Off to Xi'an

Thursday after breakfast:

We gathered our carry-ons with Group D in the 2nd floor atrium. Soon we were walking a pontoon bridge to the shore. Men were lined up, asked us if they could carry our bags for us. We waved them off. Several people were demonstrating flying toys that they were selling. I haggled one down to 3 for 10 yuan. Further down we boarded a bus and it took us to Chongching zoo. A local tour guide told us all about the city on the way there. First we hit the restrooms, then walked to the panda cages. We saw red pandas and big black and white pandas. Then we walked a long way to see tigers: Bengal, Siberian, and South China. On the way back to the pandas, we saw large egrets and storks.
There was a lady selling hacksacks with feathers on them. She got one of the men in our group to play with her. Michele took a turn and I did, too.
The zoo was very park-like and there were lots of groups of people doing synchronized movements. Tai Chi?
From the zoo, we walked to Howard Johnson's for lunch.

We were fed in a room on a basement floor. The tables had lazy susans and the waitress kept adding dishes to it. But the tour guide told me to wait. So I watched the others eat (we weren't really hungry) until the waitress presented me with a gluten-free plate of bok choy, chicken, green beans and mushrooms. I stole a taste of the other dishes from Chris' plate. We used the bathroom before leaving, then found the bus in the restaurant parking lot. We rode to the airport, hearing more about the city and its history. I tried to take pics on the way, but fell asleep. I woke up at the airport. I got out some cash so Chris could tip the local tour guide and I could tip the driver. Inside the airport, James gave us all our passports. We and our carry-ons went through a security check where we were patted down thoroughly. When the group was back together, we went to gate B3. But once we got comfortable, the gate was changed to B1. So we went back there. We did not have long to wait. Soon we were in line to board the plane to Xi'an. Our group was not seated together, but the Damours were. I wore my ear plugs on the way up. We were served preserved tomatoes (dehydrated) and assorted nuts and water. I asked Chris to read me the ingredients. I ate the nuts but gave him the tomatoes.

I was sorry afterward because I had major hotflashes right in a row. But eventually they subsided. I tried to nod off, but with limited success. It was only an hour. Then we landed just short of Xi'an. We took a bus to a Sheraton in the city. The check-in was handled by the tour guide James, who collected our passports again, and handed out room cards. We went to our room to unpack. It was a very nice room. The bellboy delivered our checked luggage. Michele knocked on our door and wanted to go to the pool on the 5th floor. She went to her room to put on her suit and came back dressed in a robe and slippers. I wasn't sure that was appropriate attire to be walking around the hotel, but she didn't care. So I put on my suit and the robe and slippers provided by the hotel. We went to the 5th floor. We found the pool area. They stopped us at the desk to sign a piece of paper. Then we were given towels. We found a deck chair in the pool area and laid our robes and towels there. We tried the hot tub first. I went in the cold pool briefly. Then we swam in the big swimming pool. A man came over and handed us swimming caps. I did laps. Michele went back to the hot tub. I found the ladies locker room. It was big enough to get lost in. There were showers and lockers, a whirlpool, a sauna and a steam room. And a small dryer. I went out to get Michele. We took one last dunk in the hot tub and the cold tub. Then we went to the sauna for a few minutes. Michele wasn't impressed. We dried off and put our robes back on. There was an exit from the ladies room so we took it. Eventually we found ourselves back at the desk. We handed in the caps. The man escorted us to the elevators and called one. I wondered if he was trying to get us out of there.

On our floor, 15, we ran into others of our group. We told them we'd been in the pool and sauna. Then we went to our rooms for a shower. I dressed for dinner in the blue outfit. I noticed that my suitcase smelled a little funky. I wanted to do laundry, but this was a place where you pay by the piece to have it done for you. I did not want to pay $60 for a load of laundry. We went down to the first floor to join Cecily and Al and Marie for supper. It was a big buffet. I had three plates of food, which did not include bread or the many desserts which the others indulged in.
After supper, Chris and I went to the front desk to ask about a nearby laundromat. But we were not able to bridge the language barrier. So we went back to our room. I washed clothes for tomorrow in the sink. Then I noticed we had a hair dryer, so I tried that. And then the iron. But there were no markings on it to show how hot it was. I washed and ironed all evening. I hung up everything in my suitcase to air out. Then I sat down to type up my blog. But the VPN would not connect, so I could not post it.
I stayed up late, in the bathroom, hoping for improved motility, playing on my tablet to pass the time. Because we had to get up at 6, I eventually gave up and went to bed.