Amazing Race Beijing

Scorpion on a stick, anyone? This was on a street in Wangfujing, an
upscale shopping area downtown.

One task was to find unusual flavors of potato chips. This is our student guide and another ELIC trainee.

At the bell tower, housing "the most heaviest and biggest ancient bell in China

Jolene, another ELIC trainee, snaps some shots on one of the streets in older Beijing. I liked this neighborhood.

Me with one of the student guides at Hou Hai, Beijing's lake district

A menu item you might not see in the U.S.



So there are a few pictures of our first full day in Beijing. The "Amazing Race" was a good way to get us out and about in the city, and the two Chinese girls helping my team were really sweet and knowledgeable. Both neighborhoods we visited were interesting, but I liked the older area more since it wasn't quite as Westernized. Teaching and culture classes start tomorrow here at the hotel.