Thanks for the report!

Here is the hot pot meal. There is an induction burner under the pot. So everyone had their own small pot.

Scooters are everywhere, and you have to be alert because they come out of nowhere and don't follow any sort of traffic rules. They ride on the sidewalk, on the shoulder, and don't stop at intersections. They're mostly electric so you don't hear them coming and they can easily take you out. People use these scooter blankets on the front to block the wind.

Sounds like a wonderful experience-- the crab curry hot pot sounds great!

I am a little ashamed though, I just came in from a day of errands and I am exhausted-- then I read all that you did in two days-- and two long flights!

Here's mt Fitbit.

I was late Tuesday-Sunday morning in the city where we did the conference and then in Beijing Sunday afternoon until Tuesday afternoon. So, overall, about 7 full days. In the first city, we were the only Americans we saw other than the airport. So, in Beijing I had Sunday afternoon and evening free to go to Wangfujing street with the street vendors, and I was through with the first tour around 4-5 p.m. on Monday. We finished around 1:30 Tuesday and then right to the airport.

Street scenes on Wangfujing St. area.

The smog was not even that bad this day. It gets better in the late morning to early afternoon and worse starting at dusk. Still, I wore my mask to walk around.

Entrance to street food and vendors. Should have gone here for lunch vs. at the hotel, but I didn't know.

Street vendors

This was a coffee, tea, and beer building on the plaza. I stopped to get a beer.

Ahhhh, gsciencechick, I spent 35+ years in the environmental field and studiously avoided the far east. You make me regret my decision! Love your adventurous spirit, the pics and descriptions! Thank you for sharing!

I'm still downloading the photos from my phone. These were the digital camera, which I felt like a dinosaur for using. In winter, the pollution can be very bad. It was very bad for a few days 200-400 level, then it has totally cleared to the same level we have here. I showered as soon as I got home, washed all the clothes in my suitcase, aired out the suitcase, washed my jacket and Vera Bradley duffel, and threw out the contacts I was using. But I felt like I had to go since the opportunity was presented to stay a few extra days.

What a fabulous trip! Thanks for posting the beautiful photos.

What a great opportunity for you and it looks like you maximized every minute! Thanks for posting the photos and sharing your experiences.

Great to hear from you. I stayed at that same Hyatt when I was there. I recognize the pool which was wonderful. I'd forgotten about that. I used it a few times - perfectly safe.

Here's a photo from Tiananmen Square. You can see the pollution was very bad that morning. It was much closer to the ground. We were there around 9:30 a.m. You can see most people do not have masks on.

Very interesting. I'm enjoying your tour thru China via YOU. Not a place I'd want to travel to. I know you covered your mouth and nose but doesn't the pollution burn and irritate your eyes as well? Crab curry...yum yum!

I didn't see any pollution like that when I was there except at the airport when I was leaving Beijing. It was windy though which made it colder but also clear. Hot pot dinner was my favorite - I tried all the animal body parts. So fun to hear about your trip - brings back great memories of my time there. I feel so fortunate that I had the opportunity to go.

3katz, my guide sent me photos from a tour she did after I left, and the pollution was mostly gone. She said it got colder and windier so some of it moved out.

Here's an example of an East meets West breakfast. Fruit and hard boiled egg with noodles and dumpling. The stuff in the bowl seemed like oatmeal but not sure what it was. I actually kind of liked having noodles for breakfast.

Here's another cool entree: sweet and sour fish or Chrysanthemum Fish.

What a wonderful opportunity you had to visit China. I've never been to Asia, so am enjoying your report and photos.

Photo from Tiananmen Square after I left that my guide sent me:

Monica, surprisingly my eyes really did not bother me that much. I did pack Allegra to take every night so maybe that helped? I also threw out my contacts after I got home even though they were a fresh pair I put in for the trip that would normally be worn for a month.

It looks like you had a great trip! Thanks for sharing. Believe me, it can even get worse in Beijing, with the inversion layer of smog and sandstorms(!) from the Gobi desert. It's a wonderful destination to visit -- but that's a lot to pack into two days! When the inversion layer lifts and the winds kick in, it does indeed clear up .

Was the dish in the bowl at breakfast perhaps "congee"? That is a rice porridge that is pretty traditional. I always enjoys the selection of dim sum and noodles at the Chinese hotel buffets (in addition to the other choices).

How wonderful to share your travels through your pictures. Thank you.

Thanks, Gooster, there were often a variety of dishes like that one of different colors and texture, so I'm not entirely sure what it was! Some were more white but this one was light brown and more consistent like oatmeal. It may well have been some sort of rice. It was all good, though. Really, I didn't have a bad item the whole week.

I forgot to mention the best part of stopping for the beverage. A little girl approached me and asked if she could practice her English with me. Sure! So, we sat and talked for over an hour. She was 7 years old and adorable! She told me she would like to be a translator someday and has been learning English since she was 4. Her mother didn't speak any English. They offered to have me come over to give her some lessons, but I had her explain I was only going to be there for a couple of days.

Thanks for sharing!