Yes. This Really Happened. Once Upon A Time I Ate A Scorpion.

 We found ourselves having to take a long walk after dinner tonight due to the sheer amounts of food we received.  It was definitely the most interesting food day so far.

Ahhh dinner.

It was super good.  It just looked like a chicken had been smacked down flat with a sledgehammer.  Oh, and it was staring at us.  #whatareyoulookingatchump

 We took the subway to an area in Beijing known for weird types of food.  One of the teachers on this trip is Jerry.  He was looking for a silk worm to eat and video himself doing so for his classes.  He is  a stellar art teacher who will introduce the topic of silk production using the video he collected to capture student interest and of course, gross them out.  Teaching high school is always a show. 

 About 5 seconds after walking through this gate, it became apparent we found what we were looking for.

 Live scorpions on a stick whose legs were moving really really fast.  As far as I could see, the seahorses were already dead.

 On the right is what Jerry was looking for.  The dead silkworms.  They take the entire stick and throw it in a fryer.  It takes less than 5 seconds.  Jerry described it tasting like something fried and a bit gooey in the middle. 

 I had told Jerry I would join him and eat a scorpion.  However, looking at the legs moving that fast, I became scared.   Our friend Tim stepped up and stated he wanted to try it, but only one.  This meant there were others left.  If Tim could do it - I definitely could.   He is from Virginian for crying out loud.  Maine will certainly not be outdone by Virginia.

 Like the silkworm, they fried the scorpions which made me feel a bit better that they would be dead.

 It was super crunchy. 

 And tasted like burnt popcorn for a bit.  Then a very strange aftertaste that wasn't so good.

 Lindsey ate one of the silkworms.  Tough stuff.

 The streets were so crowded it was overwhelming.  I had a sensory overload.  Check this out:

 There were shops and stores all over the place.  It was surprising to see just how much materialism is rampant in this culture.  Every possible brand name has huge stores here.  There is so much stuff.  Tons of tourist shops selling junk that you have to haggle for if you want something.  Crazy.  I was however pleased to have the chance of touring through a silk store.  The fabrics and clothing were bright and beautiful.

 This is for Gavin.  Yes son, McDonalds is here.  It is just as gross as it is in the US.  The menu has a lot more chicken recipes than in the US.  And KFC is here too.  The largest KFC in the world can be found across the street from Tiananmen Square.

 Of course, no area in Beijing is complete without Mao in thought or big 4800 Yuan bust.  That's 800 buckeroos USA. 

 Squid on a stick. 

 These drinks look like they are on fire with the smoke coming off of them.

 Can you identify the weirdness on a stick ready to eat? 

 Tofu in all forms is very very popular here.

 More bugs for sale.

 Candied cherries.  The shell around the fruit tastes like caramelized sugar. 

 Met and eggs in a huge dish.

 Octopus on a stick cooked.

 We then made our way home.  The subway is really clean, the air quality is good,  It is nice and cool.  And well labeled for English speakers which makes traveling clear and easy.

 Walking down to the hotel from the subway I saw this "truck" with the plants.  People carry everything using transportation like this.

A good night in all. I freaked myself out a little bit though and woke up thinking about that scorpion in my stomach.  Why the frig do I do these things?  Because, everything is a contest.  Dammit Virginia.