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Published: November 10th 2006
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We arrived in Beijing on Monday about 3pm and there was a bitterly cold wind. By the time we had got the bus into the city it was 4pm and we attempted to find the hostel with the directions we had from their website. We struggled so asked 2 different policemen who both sent us in opposite directions but we were later found by some other hostel girls who showed us there. We later found out that people in China don't like to say they don't know so would rather send you in the wrong direction, (thanks very much!!)
The hostel is brilliant, it has a cafe/bar and another pub, its down a great traditional side street with little market stalls and shops and there are loads of lovely people here. We got chatting to some people from Australia, The Netherlands and the UK in the first hour and later booked a trip for Tuesday to the Great Wall. It is also really cheap here, I could buy loads of stuff but I have to carry it round with me or post it home so am trying to be good!
As Monday had been so cold, Claire & I
both put on a million and one layers in order to keep warm, (including using my sarong as a scarf!). We had to get the bus at 6.30am which took three hours for us to get to the Great Wall at Jinshanling. It was a lovely sunny day and we took off half of the million and one layers and walked in T-shirts, (still roasting), for 10kms to Simati. We finished about 1.15pm, I would just like to add it isn't just flat steps, at some points you are pratically rock climbing up a vertical slope and at other points trying not to fall on your arse down a vertical drop, (which I almost did). We have some great photos but as the controls on the computers are in Chinese characters I still haven't been able to upload any to attach.
We had a lady from Mongolia following us along the wall for ages, (as I had already been warned about), she was trying to teach Claire and I some Chinese, so when she tried to sell us books, postcards, etc and we geniunely had no money she was very annoyed! (Did we ask her to follow us? I don't think we did).
I was shattered when we got back but showered and went for traditional Peking Duck, it was delicious and served with a really nice green tea. Had a wander around the night stalls down the road from our hostel and brought a couple of things, had a few beers afterwards, (well deserved and only costing 14p!) and then went to bed.
Wednesday we attempted to find the bus stop to take us to the Ming Tombs, we couldn't find it, (the maps are rubbish here), so went to the Temple of Heaven instead. It was a lovely sunny day again and we had a wander around all the buildings and gardens, then booked another night in Beijing, (four in total) at our hostel. We went to the train station, (that was another adventure trying to get the bus there), but managed to buy our train tickets to Xi An for Friday night, a soft sleeper cabin that takes 12 hours, so we arrive at 8am on Saturday morning.
Thursday we did manage to get to the Ming Tombs and were able to go underground into the excavated tomb of Emperor Ding Ling (funny I know!) and his two empresses, which was interesting and rather strange. When we got back we went for some food in a little place everyone seems to go to on the same road as our hostel and had fried rice, lamb BBQ skewers, some bread and of course beer! When it arrived the bread was on a skewer as well and it was a funny shape and texture, so I was convinced it was crab, Claire nearly fell off her chair laughing.
We had managed to acquire the most annoying and messy Israeli room mates so after food we went to the bar and had a beer to avoid being in the room with them. We played cards with some nice English and Australians and had more beer; in the end I think we got to bed at about 3am, (had a bit of a foggy head this morning). Also met an Irish guy called Kian, (but he isn't in Westlife) and his mates Barry and Rich from Bognor Regis, I love the fact that everyone is so friendly!
This morning we headed for Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City, it was still sunny although there is a bitterly cold wind. We walked around all the exhibitions and grounds of the Palaces and gardens. We found a nice Chinese bakery for lunch and had a wander around the rest of the square. Our train is this evening for Xi An which we have heard nothing but good things about so looking forward to that! Our hostel in Xi An pick us up from the train station which will save our backs a bit so thats also good.
Beijing has been good although not what I had expected, and our hostel has been brilliant, time seems to be be going so fast for us already but I suppose that is because we are busy and going places all the time.
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