53 UP IN BEIJING!

I can't resist rounding off the celebrations with a visit to Beijing so I book myself into Qianmen Courtyard again, where I stayed a few weeks ago. Unfortunately the long weekend with Seven and Christine followed by a heavy teaching schedule and my birthday at R66 has taken its toll on me and I've been exhausted for the last couple of days: plus I develop a slight cold probably through being run down.

So I've had a short spell of no beer, only water and home cooked meals: I've made a chicken curry and some salads, avoiding eating out for a while. I've also stayed at home resting when not teaching. I contact Phantom to see if she is around and she has time on Saturday, so we arrange to meet at 4 Corners: I would have had lunch of roast duck but do not feel up to it! (The only odd thing about getting to the station is I have to flag 3 taxis down before one will take me: I always find this part irksome.)

In the station there seems to be heightened security with more barriers, ticket checks and guards and I can't help wondering if something is going on. But perhaps it's just part of life in China. I arrive at the hotel at around 12 noon and the check-in is surprisingly easy! I walk to the Golden Arches and buy a burger which I eat in the courtyard. I like this little Chinese hotel: it's charming, quiet and does not seem all that busy. In fact Beijing West when I arrived was fairly quiet as well!

I get to 4 Corners and find to my dismay that  they don't have any draught beer so I call Phantom and we agree to meet at Great Leap: where we have a good chat and follow this with a trip to Huxley's where we first met. (They have started selling their own draught beer.)

There is a good crack with a couple of expats who come in looking for some brewhouses so we have a chat and recommend one or two. Sadly at about 7pm Phantom has to go as her friend is ill (there is a nasty flu bug going around). So left to my own devices I wander off for a curry which eventually I share with a lovely Indian family who are visiting China.

I still feel a little delicate the next day however so I think I need to be mindful of my general well-being!