Bear Cat / Cat Bear

While M's parents were here, we went to the Beijing Zoo to check out the pandas. Unfortunately for us, we'd just missed the departure of six adorable panda cubs who were being sent back to their home in Chengdu the day before. I'm kind of glad we didn't go the day they left, though, because apparently there was a line all the way out into the street and winding through the park. I don't think I could have handled that. Me, lines, and Chinese people haven't been doing so well lately. In fact, as we were waiting in line at the zoo to buy our tickets, some Chinese dude walked up to the side of the ticket booth and shoved his money to buy his tickets. I was waiting for M's parents on that side, and they were next, so I got really peeved. So while he was waiting for his tickets, I kept nudging him and saying "Hey, get in line!" in Chinese. Then when he left, I thanked him sarcastically. I know it's petty of me, but I've been using the ironic 谢谢 a lot; it's the one thing that keeps me from flipping out on people on the subway, bus, etc. But, of course, I digress.

Most of the time the pandas were just sleeping on the rocks. But then one of them woke up and started eating:

Then we went outside and realized that some of the pandas were outside. One of which was pacing nervously:


Cracked.com sells a shirt with a picture of a panda that says "Nature's Loser." Monogamous, slow, only eats an endangered plant in a very small locale which gives so little nutrition that they have to spend most of their time finding and eating it. And this is a national symbol? Well, at least they're cute.