Beijing brings out the angel and the devil in me...

Okay and a hey from Beijing.   The city of dreams...or where dreams go to die in the pollution and smog. I have been sitting here trying to come up with ten things I like about Beijing.  And not even love, just like. Ten things I actually like about this place that I currently and temporarily reside.  Ten good things, not things I could like anywhere, like flowers or the sky (which I absolutely love, especially here when it is actually clear enough to see). Ten real things that I could give you that could help you see why I am here (kinda had to come, this is where I got a job), why I stay here (probably not staying for long) and to reassure myself that I came here by my own accord so by God ima enjoying it for a while (short while).

So, as I sit here trying to come up with a few thinks I like about Beijing, the angel on my shoulder says to find those things and to give it my best shot.  Which I have decided I will do.  It may take time but I can do it.  I will do it.  I can and will find things I like about Beijing city. Mean while, the devil on the other shoulder shouts explitives to tell ya'll what I really think about this shitty city. So there it is folks.  Ms. Happy Pants is gonna give it to you straight. One day you are gonna get positive and one day you are gonna get negative.  Life isn't always rosey Tahoe or fresh Tennessee. Its gonna be maniac.  It may be a little depressive/negative.  But, hey, I am in China.  If I can't pick on China a little bit, I am going to explode.

Let the countdown begin!

10.  Food centric Mols is mostly happy here.  The food is cheap, its good and its everywhere.  The grocery store is fun because I can find dozens of fun packages to look through/wonder whats in there and I can try new pastries and things.  Also, (gross) there are live fish there that the butcher or fish monger or what ever will get out of the tank and kill for you fresh. Mmmhmm.
Street food is fun and adventurous to get into. Above is the egg/hot plate/crepe-ish thing I like.  Its hard to say what the level of cleanliness is when your food is cooked in questionable oil in a pop up tent or push cart on the street in China, but hey, its cold outside and the food has steam coming off it.  Can't be all bad ya? 

And, if any of this bores you, you can go to Wangfuging snack street (above) and get live animals on sticks.  This day, it was particularly cold (maybe -2 degrees Celsius and add the wind chill to make it -9 C probably) so the things weren't still wriggling.  Yup, pictured here are starfish, sea horsies, beetles, scorpions, butterflied rats and some other poor unfortunate creature who is too foreign for my Western eyes to recognize.  Is it necessary to add...?  Yup, it is...I didn't eat anything.  But I certainly puked a little bit.  

Countdown items of the future to look forward to: the National Library, badminton on tv, Beijing at night, bikes, signs...and i don't know what else yet.  Why? Because this is Beijing and there ain't much to like here...that's why.   Until next time...xoxo and love where you live!