Of Charles de Gaulle, Ante Chambers of Hell and Dancing Chickens

Charles de Gaulle said "China is a big country, inhabited by many Chinese.

He was right but he forgot to say that every Chinese has a car and a hooter.

Cycling in the traffic is no fun but it feels quite save here because the drivers anticipate obstacles like cyclist, mopeds, slow moving tractors, pedestrians and chickens on the road. Not like in Sweden where one only meet Volvos and the occasional moose.

The first day was a 7km convoy out of Peking and then 77km to a non descriptive Chinese town called Yanquing. A name to remember because it sounds like a self fulfilling activity that can cause blindness. 

Next day was a grueling 128km through some farm lands and then an area of industry and coal mines. Trucks, dirt, potholes, pollution and rubbish burnt on the side of the road. The ante chambers of hell.

Today we are enjoying a rest day in another non descriptive Chinese city called Zhangjiakou. Our hotel is in the middle of the lively red light district.

Most hotels in China have apart from toilet paper, soap and shower caps also a collection of condoms and prostitutes business cards. The telephone usually rings  in the middle of the night with a husky voice offering a massage. Best thing is to unplug the phone and not to touch anything but yourself.

Rest days usually consist of bike cleaning, buying more stuff to put in an already stuffed bag and eating as much as you can.

We went for a two hour massage at a health club of which I strongly suspect to be a high class brothel. The clue is girls in short skirts and heels. The massage was the best I ever had. 

We asked for a foot massage but got a wholebody workout, pajamas, snacks, lunch, foot bath and drinks. A happy ending to a rest day.

Me and Catherine in a non descriptive city

Dancing chickens

Massage girls