Monday 21 September

The bed is very hard! My arm goes numb regularly in the night. We take our time getting ready and deciding what to do. We decide on the zoo. The most annoying thing about the subway is all the transfers. It takes ages to transfer from one to the next. Eventually we get there and get tickets into the zoo. We find an English map and head directly to the pandas. Initially the first panda is asleep but he ends up being quite the show animal walking around and lying in the bank looking up at visitors. There are two others asleep on various high sections and two young ones playing boisterously. On the way to the pandas there were some snub nose monkeys asleep. Very cute. The rest of the day was a little disappointing. Not in animals. They have a large range, but in condition of exhibits. And sizes. Needs changes and upkeep. One thing that is very disconcerting is the parents just their kids to toilet in public. It's so gross. I try avoid any moisture On The ground.
It also worries me to see ppl feeding animals by throwing food into their cages. Especially the bears. It's an exhausting day with lots of walking. But we try to find the bell and drum towers on our way back. Turns out to be a bit of a disaster trying to figure the subways and busses. Mostly my fault for not reading things properly. A perpetual problem of mine. We do find them. But it's after closing when we do get there. We get photos. The upside is a lovely quaint shopping street and lakes. Very nice end to the day. We finally get back to the hostel and Malcolm showers. I rest and then we go to the hostel bar for dinner.