Farms and Rivers and Swine, Oh My

Sunday
We had to leave by 7 a.m.
It's weird that the weekdays when we wake up at 7:30 we consider it sleeping in.

We went for a 5K walk around a river. We saw where water used to be but is now dry. I didn't know there was such a water crisis. Li Yan told us that in 2 years Beijing may run out of water and that in as little as 10 years the capital may have to be moved because of that fact. That's crazy. I also found out that the Chinese River Dolphins I wrote a report on haven't been seen since 2007. So much for my grand plan to see them at the Yangtze. Connie and Dave chased sheep. Dujan complained about walking. We crossed a river of human waste.
We were promised bagels and as Jew who is used to a good bagel, I was very skeptical. We arrived at a farm and took a tour. The farm was organic. There was a giant pig named Rupert or Fe Fe (fatty in Chinese). I listened to my doctor and didn't pet him. Grace pet him. We told her she's going to get swine flu. (Swine flu has hit China and I'm sure we will now get banned from even more places.)

We walked into the alleged bagel place for lunch. All my skepticism melted. The bagel stand I had pictured in my head was a bright building where food had been laid out as if for royalty. We ate. And ate. And ate.
There were DELICIOUS bagels, pizza bagels, ham (presumably from the brothers and sisters of Rupert but it was so good I didn't feel bad), fresh salad, vegetables, INCREDIBLE mint tea, the best lemonade ever, THE BEST AND MOST FRESH glass of milk I've ever tasted, the sweetest strawberries ever, BROWNIES! (I am desperate for chocolate) and almond cookies with centers that are supposedly illegal in America. I'll get more details on this.

The woman who started the farm was raised in NY and married a Chinese man. She runs the organic farm. The bagels come from the fact that she couldn't find a good bagel in China.

We also heard a woman speak. She was an environmentalist who has published books that aren't allowed in the China.


Annie Grace and I went to the Olympic Park to see the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube. Both are must sees. I never imagined a year ago when I watched the Olympics on tv that I would soon be in China at the same spot.





After that was dinner and the aforementioned Rooster Incident. Scroll down and read that entry if you haven't


Sorry I'm so far behind!
H