Beijing Rocks and The Wall

The point in me going to Beijing was to see all the stuff I missed three years ago, so with that in mind, I explored more of the city itself, and felt a little woosy because of it.

No one stays at home in Beijing, they love to go out, eat ,see friends, just hang out on the street corners. It's a massive sea of humanity, moving and flowing so much that as you sit and watch them, you feel like you're a bit sea sick, on land. My rememdy was beers with the guys I met at the hostel, specifically a cool lawyer named Rogelio from Mexico and a host of Germans, Chinese, Americans and a whole lot of French. I only ran into two Canadians so far, both from Quebac, which brings me to my point: where are my fellow Canadians in China???

Yesterday, I looked around the Hutong where I am and praticed my Chinese with a tea seller. She was so sweet and we talked for an hour, learning from each other as we both praticed our Chinese and English. I don't know how I am going to loose any weight here: the street food is so good! I have been having BBQ chicken on a stick every evening after a hard day's wandering. The wandering yesterday resulted in me taking the wrong bus from the shopping district of Xidan to my hostel, I got off and hailed a cab. Two outright refused to help me. I ended up begging a family out for ice creame for help, who explained to a cab driver my problem. He restored my faith in cabbies as he drove for twenty minutes, found out from some locals where my alley was, and then turne don the metre. He was so great. Advice to all: just because you have the address of where you need to go means nothing. Get the cross streets and have a good map to show where you need to go, otherwise you're wandering Beijing at 9 at night desperate for a cold beer and a hot meal.

Today was the journey to the Ming Tombs and the Great Wall. I was very excited to see the tombs as there is only one of the 13 open for viewing, with a lot of technology making it possible. In the other tombs there is treasures of silk, writings and jade that would be destroyed if the wooden, earthen covered tomb was exposed to the air. The open one has a special system to keep the temperature constant and limit the exposure. Above ground is beautiful. Situated in the rolling hills north of Beijing, the tomb areas are really a large walking park with very few tourists. I went with a tour provided by the hostel. There was myself, a large family from Sri Lanka, and a cute couple. Slivia from Israle and her boyfriend from the Philipenes were on vacation to see the wall. The heat almost killed the three of us as we went up part of the wall in 40 degree heat. But we endevoured and made it to the top of a ridge with some outstanding views. As soon as I can get a computer with a USB port I will put up some pics.

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