It wasn’t a late night last night so of course I woke up before 7 am. It’s good to know I haven’t lost the inability to sleep in while on holiday. Around quarter after, it occurred to me that I could get discount breakfast at Bridge Cafe (between 4 and 8 am), so I left a note by Ben and Verena’s water cooler and headed out. When I got there, the cafe which is supposed to be open 24 hours (the sign’s still there) was closed, so I now I’m at Lush, just about the only customer. In the corner there was a table of Corona-drinkers, but now it’s just two guys at the bar and the staff. At least this means the service will be fast. I spilled sugar all over the table trying to pour exactly half a spoonful.
Yesterday, I spent the day with Kat. We went shopping in Xidan (looking for the more moderately priced mall but failing and buying relatively expensive Japanese stationary), wandering on Chang’an Avenue at sunset to Tiananmen Square which was lit up with the floats from Thursday’s parade. We had dinner at a Japanese-style resto on Wangfujing before I headed home. Friday was rather low key and I stayed in when Ben and Verena went to Houhai with her IR friends. During the day, I pretended to study with Kat and we visited Beida campus (beautiful as always) before making stir-fried eggplant with Ben and Verena.
Thursday was a late night, perhaps the latest night I’ve ever had (I’m lame). It began with the parade and breakfast and I forget what else, but I was in my pjs pretty early. Then, Ben, Jake, and Verena returned from Fragrant Hills (from where they saw the fireworks) and we all had dinner, before a Ben’s classmates Tjalling and Jennifer came over for drinks. From there, we head over to Kanika and Mike’s apartment (in the same complex but a few buildings over) where we hung out a few hours before finally going to karaoke. It was nearly 2 am by the time we got there and we sung for a couple hours before making a final order for 15 kuai burgers at Lush (2 to 4 am) at literally the last possible minute. They were okay- I’ve yet to find anything that compares to La Paryse and it’s times like these (and you know, buying expensive Japanese stationary) that I miss Montreal most. I’m glad to be spending time with friends from home.
Awkward Abroad 