shower stall and traveled around the bathroom until its final resting place on a shelf.