We went out in the cool of the evening and did some shopping for water, snacks and fruit from the local market and corner fruit vendors, and wandered for a few blocks taking in the sights and sounds.
The streets were filled with vendors grilling and cooking dishes in the open air, and the pungent smells of roasting meat filled the air, mixing with the sounds of laughter, motorcycle horns beeping, disco music in Chinese, and singing. There were some impromptu exercise and singing groups, a very Chinese thing to do. We see these kinds of activities at most parks in the evening, where locals apparently assemble regularly for a particular activity, like fan dancing, sword dancing, Tai Chi, majong, poetry, singing and dancing. (This appears to be a vanishing trend, as the participants are almost always 40+ and most are 60+. Today's Chinese generation seems much more interested in Karaoke. )
Tonight, we observed cheerleading (really!) and dancing. Beijingers were walking their dogs, sitting in groups chatting and enjoying the cool evening, and gathering at local restaurants for a few beers and meat on a stick.
We then had a small dinner at a local hole-in-the-wall restaurant, and had some pretty good noodles and wontons. Dan liked all of them, but Kayla had real problems finding something palatable. But, that's what happens when you order dishes by pointing; you're bound to have a few surprises along the way. We staggered back to the hotel room and basically collapsed into bed, still suffering impairment from jet lag.
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