Crazy Sunday Part One: Breakfast

For the past several weeks, Tim had been bugging me to go with him to the 5-star international hotel at the other side of the city to eat the continental breakfast buffet that he claimed was just excellent. Finally, last week I gave in and woke up at 7 (entirely too early for a Sunday) to go to check the place out... We took a cab to the hotel and the moment we got out, a doorman handed us a card. It had a number on it and it said in English and Chinese: this is your cab number and company, if you are dissatisfied with your service from the cab, please let us know and the hotel will complain on your behalf...

We walked through the revolving doors and into the immaculate lobby. Instantly the odors of a western breakfast filled my nostrils: sausage, potatoes, eggs and.... BACON!!!! Tim and I continued toward the smell and descended the winding staircase to the restaurant area where we were greeted in English and taken to our table. The dining area as beautiful... The one wall was completely glass that overlooked a garden with reflecting pools and flower arrangements. Beyond the garden lies a large lake..

the food itself was also stupendous! Everything that Tim had promised and more! He and I feasted on delicacies of meat, important cheese and western pastries and sipped juice and coffee for the better part of two hours before we finally had our fill. We paid the bill: 70 RMB per person (high for China but cheap for America: about 10 USD) and left the hotel where our day would become more and more interesting...

To be continued....