Oct 22 Wed. A modern mall

Our metro line (13) connects with Line 2 at an enormous modern mall. This is the stop where you have to go outside to get to the other line. It turns out that Line 4 is being constructed and will also have a station here.

This is a route that we go by in a taxi, so I had also been intrigued by the building.

It is very recognizable with 3 large glass arches. The mall is in all 3 arches and the spaces in between. It has 6 floors and a fast food court in the basement. (Each floor also has food. The Chinese believe that there should always be something to eat close by.) Notice how gray the sky is - pollution!

Anyone who has been to a mall in America would feel right at home. There seems to be about the same mix of shops. There is always an Esprit and a United Colors of Benetton, and many little stands in the aisles selling cheaper items.

The most interesting thing in the fast food court was the hot pot place.

First you picked the foods that you wanted. Portions were on sticks and I presume priced per stick. After you had the stuff on your plate, you paid and gave it to the cooker person.

She put all of your stick items in one of the little baskets and when it was done, dumped it onto your plate. (I think that each row had a different cooking liquid - some spicy, some not.) Then you could add some of the dipping sauces to the mix.

Back in our room I discovered that we are still cut off from internet connection with the USA. The only thing I can access is the blogger site and google. If I search for news on google I can access their news headlines, but none of the articles.

We do seem to have a lot of dignitaries around. The front of the hotel has lots of big black cars with drivers.

At dinner there was a buffet for the help. The big wigs were in another dining room. The help ate in shifts. First the soldiers came in, then the policemen, then finally a group that looked like our secret service guys in suits with the little twisty ear thing.

We had our normal:

This looked like the cuttle fish but was something else.


baby bok choy
beef with little potatoes (STEW!)
While Chuck was at his class it poured. I didn't hear a thing in our room. It is really well sound proofed to the outside - but not to the hallway.

I think that the guys across the hall were getting beer deliveries. They kept knocking on his door. They knocked on mine too - but went away when I talked to them through the door. In the mornings we can hear every one's showers and the doors slamming all down the hall.

By the time Chuck walked home, the rain had stopped, but it was very windy and there were lots of puddles.

We had a cup of tea and relaxed before bed.