After a late start and a bad lunch at the hotel restaurant, I sported my rollerblades and headed for Sanlitun, the hot bar and disco district in Beijing. The area is also popular for purchasing fake everything, from ripped DVDs (that actually work) for about $1, to fake Callaway, Ping and Taylor Made golf clubs for around $200 including a “Callaway” tour bag and an Odyssey White Hot putter. (In Canada, the bag or the putter would cost around $200, and the clubs around $1500+) The imitations look very authentic, and I would likely pick up a set it I could carry them. I then saw a guy sitting alone on a terrace and asked if I could join him for a drink. He agreed and we started talking. Bill is originally from Florida, studied Chinese in College and decided to move here 2 years ago. He’s fluent in Mandarin and able in Cantonese, and owns a club in Sanlitun which opened 3 days ago. I promised to visit him that night. I bladed a bit more and went back to the hotel for a quick shower. I then read about the “Best Peking Duck in Beijing” so I hopped in a cab. The attendant at the restaurant seemed unhappy about giving me a table to myself, so I turned around and asked a couple behind me if I could join them for dinner. They accepted, and we started chatting away. They are vacationers from New Castle, England, and are celebrating his recent promotion. We ordered a feast and practically closed the place down. We then headed to nearby Sanlitun for drinks at Bar Blu and Top, Bill’s bar. We also met up with my Belgian friends from the day before, and kicked it off until 2am… Another very fun day in Beijing!
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