Beijing tales

From the desk of Mama Piggy:


The quintessential tourist pix at Tiananmen.


The roof of one of the halls in the Forbidden City.


My fav pix - twisted branches against an icy blue sky.

The best part of the winter holiday was that I didn't feel/look fat, not when everyone else is wearing layers upon layers! Winter is a figure-flattering season :)


See the snowflake in the middle of my hand?

The worse part was going to the toilet. Peeling off layers after layers before doing our "business" is no fun, and the water from the tap is icy cold! Hmmm, does that explain why most of the locals don't wash their hands after going to the toilet? No, I kid you not - we went to several eating places, and I observed that the food handlers, who are easily identified in their uniforms, walked straight from the toilet cubicle into the food stalls. Urgh.


I also have Agreeable Feelings :) Notice the thin layer of fresh snow on the road?

We stayed at the Nanjing Great Hotel, which is just off Wangfujing and a stone's throw away from the Donghuamen Night Market (东华门夜市).



It's food galore at the market, which offers some rather "exotic" grub.


Sea urchin anyone?


Skewered creepy crawlies!

Or how about some crispy starfish snacks?

Candied fruits for picking.

Papa Porky haggling with a vendor.

There were a number of vagrants rummaging among the rubbish bins at the night market, feasting on half-eaten food discarded by tourists. One of them, an old man, hovered near us, glancing surreptitiously at the food in our hands. We bought him a plate of piping hot fried noodles, which costs 5 yuan (S$1). He was surprised by our gesture, and thanked us profusely. I shall never forget his face.