May 8th - A Day with Kendra, Eleni and Marlene

May 8th, 2013.  AB/BC Calculus Exams and I am not allowed to be at school, so I take the day off and join "the girls" on a trip out to Mutianyu.

Mutianyu has both a gondola and chair lift.  So, going up the gondola first allows for a mostly downhill walk.

That's yours truly hiking along the wall.  After having been to Jinshanling three different times, I prefer that location.  Jinshanling is much less crowded and in parts, decaying, which gives it a more "wild" feel.

Mutianyu has a toboggan ride!  Unfortunately it is closed when there is rain...and it started to rain JUST as we were approaching the entrance.

So, it was ski lift down.  Hey E and K!!  I would come back to Mutianyu just for the toboggan ride, otherwise, future guest, we're headed to Jinshanling!

Post great wall, we continued our "highlights of Beijing" with a dinner at Dadong, the famous duck restaurant. 

Although it's famous for the lean Beijing Duck, my favorite dish at Dadong is this sweet and sour deep fried fish!  It's flipped inside out so essentially boneless!  Thanks for a fun visit Eleni, Kendra and Marlene!!!  And as Eleni said....she's on the Ernie Chen living abroad gravy train.  Who knows where the next stop is!!