Hello China

Our first impression of Beijing was the new airport (only opened last week) and the sheer size of it all.

We stayed in the middle of town in the Ma-or hutong, only a short distance from the Forbidden City. The hutongs are traditional narrow alley ways, and have been around for hundreds of years. Unfortunately they are rapidly being pulled down in the name of progress. They certainly are a hub of activity, and not 'westernised' in their presentation. We found our accommodation on the internet, "The Backyard Hutong" , and it came with great reviews. It certainly lived up to expectations.
You entered from the hutong into a fantastic/characteristic quadrangle accomodation with four rooms for guests. Our bed was....well see the photo.

Being central we did a lot of walking, and visited the local parks and lakes. Our visit to the Great Wall was out to the Mutianyu section, which was in the countryside. It was a very clear day. In parts the kids were clammering up the Wall on their hand and legs.

We had a guide for our must-see sights of Beijing; Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven , and The Summer Palace. The guide certainly made it more meaningful . We lined up to pay our respects to Chairman Mao (laying in his preserved state) in Tiananmen Square.

Our last day in Beijing was special for a couple of reasons; (1) Carl/'Dad' went for what he says is one of his best jogs ever. From near Tiananmen Square to the Olympic stadium (and back). (2) We went to the Silk Market and had some fun buying stuff.

Shanghai was next, where we stayed at Astor House, formerly known as 'Richards House'. It is one of the oldest hotels in Shanghai, and was formed is 1846. It was across the Huang Pu River from the Oriental Pearl Tower (that really high tower with three knobs on it)
The river may not have been the cleanest in the world, but it certainly was lively with the size and shapes of water craft. At night time the whole area lit up and looked impressive. Our stay in Shanghai was short and sweet.

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