Beijing where are the 9 million bicycles?

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Well we made it to Beijing and time has flown by. The train was good and the hostel is well located near Tianamen Square. The first day we orientated ourselves and went for a walk around the square. Its really huge everything is miles long and you cant just cross the streets to get there. You have to use underground walkways where the wind can really howl through and it did. Then if you cross the street you must use the designated areas where the traffic nazis patrol the streets with wistles and such like. The square is covered in surveillance cameras and police on motorbikes with sidecars, army guards standing to attention guarding flags and entrances but its all very well organised. A lot of the buildings you cant get into as they are being renovated which is a pity but its all for 2008 I am sure.
It took us the whole afternoon to walk around the forbidden city and we could not get into the major buildings there either but they dont give you a discount on the ticket do they??? In fact they will charge you for entry into some things and if we had not been warned by some guys the day before we would have paid Y35 instead we only paid Y15 and that was all you could see anyway. But i must say it was awsome and it really is the size of a city we were whacked when we got back from there we walked miles.

We took an organised tour and there were only 10 of us to Mutinayo part of the wall where there are less people. (Still loads as in china you are never alone) We walked up the 450metres to the wall and i made it quite easily folks!!! a bit of huffing and puffing and it remined me of Nepal but is was over much more quickly. The Wall is awesome and to think it goes on for miles and miles and miles. All the way to the Gobi desert and the Silk Road. We went to the night markets which was fun 88 stores selling food and you can get everything from snake to crickets and scorpions. The wind came up with the Gobi desert sands blowing about it was awesome but not very pleasant to be in thank goodness we had our super dooper jackets on it was COLD.

This morning we went to see Uncle Mao and joined the queue of millions - it goes surprisingly fast and you just about get a glimpse of him - uncle Ho was much better.

So the time has gone and i dont have much time to write this blogg as we are off out to lunch all packed up and this evening we are heading back to the heat of Bangkok. So will catch up with you all then

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