Saturday

Hmm, for some reason my photo won't upload to the blog .... anyway, a student took me out round the Lake today. We walked for a bit and then hired some bikes which was great - apart from the fact you had to dodge the masses as you cycled along the causeways. We stopped off along the way to look at tombs, temples and places of study. All very nice - saw a guy doing some tai chi on the top of a rock and wished I had kept mine up - or at least found a decent teacher.
Shadi then insisted on taking us to the Shangri-La for the buffet lunch they do -apparently it's famous - I can agree with that ... for the prices probably. I was outraged at Y560 and that must have been a fortune for her. It was full of older fat foreigners and not my kind of place at all - I would have been happier with a sandwich by the lakeside. Anyway, some things I guess we have to endure.
Afterwards I sat by the Lakeside and watched the sun go down while reading an e-book.
Later, dinner was a hugely challenging experience with noone in the 'western' restaurant I was directed to by the hotel staff speaking any English at all and I am afraid that my Chinese has not really improved. I found myself trying to mime 'french fries'. Needless to say, I didn't get very far and I caused the usual mix of terror and mirth.