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Published: August 6th 2007
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Hey guys,
So its been just over a week since I have been on here and I guess there was a problem with the database and some peoples blog entries were lost. I ended up losing 8 entries...sniff sniff, tear. So I hope that they can be recovered cause there were some good memories written in those! But yeah that is what happened to them in case you were wondering...and now on to the goods~!
As most of you have heard, I had the amazing opportunity to travel to China over my summer vacation. Although I haven't travelled to many places in the world (yet) I must say that this was a wonderful and amazing experience that I will never forget. I left South Korea on July 29th and returned on August 2nd. I decided to do this trip with a group and tour guide due to time restrictions and what not, I wanted to see as much of Beijing as I could without having to worry about transportation and all that Jazz.
So after a three hour delay in our flight we were all off to China. The weather was predicting thunder and lighting storms for the whole time that
we were there so I wasn't too shocked that we were delayed. By the time I got to the airport and through customs and what not, it was 2 a.m before I got to sleep...did I mention we had to be on the bus at 8:30 a.m??? Yeah not much time to sleep at all. I ended up rooming with this girl from New Zealand named Lisa. She turned out to be such a great gal and we had a lot of fun~!
The first day we were both up bright and early and ready to attack the great wall. It was a very smoggy day which made it hard to see the whole wall but I didn't care cause I was bound and determined to climb to the top~! I almost made it the whole way too but because we were so limited in time I had to turn around aboiut 20 minuttes from the top. It was still a wicked feeling knowing that I had climbed the Great Wall of China. I think we learned about that when I was in grade six or something and it was awesome to finally see such an amazing structure and be
China...July 29-August 2-07
View from the top..well almost the top able to climb it.
After the great wall we headed for lunch which was basically what Chinese food is back home with a few twists and turns here and there. Like when they brought out this scaly looking dead fish that we were supposed to eat, it looked super sketchy but when I tried it it ended up being not that bad. Of course there was rice, buk choy, szhechwan beef dishes and many other sweet and sour pork kinda dishes. Pretty tasty but not what I was expecting for Chinese Cuisine at all~!
After lunch we headed to the Ming Tombs. These tombs are located about 31 Km from Beijing and is the buriel ground for 13 of Chinas emperors. Its a pretty vast area that stretches about 15 square miles. We only viewed one of the tombs in the main area cause the rest is all fenced off from the public. The tombs were constructed in 1409 and ended with the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644. We were told that the Chinese people believed it was unlucky to take pictures because a spirit may be captured in your camera and it would haunt you for years
China...July 29-August 2-07
Climbing to the top of a tower to come. Although it was a little spooky this did not stop us from taking many pictures...hope I dont get haunted....LOL~!
After a long day at the Great Wall and Ming tombs we went to this Silk Factory and learned all about how silk is made. It was a really neat process and I even got to help in making one of the blankets that the ladies were working on. It was much harder then I thouhgt it was going to be. They seemed to pull the silk like it was nothing but when I tried to help it proved to be a much more difficult task. I ended up purchasing some really nice silk sheets that I can't wait to enjoy when I get home. After that it was back to the hotel for some much needed rest and a famous Chinese massage. This massage felt more like a beat down then a soothing backrub. They have such a different technique and way that they do things. It still felt really great and I was less stiff after so it was completely worth it.
After a restless sleep and the sounds of thunder and lighting crashin all night
it was up bright and early for another full day of China. Our first stop was the Temple of Heaven. This is one of the biggest structures I have ever seen in my life. I was in awe of its prescence and amazed to even think how this structure could even be built. I got some really great pictures here and even a good shot of the inside of the Hall of Prayer, the main building which we are all standing in front of. After a quick stop here we were off to the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. We were also supposed to check out Tian'anmen square but there was some sort of special military display going on so it was closed. Both the forbidden city and the Summer palace were amazing to see. Altho, it was a very hot day and I was glad that we didn't spend too much time here.
After this we were off for some fun and excitement. We took a rickshaw on a Hutong tour. A hutong is an ancient city alley or lane typically in Beijing where Hutong's run into the several thousand. They surround the forbidden city and many were
built in the Yuan (1206-1341, Ming (1368-1628) and Qing (1644-1908) dynasties. This is also where Matt, Jenn (a great couple from Louisiana that I befriended) Lisa and I discovered the Smoke Liquor Supermarket and knew that this would be the joke for the rest of the trip. This evening we were entertained by this amazing acrobatic show. Words cannot describe the talent of these young people the way that they move with such accuracy and coordination. I dont have pics cause there were no cameras, pirates, smoking or bombs allowed...true story....but Lisa did buy the DVD and so I will try and burn a copy from her.
On the third day we had the whole day to meander the streets and see what Beijing really had to offer. Haha this was day that I went back to being a five year old....Matt, Jenn, Lisa and I went to the Zoo ( to see the pandas of course) and then to the worlds second largest Ferris Wheel for a spin. And if that wasn't enough we headed to the Silk Market which is now my favorite place in the whole world. I have never seen so many fake handbags in my
China...July 29-August 2-07
This is a ceramic funerery that was used to sacrifice silk and money for the deceased emperors life and I loved it~! Altho there were no handbag purchases there was one sweet Dolce and Gabanna rip off jacket purchase that I bargained down to a sweet deal. And some other things here and there that caused me to have to buy another suitcase...luckily that too was a sweet deal.
I am probably missing out on a lot of events of this trip but I had to go back to work today and am quite worn out from the week of vacation and a very exciting fun filled monday morning. Enjoy the pics, I have many more to show you all when I get home...If any of you went to Big Valley Jamoboree you best be getting some pics up and letting me in on all the crazee stories....Love you all
Peace
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