it’s hard to express with mere words the level of exhaustion I felt today. But my time in China was to be quite short, so I needed to make the most of it!

After breakfast I headed out in search of Bā bǎo chá 八宝茶 (Eight Treasures Tea).
I had learned to enjoy this treat after my spring trip to China when my friend Bamboo (who was living in Shanghai) gifted me two big boxes. Back in Colorado Rhonda and I had savored the delightful flavor. I had to get more! (absolutely impossible to find in Colorado, and I could only find a weak substitute through online shopping)

Well, Yinchuan was the place to find it!
(In fact, although she was living in Shanghai, the packages Bamboo had given me were actually from this city!)
I found stores selling Ba Bao Tea all over in Yinchuan! Selecting what to buy would have been easy if i had found the exact same manufacturer and packaging as what we received from Bamboo . I keep hoping to find that, because I figured it was a sure thing. But to be sure I would not leave Yinchuan empty-handed, I bought 3 packages from a different manufacturer. (OMG the three packages weighed a ton! I began to imagine how heavy my suitcase was going to become!)

I then stopped at a bookstore hoping to find some books that would catch my eye. I suppose it was a blessing that I did not encounter any books that I could not resist!

But i did encounter black porcelain brush rests in the shape of a cat.
I had bought a white one like these on a previous trip to China. But my oldest daughter has a cute black kitten, so how could I say no to these?
So I bought one for Mindy and one for my own home in Colorado (knowing that my wife would confiscate it for her own use!)

My hotel is just a block away from the historic “drum tower” ( photos later after I transfer some stuff from camera). Wanting a low key day I went to explore another nearby historic building sometimes called the bell tower.

I will just add a few pics and will have to explain when i have more time!

these other pics were were taken by other people.

next pics from new pal “Chen chen”

next pic from Cecelia, my guide from the spring trip

Babao tea at today’s breakfast buffet! ( My own pic!)

mmm 早餐

I had a good rest in the space capsule. I had set alarm on phone, wristband, and “hotel” wake up call. But ha ha, my inner clock woke me ten minutes before any of those!

Didi to train station was easy peasy. So much better than taxis in so many ways. Uber probably does it too, but it’s nice to have a map showin the driver enroute to pick me up, and then track the progress/route as the didi car heads to destination!

and this train station is really low key compared to the ones in Xi’an itself! (I am leaving from Xianyang North station)

I rode on a boat out into the waters between Xiamen and the (quite close… a short swim) series of small islands that are part of Fujian province but which are occupied /controlled by the “Republic of China” (AKA “Taiwan”), which is pretty far away. Politics/history.
Control of these islands has been an issue of requisite American political posturing dating back at least as far as the Nixon,/Kennedy debates and election. (“I’ll fight for them harder”… “NO, I will”)

After the boat ride, I rode a rented bike for a bit to reduce mileage on my shoes

hell, and it’s not even 11 AM here yet! A busy morning!

What do you think of this?
On the metro in Shenzhen you can select your preferred temperature zone!

One of the two robots in the hotel in Shenzhen is really channeling the robot vibe!
I wonder if that robot know the difference between North and East better than the hotel guy on the phone who had misdirected me regarding the location of the hotel entrance!