The fish restaurant

 Ni hao!

 On Thursday evening a large group of us went out for a meal at a fish restaurant. They served fish with a huge variety of different stuffings including noodles, chillies, mushrooms and more. I shared a fish with three friends and it was delicious.

 Before I show you the pictures from the restaurant, I want to share some photos I took earlier on of the gorgeous sunny morning from our terrace.

 Here are some pictures from the fish dinner.

Our starter, complete with simply enormous chillies!

Our fish!

 It was a really lovely evening. Thank you to Abi for inviting me along ♥

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x

Friends and cake

 Hello!

 Between my last post (Boxing Day) and New Year's Eve, I don't have many photos because I was ill for a few days with a flu-like virus.

 There are a couple of things that happened before I got ill that I don't have many pictures of but which were nice - I had a massage, and I went out for lunch at the Friendship Restaurant with friends. Both were lovely.

 This is Beijing Normal University campus at night; I took these photos on the way back from the massage.

 And this is the Friendship Restaurant.

 On New Year's Eve, I was feeling better and I went out for lunch at a coffee shop/café called Sculpting in Time with Kasia, Dinesh, Rick and Steven. We ordered four slices of different cheesecakes between us which we all shared. They were delicious.

Cool mug

 It was so nice... being with friends and eating cake; what better way to spend time?

 We then had an economics lecture, after which we went to Laker's for a bit, then a group of us - Marvi, Keisha, Ziggy, Jenny, Abi and I - watched Miss Congeniality in Ziggy's room, which had been transformed into Beijing's best cinema. 

 It was a brilliant day and night with great friends; I couldn't think of a better way to welcome in the new year.

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x

Night views of Beijing

 Hello!

 Here are some photos of Beijing at night; it can be an incredibly beautiful city.

On the way to the Beijing Opera

From the terrace of our hotel

 I hope you like the photos,

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x

An excursion to the Silk Market

 Hello!

 I'm going to share with you some photos from our first Tuesday in China, when we had our first economics lecture, then went on an excursion to the Silk Market (formally Silk Street Pearl Market).

 It was our first venture outside of Beijing Normal University campus, and my first experience with the Beijing bus and subway system. It was certainly a night to remember.

Economics

View from the window of the room where we had our economics lecture - in a very tall building!

Inside of said room - we felt like we were in a meeting of the UN!

BNU campus at night

The Bell

The library

Leaving BNU

Lots of crows!

At the subway station

At the Silk Market

Panda shop!

 After our trip to the Silk Market we went to a restaurant and had our first Chinese meal out, and it was lovely. Naomi, Kasia and I then had an adventure trying to find a taxi but we succeeded in the end. 

 I also saw the centre of Beijing for the first time; such incredible, huge buildings: it is truly magnificent. It really hit me then that I was there, in China, half-way across the world from my home. I think it was the first time I really believed it, that I was in Beijing. It was a very special feeling.

 This adventure was my first taste of Beijing outside of the Uni campus and immediate surrounding area, and it was certainly an eye-opener. It was an amazing night, and I made some brilliant friends.

 Thanks for reading,

 Liz x