The Lufthansa International Hospital and Center

As many of you know, I've had my fair share of health problems over the past two years. Within a year, I was diagnosed with a form of hypothyroid called Hashimoto's disease, pernicious anemia and Celiac disease (google them). I do not need constant medical attention; however, I do need to keep myself monitored on a regular basis, watch my diet and take prescription pills every day. In China, 40% of the over-the-counter and prescription drugs that you buy are counterfit and don't work. All of these things mean that I better have a good doctor with facilities I trust where ever I go, and I made it my quest to find one this Saturday morning.

I have borrowed the most AMAZING guide book for Beijing from Yvonne, another teacher, and used it to make my way around Beijing. I decided to head to a hospital about an hour away from my apartment on the subway, as it had "international" in the name and rumors were floating around that it had a pharmacy stocked with American-brand medications. The hospital was absolutely mind-blowing. The below picture is of the hallway: it is a stone bridge over a river that flows around the entire building. I didn't take pictures of the outside, as it was raining quite a bit, but the river leads into a beautiful koi pond with fishes and turtles. I couldn't take pictures in the medical part of it, but it was, BY FAR, the best hospital I have ever stepped foot in. Estethically, at least.

I purchased some medication for my stomach and a refill on another medication, which they suprisingly had in stock. It was fairly expensive by Chinese standards (500yen, or just under $100CDN) but I am not taking any chances that my prescription medications are fakes. All of the staff spoke excellent English and had spoken to a doctor, picked up my pills, paid and left al within twenty-five minutes.

The hospital was also a part of a shopping mall and hotel complex, so I skirted over there to see what it was all about. It was an upscale mall connected to an upscale hotel. Absolutely mind-blowingly fantastic. I couldn't resist to have an overpriced lunch at the Dragon Palace, the upscale restaurant that was a part of the hotel. Today is my one day a month where I get to splurge and eat gluten (I'm allergic to gluten a.k.a. Celiac) and this had my favourite things on an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet: Chinese dim sum and congee. Dim sum are little steamed dumplings, while congee is a rice soup. Oh, don't forget the green tea!

Usually I go all out at these things and stuff myself, but everything about the meal was so perfect that I couldn't bear to spoil it by making myself sick. The dumplings were scrumptious, the congee perfect, and the scenery and atmosphere of the restaurant made it one of my best dining experiences yet. And I was eating alone!

Can you all please note that I was eating my soup with a GOLDEN SPOON?! The meal cost a total of 100yuan, or $17CDN, and was completely worth it. Not for every day, though, its too special. And I'm not going to lie, I've been loving my 5yuan street food every night for dinner!