THE ROAD TO THE OLYMPICS We didn’t get to see any Olympic games in person, but we are going to get a first hand glimpse of the buildings where records were broken. We’ll get there by subway, of course, using the cards we bought yesterday. Riders can either buy 2 RMB tokens prior to each ride, or buy a resusable card. We’re a bit confused about how things work, not speaking Chinese and all, so we ask for our concierge to write what we want to do on a slip of paper in Chinese. Our first attempt to buy the cards [View Full Entry]

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The wind is nearly out of my sails, and we're both ready to come home. Quite frankly, I'm tired of walking. I thought my shoes were great hiking shoes, but they don't last all day on the pavement. CANTONESE LUNCH We head across the street from the Park Plaza for lunch at the Sunshine Kitchen which boasts Cantonese food (a variety of Chinese). It's a place the professionals from the office building across the street frequent. The food is very good. Jesse has the best sweet and sour soup he's had yet in China. It's a little spicy for me (I [View Full Entry]

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We hopped aboard a scooter-powered cart to explore the Hutong district south of the Forbidden City in Beijing today. Our driver spoke in broken English and was hard to understand. But the view of the hutong was quite interesting. Powered up, we were able to see several of the 400-year-old neighborhoods. We began just southeast of Tian'an Men Square in an area where the government has erected new outer walls and repainted them. We continued through some abandoned and decrepit areas to an area that was thriving with life. Here men played checkers on the street, and children played with hula [View Full Entry]

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Scooters and bikes come in all shapes and sizes over here. And there are many ways to ride them. Ride one alone. Ride it two up. Some even ride with the father driving, mother behind, and child in front. Some carry carts, others have enclosed carriers. There's no right or wrong when it comes to getting around. [View Full Entry]

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I am sorry to report that my computer has died, perhaps for the duration of the trip. I'm typing this entry on Jesse's computer, but I haven't figured out if that will be my temporary solution or not. The battery is shot on my Powerbook. But there is hope. An Apple store opened here just prior to the Olympics -- I'm hoping they have what I need. Else I'll go to plan b... In the meantime, I thought I should note that I haven't been writing my blogs in order, although I post them in chronological order. Thus, if you are [View Full Entry]

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Today we leave Nanjing and go on to the least leg of our journey: Beijing. I'm not sorry to leave Nanjing. For some almost indescribable reason, I haven't liked this city. Not liking a place I travel to doesn't happen to me much. I've been trying to disect my issues with Nanjing. It's crowded and loud; the opposite of relaxing. That's part of it. There are people every where, which brings my fear of being pickpocketed to the surface. I've been nervous in crowds ever since I was pickpocketed in that market in Papua New Guinea at age 13. I keep [View Full Entry]

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Our third hotel is in downtown Beijing, within walking distance of the famous shopping street, Wangfujing. We're also near the Forbidden City and Tian'en Men Square, although I prefer to take the subway. The subway system here is excellent -- seriously. Most of it is new, and they're still working on a few lines. The first line installed runs past the Forbidden City and links up to Wangfujing. I'm delighted that we have a subway station within 1/2 block -- Dengskikou. It's on the newest line (#5) and runs north to the Bird's Nest and Water Cube. The only problem with [View Full Entry]

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Purple Mountain rises on the northeast side of Nanjing, offering shade and sights for locals and tourists. The mountain stretches far and is impossible to explore fully in one day. Sights range from the mausoleum of Sun Yet Sen, the "Father of Modern China"; to the Beamless Hall, built in 1391 without using any wood in its construction; to the Ming Tombs and the impressive sacred way, an avenue of stone statutes; to the observatory; to a music stage; to a kayak and canoe slalom; to a one-hour-long cable car ride from top to bottom. In August, the place was busy [View Full Entry]

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MING TOMBS Today is my last day in Nanjing, and I’ve decided to return to Purple Mountain. My feet still hurt from all the walking I did yesterday, so I’m going to try to take it easy — no small feat when you consider how spread out attractions are on Purple Mountain. I spend the morning writing, eat leftovers and noodles for lunch, then strike out. My first action is to catch a cab. I point out the Ming Tombs in my guidebook to him and off we go. It takes about 20 minutes to reach the tombs, and costs 20 [View Full Entry]

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A LITTLE BIT OF PEACE Today I found the first place in Nanjing that I’ve really, really liked. Xuanwu Lake. It’s on the edge of town, nudging up against the Purple Mountain. It’s full of trees, flowers, walkers and boats. It’s peaceful. I’ve been seeking out quiet here in China, and find very little of it. One park in Shanghai, and now this one in Nanjing. To get to the park, I discover the Nanjing subway system. Currently there is only one line. It pretty much runs from the Olympic Center to downtown (where our hotel is) and skirts the edge [View Full Entry]

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