Stinky fish is a delicacy for some here in Beijing.

It’s perch in a smelly sauce.

Think gym socks and vinegar.

Steamed.

It’s a good thing lunch is served with dishes on a movable lazy Susan. Each time it came around, I would whisper “get ready, honey..here IT comes”.

Then my green-gilled husband
would twirl IT around like the BANKRUPT part of the Wheel of Fortune.

I was worried I would GAIN weight on the trip but the opposite is happening. Breakfast buffet at the hotel is silly at $50 a pop. Tons of bready things: fruit, juice, buns, bread, sugar sugar sugar!

It’s easy to skip.

So is lunch.

If I never have fish in soup again, I will be happy.

Just ew. no.

no more.

Most Chinese food is awesome-especially Sichuan spicy stuff. I can eat so much of it.

I LOVE plum buns-those lightly sweet buns with red bean paste. ooeygooey goodness. Luckily, I cannot find a shop or read Chinese.

Hungry and illiterate is a great diet plan.

I finally break down and go to KFC around the corner.

I inflict my Mandarin
“ne how. （hi）
wu shiang liang quai ji
（i would like 2 pieces of chicken）
xie xie” （please）

She gets the plastic picture menu.

I’m humiliated. Did I just ask for a haircut instead?

I point to the 2 piece chicken meal.

She asks
“liang quai ji?”

（exactly what I just said）.

yes!

With all the wonderful food, the one meat that is not good here is chicken.

My very first night in Beijing 2 years ago, I had “Bang Bang” chicken.

The whole body is met with a hammer then fried.

Bones and all.

They need KFC badly like we need Chuan’s-proper Chinese food. Panda Express is just sad.

I bite into the KFC chicken.

“oh, lord. Thank you Kentucky for this chicken. You redeem all the poor Bang Bang’s…”