Days 17, 18 and 19

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Day 17 - Beijing

So we arrived in to COLD Beijing at about 6:30am (The weather is mostly -2 to 12). We dumped our bags at the hotel and hit Tian'anmen Square. WOW. It is so cool to be standing where so many others have been before and where history has been made (mind you the Chinese version of te tanks and students is VERY different to what we heard).

Anyways, we have all developed a strange obsession with the dearly departed Chairman Mao (as do all the chinese!) so the first thing we did was to queue up to visit his Mausoleum. Pretty cool, an experience for sure, they sure to idolise the guy even now.

After that we just took it all in really. I spotted these GREAT hats (think russian army - big fur things) and decided i NEEDED one. The woman only had brown and the price was exxy to start with. I muttered to Dean if they had black i'd have one and walked off. Low and behold 10 minutes later she came running after us with Black ones!!! YEH BABY!!! After everyone's ridicule the whole group ended up buying them!!!

We later found out they're actyally referred to as Mao Hats (though im sure they're more "Stalin") and the chinese were ni fits of laughter watching 10 white people walking through the square wearing them!!

After that we hit the Forbidden City. Again i say WOW!!! Talk about history. I have to admit I had a bit of a "moment" as I wakled over the 5 metre deep thousands of year old cobblestone pavers and teared up at the enormity of it all.

Y'all will be proud of me though - we are MISSING our coffee big time but I just couldnt bring myself to partake in a Starbucks coffee in the Forbidden City and to support the capatilism of it all. How wrong is that. Starbucks in a 200 year old palace!!!

Dinner that night was PEKING DUCK in the real Peking. Cant get much more authentic. Yum!!!

Day 18 - Beijing

Yesterday we were up early and headed to the Great Wall. Ok so I feel like im sayin WOW just a little too much but WOW. It was freaking cold but WOW. The view was amazing and it was just cool to be standing there. Again. what amazing history this place has.

After that we went to a Ming Vase factory (pretty cool how they make it all), visited a Chopstick Place and then went and saw the Shaolin Munks Kung Fu show. Those guys are so buff and fit and clevvvvvver.


Day 19 - Beijing

Today we did a Hutong tour on rickshaws which took us all around the original alleyways and streets. We visited a local family which was cool. Then we checked out the Bell and Drum towers and partook in a traditional tea cermony.

This arvo we're just chiling out and we head out in an hour or so on the overnight train to Suzhou.



Sorry if this blog is a bit drab and i've overused "cool", "amazing" and "wow". It has really been a long few days - so much to take in and it has been a little draining. Not in a bad way, it's all good, but it's just really so hard to describe all we've seen and done and how amazing it all really is.

The next day or so will be a bit more relaxing (canal boats, silk factory etc) then we hit Shanghai (shopping, big buildings and acrobats) before heading out to FREEEEEZING Yellow Mountain (had to buy some thermals!!!).

Really miss you all! We have finally started buying a few bits and pieces (bargaining is FUN) and spent about $100 aussie to send a big box of stuff home so we dont have to keep lugging it around hehehehe.

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Comments

[anonymous]

LMAO can't wait to see pictures of you all inyour hats!!