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Published: February 7th 2007
Probably the first thing that strikes you about Beijing is how calm it feels. We were expecting absolute craziness from a city with 15 million people, but it is so quiet at times it is eerie. This is particularly true of Tiananmen Square although the large portrait of Mao and the vastness of the place surrounded by imposing Soviet style buildings do tend to stun anyone into silence!
For the last few days we have visited the Forbidden City which was pretty awesome. We didn't really know much about it but we really enjoyed walking around so much so we spent a day there and still might go back. It was a maze of small rooms and palaces where the emperors lived. We have been told that the Chinese don't think it is the exciting but we found it fascinating. It even has the most obscure Starbucks, no sign outside in a small room like all of the rest I wish they were all like that!!
The Great Wall was dare I say it a bit disappointing... it was very touristy and we got slightly ripped off on our way there (although some kind people had tried to explain
where to get the bus from we still managed to get the wrong one!) Lee managed to climb to the top of the wall... I am not so stupid and stuck around about half way up (he's still suffering and the view was not so great after all!) We hope to go to another quieter section when we go back to Beijing in the next couple of days- one with a chairlift for me!
The food has been pretty good actually even though neither of us like Chinese food we are sticking to the curries! We have been really impressed by how polite and patient everyone has been with us pointing or attempting to communicate by miming.
We have just arrived in X'ian and hopefully it will be as great as Beijing was... if not we are back on Saturday!
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Joe McNeice
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Hair
Lee have joined a boyband? Do you use hair straighteners fella? Glad to see you are both having a wicked time! xx