Beijing Zoo

First of all, new photos! BUT I warn you: most of them are of the animals at the Beijing Zoo, and I don't presume to criticize how they keep their animals from having only visited there one day but many were pacing and some didn't look very healthy, so if that might upset you, you probably don't want to look, or maybe want to skip to page 5 which is all non-zoo stuff.

The zoo was interesting; although the panda exhibit, which was spruced up for the Olympics a few years ago, had a lot of English on the signs - pretty much all the signs were translated entirely into English - the rest of the signs had sporadic and inconsistent English. Some signs had the common name and Latin name translated; some had only one. Certain signs only translated the title of the sign, which was 'Information'. That was...helpful.

The only sign with English on it outside the 'Hawk Hill' (actually full of vultures) exhibit said only 'Cinerous vulture' in English. Despite the fact that it was clearly talking about at least three of the birds in there. And I was already sure I had identified the cinerous in there, so it wasn't very helpful :P

What else. Um...getting more used to the food. I really enjoyed our lunch, which was a bowl of instant noodles we bought at a stand, where they poured in boiling water for you, and you added packets of flavoring. And a packet of like...tiny slices of lettuce and little shriveled bits of meat. I left that one out. The bowl came with a fork instead of chopsticks though, and it was odd using a fork; I've been getting used to the chopsticks.

Oh, and I used hair gel today - it held up really well, despite me being absolutely covered in sweat. Not so sure about how I actually chose to wear it. I think I need to be a bit more bold next time and do a real fauxhawk.

Entirely exhausted, but took a nap already, so staying up a bit before going to bed. Going to go make Snape in Sims 3.

Jet Lag, Nightmares

Yeah still not over the jet lag really. I just almost woke up an hour ago (would have been 6 AM). Getting up now for breakfast and waiting for Ying to get ready. Her friend slept over and is cute, has Harry Potter glasses 8D

Last night though as I was trying to fall asleep I had a series of intense sleep paralysis episodes, like I haven't had in a long time, full-on visual hallucinations and all. They were hallucinations of the girls (Ying and her friend) being possessed? Or just being demons taking their shape or something? And coming at me. I had a bunch in a row because I would try to rouse myself and then would fall back asleep in the same position and it would happen again. Adlsjhgadsjkdsj. By the time I woke up I was convinced it was really happening X.x

It's because of all the coke I've been drinking, I think. It's really, really tasty here. Less carbonation. But still caffeinated, I have to remember that. I recently found that they have Fanta here, and also Pepsi's answer to Fanta which is EVEN TASTIER. I still pronounce Fanta like they do in Germany (FAHnta) because FEHnta sounds stupid to me.

I am wary of buying Sprite. I did once but I didn't get regular Sprite, it tasted like litchi fruit? Which wasn't like, gross, it was just really strong for me. Which is generally how I feel about litchi fruit. I am pretty sure the regular Sprite they have at places that sell Coke is the original flavor, because the one I bought was a kind of off-color bottle, like you would expect from a throwback drink at home, but I am still wary of buying it, will probably stick to Fanta and uh...whatever the Pepsi one is called. I think the whole bottle was in Chinese except the pepsi logo. Somebody find out for me?

I am getting really used to this bed. Maybe I need an extra-extra-extra firm mattress at home.

IDK what we are doing today since Professor Wu didn't confirm with any of the people we're interviewing so that may or may not be happening. This afternoon we're supposed to go to the Forbidden City and a shopping area. I'm more excited to go out to the night market tonight. Still need a sun umbrella. I want a reflective one with cute things on it, saw one the other night and was going to buy it on the way back, but Prof. Wu had us fucking walk to the train station the long way instead and by the time we were coming back it was 11 and they were all closing.