beijing, are you ready yet?

The question is, "Beijing, are you ready yet?" and my answer is maybe not quite!!

It seems like the city is in a bustle to finish, but in the next three months, they are going to need people working around the clock.

Every corner you turn, there is a construction site- usually re-doing run down buildings. The city beautification is great, but what about the people that live in the areas that they are tearing down. The city has had to displace thousands of people so that the world can visit a pretty, clean city for the Olympics. I have also discovered the reason many areas smell like urine... they pee where ever they please! Maybe that is something they shouldn't do during the Olympics.

There was one thing that I wish we had in Seoul, and that was a specific bike lane! Including "crosswalk guards" at the corners to direct the bikes! Also they had an assistant at the bus stops to wave the buses into the stop. Fantastic!

They have really pulled out all the stops on the flowers, plants, and trees. Many areas are looking really beautiful, I loved the facades of the shops.



Saturday - MAY 3, 2008


Mom, Steve and I left my apartment in Seoul at 630am, only to arrive as one of the last to check in for our 9:40 flight. We weren't able to sit near each other, with a good 10 rows between each of us. I got the "bitch seat" (the middle of 5 seats) surrounded by middle aged Koreans that seemed to be on a bit of a party vacation. The man next to me was dressed as though he was going to hop off the airplane and run up a mountain.

We got word that we would be diverted to Dalian airport in China, only about 40 minutes away. We figured an hour at most for the thunderstorm to pass and we would be back on our way, since it wasn't even raining in Dalian. After waiting for 4 hours, they gave us a very tiny sandwich.

My favourite part of the wait was when an obnoxious Korean man decided that he would smoke in the bathroom, was not caught and then bragged to his possie about it.

The wait continued, and after 6.5 hours on the tarmac we were allowed off the plane to get some food. Waited another 2.5 hours in the airport and before we knew it we were off to Beijing!

Finally we were at the Tien Rui Hotel near Tiananmen Square, only 15 hours after leaving my apartment in Seoul! We got a great suite, and booked a tour for the next morning to see the Great Wall/ Ming Tombs.

Sunday- MAY 4th, 2008

The tour that we got through the hotel was surprisingly good. It was less than 30$ each, including lunch, Ming Tombs, The Great Wall, Jade Factory and Chinese Doctors. I'm not a huge fan of tours, I prefer the untraveled road, but this was our best option to see it all after losing a day in Dalian.

The first stop was the Jade Factory where I bought a really pretty jade ring! I did not know why the jade bracelets get greener with time... if you are healthy, then the bracelet will change colour.

The different shapes have special meanings, like the horse means success, so it is often in a business or office. The cabbage means money... SHOW ME THE CABBAGE!!

Next we were off to the Ming Tombs, surprisingly quiet! The tombs were really beautiful, all nestled in the mountains (which totally popped up out of no where!). We saw the largest tomb, I think the 3rd Emperor's, but I could be wrong. I would have loved to go inside one of them!

The Chinese Doctor was maybe a bit of a waste of time, but our tour guide gets bonuses if she brings many people to certain places. The main point of Chinese Medicine is to keep the ying and the yang balanced. They see ying and yang in every aspect of life, if it isn't balanced in the body, then you will feel ill. The doctor assessed a few of the people in the group and offered special Chinese medicine to cure their imbalance.

Our fourth stop was lunch! A delicious Cantonese array of food! (unfortunately on the third floor of a building, poor Steve and his bad foot!) I have decided that I love bok choi. But it is totally true, Chinese food can be so greasy.

And the most anticipated part of the entire trip finally was our last stop! THE

Chinese Flag
actually in Seoul, at the Olympic Torch Relay

GREAT WALL! So we were at Badaling, where many points of the wall meet. It was busy, but according to the guide, not in comparison to what it is usually like.

We took this very strange roller coaster esque ride 4km to a higher point on the wall, where we could continue to walk from there. It is absolutely mind blowing the terrain that this wall was built on, and the expanse of it. It went as far as the eye could see.

I am sure you are all wondering though, " What are the bathrooms like on The Great Wall?"

Ah - well... I dare say the worst I have experienced! (you would think something like this would be a priority before the Olympics!) I think I will spare you all the gory details, but I hope you never have to smell it.

We got to spend two hours on the wall, and we certainly enjoyed it. Even better to get to see it with Mom and Steve! I think it was a huge highlight of their vacation also. Amazing views and great pics all around.

To say the least, we were asked to buy something every 30 steps we took. No? you don't want this hat? Well, how about these postcards? Not that? a t-shirt then, what about a mug with your face on it? Steve plans to wear a t-shirt with a big NO on the front next time and just point to it.

It took two hours to get back to the city, and I got to see Olympic Park! The area is all fenced off, but the drive by will have to do. The Bird's Nest and the Aquatic Centre are really as fantastic as they have been hyped up to be. (Apparently, the man who designed the pool was on our flight to Beijing. I would have loved to talk to him!!) The Athlete's Village looks beautiful, also saw the tennis courts, velodrome, field hockey field and a few others.

Mom and Steve needed a rest after the long day, so I took a walk down to Wangfuxing Road to check out the exotic eats they offer. Most things were on a stick, so they could be deep fried. They had a selection of scorpions, silkworm larvae, seahorses (my personal fav), frogs, squid, beetles... just about anything you could imagine. I went on the safe side and had a veggie wrap in rice paper! BORING!


Monday- MAY 5, 2008


We hit up Tiananmen Square first thing, saw the front gate and saw where the Great Chairman, Mao is resting. Unfortunately, the Memorial Hall is closed on Mondays, so we didn't get to see him. Oh Well!

In the middle of the square is the Monument of the People's Heroes, surrounded by thousands of tourists. All trying to capture the enormous size of this square in a single picture. There is still a large military presence around the square, ensuring that no one is out of line. It seemed to be very well kept and clean also.

The park that is directly behind the stage where Mao would give his famous speeches was so beautiful, but we were asked several times by art students to come into their shops to view their work. I did actually buy a scroll with some beautiful orange/pink cherry blossoms on it.

When we finally reached the Forbidden City it was quite busy and getting very hot. Paid the 60RMB to get in, and went through this ridiculous security check. Everyone had to shove their bags through this scanner, but on the other side, this man just held a bag out and 20 hands went out to grab it. It was chaos and not at all secure.

The Forbidden City was doing restoration work, perhaps for August 08. It was huge, and so cool to think that no one was allowed in there for more than 500 years. We didn't get to spend much time there because we had to get back to the hotel to get to the airport.

I felt really sick the rest of the afternoon, and just had to suck it up and carry on. Mom bought a couple silk robes that she was dying to get and ate some lunch. Taxi back to the airport was really the best way to go.

WOW, Beijing Airport is really all it's cracked up to be. It is massive, and we got to ride on the mini subway car that goes from terminal to terminal. In my opinion still not as good as Incheon Airport, that is my favourite!

I definitely loved going to China, and every time I leave Korea, it makes me almost bitter to return. That feeling goes away quickly when I feel like I'm back to my home.

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