Beijing/Peking, China

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Hi Everybody!
In this blog, I am going to let the photos tell the story. I am starting with the train from Ulan Bator. The landscape changed many times as we traveled across the Gobi Desert to Beijing.
Walt thought that it would be better if I published the blogs for Beijing and Tibet after leaving China. The Communist government blocks many internet sites including Facebook, Firefox, newspaper sites, and many others. The people are very kind especially the service workers that you come in contact with at hotels, restaurants, etc. Yet, these people have a fear of their superiors, the police, the military, etc. They do not want to be the center of attention. Sometimes, they would not take a tip if their supervisor was watching but would gladly take it in private. Police and soldiers were everywhere. We realized that we stood out and tried to behave! haha One of the guides told me that there were many men like FBI agents in street clothes mixed in the crowds.
The week that we visited Beijing was a holiday week for Chinese. Red lanterns decorated the streets as the Chinese celebrated National Day (all week). Children were out of school and many parents were off work. This meant that at least 40,000 - 50,000 tourists (many from other Chinese provinces) were in town visiting historical sites. It was very crowded! The population of Beijing is 20 million.
Beijing is very modern (updated many of its facilities for the 2008 Olympics) and very old (3000 yr. old city.) Skyscrapers are modern with lots of glass and new designs. Many of the old buildings are 800 years old.
Take Care,
Everette

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