Beijing

After much back-seat typing, Katherine is on they keyboard....We arrived in Beijing after a very comfortable but very cold first train leg (we had a cabin to ourselves but air-con was on max). It's hot and sunny here in Beijing and today we are off to explore the Summer Palace and the city.  We are charged up on a local breakfast of little steamed meat buns, seaweed soup and salty egg boiled in tea (all tasting better than they sound).  We attract a fair amount of looks from the locals who are not used to seeing foreigners that often and less used to seeing a chinese guy with a western girl.  Still the stares are not creepy or offensive - just curious. off to go touristing now....