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Written by Glen Sullivan (Knox School), Pupil Correspondent for CET Beijing, Fall 2023
Most individuals know what being on a aircraft for 13 hours is like, so though that was the very first thing I did on my CET journey, the start of my CET expertise (aircraft, orientation, dorm life, and many others.) isn’t actually all that fascinating in comparison with what life exterior of CET in Beijing is like.
Summer time Palace
This previous weekend, I spent my Friday afternoon on the spectacular Summer time Palace, our first week’s cultural tour by means of this system. The palace is gorgeous; it was constructed within the 1700s, the top of the Qing Dynasty, and the gardens are completely picturesque. The normal structure is breathtaking. The normal-looking boats that you would be able to lease make the lake seem like you might have stepped again in time. The Summer time Palace, no matter how many individuals are in any given house, holds this surreal and peaceable power you possibly can’t discover wherever else. You may see the skyline of Beijing from the highest of the steps on the Temple, and it’s completely gorgeous. I’ll positively be visiting once more as soon as the climate cools off right here in Beijing.
After the Summer time Palace, 4 of us (two different CET college students, my CNU buddy, and myself) went to dinner. I had by no means tried Scorching-Pot (火锅) earlier than Friday, however should you’ll enable me to be fully sincere with you, it dominated. Severely. If you happen to’ve by no means heard of Scorching-Pot, it’s mainly a pot of broth (we obtained a spicy broth and a tomato broth). You may order all types of issues, meats, greens, noodles, rice, that get cooked within the broth. You’ll be fallacious should you thought it was a DIY soup. You don’t eat it as a soup; the broth is solely the tactic of cooking, which results in all the things being infused with the flavour of the broth. My favourite factor we ordered was the duck tongue; I can’t clarify the flavour meaningfully, so simply belief me that it was actually good.
Beijing Zoo
On Saturday, many people determined to go to the Beijing Zoo. So far as zoos go, it’s not any totally different. I’m of the opinion that every one Zoos are cool locations and value going to, however should you’re not a zoo fan, the Beijing Zoo in all probability isn’t any totally different than one you’ll find within the states, besides for 2 issues.
The Beijing Zoo has some China-exclusive (or near-exclusive) animals, essentially the most well-known being the Pandas. I had by no means seen a Panda in actual life earlier than Saturday morning, and earlier than, I positively resided firmly within the faculty of “all bears are so scary; why does everybody suppose Pandas are cute” and now, what can I say? I’m a Panda fan, they’re as cute as everybody desires you to suppose, they give the impression of being similar to teddy bears, they usually’re not scary in any respect. To be sincere, the scariest a part of the panda exhibit was the road to get in, the bears have been extraordinarily epic. Sleeping, rolling on their backs, consuming bamboo, swinging in a hammock.
The opposite China-exclusive animals on the Beijing Zoo are the Snub-Nosed Monkey and the Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey, which I’m not ashamed to say is the explanation I wished to go to the zoo within the first place. And let me inform you, seeing your favourite animal in particular person for the primary time is loopy; the monkeys have been the dopest factor within the zoo. They have been doing monkey issues, climbing, swinging on ropes, choosing one another’s fur, consuming, it was so cool. I really like these monkeys a lot. After I go to zoos, I really like the monkeys, and seeing my favourite monkeys on the Beijing Zoo elevated this fundamental zoo to a top-tier one.
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