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August 8, 2008
Crunchy times in Beijing
Posted: 1141 GMT
BEIJING, China – Friday morning was the smoggiest yet since I arrived on Monday.When I looked out the window of my room in the media village it was difficult to see one of the towers on the other side of the square. It was nearly impossible to see the buildings behind it, as well.

I looked down as I do every morning (I'm on the 11th floor) to see if the roads are wet and I'm confusing smog for fog. It hadn't rained.

I should mention that I ate a scorpion. On purpose. We went to a street market the other night and walked around a bit before a couple of the guys decided to try one.

I wasn't about to eat any strange bugs, especially on an empty stomach, but after a little assurance that it wasn't so bad, I took a couple of bites of scorpion on a stick.

Crunchy. Not a lot of meat, but not horrible. Not about to become a vending machine treat either. Oh, and it takes an entire bottle of Coke to wash it down.

They had all types of strange food, including animal genitalia. The funniest moment was one of the vendors barking at us, "Try the penis," over and over.

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Filed under: China • Olympics • Sports


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A Cyclist   August 8th, 2008 1929 GMT

Steve,
You better get on a bike and ride, ride, ride and train, train, train for your big race in Sept!
kelly   August 8th, 2008 2046 GMT

whew...you got be kidding
Food shortage   August 8th, 2008 2213 GMT

Thanks, Steve Almasy. Did you try that?
Food shortage   August 8th, 2008 2344 GMT

Steve, you be careful with you own up there, ok?
Chloe   August 10th, 2008 151 GMT

Haha!

Well especially with a food shortage going around the world, i think its not unusual that people would eat such weird food. In fact, the scorpion, along with other insects, are excellent sources of protein. =)

Chinese people are very brave when it comes to eating. We can eat and try just about anything!
ThreeMeals   August 10th, 2008 1932 GMT

The barking vendor: "“Try the penis, Try the penis, Try the penis, Try the penis, Try the penis, ...."
Food shortage   August 12th, 2008 045 GMT

Steve, your story made us laugh, especially when I imagine these barking vendors going after Mr. Putin and Mr. Push!

There were medicine shortage so people ate Dalai Lama's feces in Tibet.
Phil   August 13th, 2008 1532 GMT

It probably tasted like chicken.... :)
Reger Dodger   August 14th, 2008 1619 GMT

OMFG – Food Shortage – I just ate breakfast. Please remember that some people reading this are still enjoying breakfast. Breakfast is hard enough after a liver killing summer night in Downtown Fullerton. The comment about Medicine Shortage killed my Cherios this AM. I need a chaser.
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Receive updates from across the world on the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. "Olympics and the World" is a blog offering you the thoughts and observations from athletes, journalists around unique personalities preparing for the Olympics in China. Whether it's from the training field, the newsroom or the homes of everyday people, "Olympics and the World" provides you a global pulse as the Beijing Olympics approach.

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