After the Great Wall

We climbed the Great Wall.  It took about 3 hours and a lot of energy so we were pretty hungry.  We got back to the hotel and we (by we, I mean Ryan) flooded the bathroom.  No big deal.  There were plenty of towels. 

Next, we are off the dinner.  We walk to the hotel restaurant and the lights were on... that is a big improvement from lunch time.  After watching at least a half dozen hotel staff personal and going back to the room to fetch a pen to fill out the room service menu (because that was translated into English so we figured that would help), we waited and waited.  We ended up proceeding to the front desk and handed the fellow behind the desk the room service menu.  After some body language gestures, pointing, and writing down our room number, we felt pretty good about putting in our order.  About 15 minutes later... success.  They delivered the food to our room.  It wasn't the best food I have had, but it hit the spot.

And then the next morning, we needed breakfast.  With most hotels in China, breakfast is included with a night's stay and this was no different.  However, it was a Chinese breakfast.  And this was a feast.  We were served fried rice, 10 slices of bread, eggs, a plate of Chinese ham, pickled vegetables, porridge, and coffee.  By coffee, I mean a sad attempt at coffee.  It was closely related to syrup.  It was nice of them to supply all that food, but the bread and rice was plenty.  Ryan went out to get me some "real" coffee.  I said if there was no cofffee, a Coke would do.  Good thing because the coffee shop was not yet open. 

Lesson learned, when going on an adventure, take snacks. Also, food is much more enjoyable if we have to work for it.  I definitely feel like we worked for our food this weekend.

Some notes from climbing the Great Wall.  Ryan and I are kinda like celebrities around here.  Over a dozen people asked me to take a picture with them.  At one point, Ryan and I sat down for a snack and a whole family took turns taking pictures with us for about 5 minutes.  I even had on my sunglasses... how did anyone recognize me? 

And the best part of the weekend: on the way to the Great Wall, we saw a man dresssed in a suit walking down the street carrying a pick-axe.  Where was he going??

So I'm really going to miss weekends like this when we head back home.  I feel like I should clarify.  I will miss the challeges, I won't miss climbing all the stairs.

Oh yeah, after all that, when we got back home.  I ate Chip Ahoy cookies for dinner.

:o)

Julie