Rest of China

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While staying in Beijing we were very lucky to be in one of the best hostels in town called "Sitting on the City Walls".....it was 90 dollars cheaper than the hotel we stayed in the first couple of nights!! and way better....proper breakfast with tea! When we were leaving Ric (the guy in charge) have us a big hug & few free bottles of water & orange juice for our trip on the train...so nice! So if you're ever going to Beijing you have to check this place out!

The Great Wall was obviously the main thing we wanted to do in China...but we did the main sights as well including The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, The Birds Nest Stadium & the Bubble, Jingshan Park (where there was 1000's of musicians, singers & dancers).

After 6 great nights in Beijing we got ready for our train journey to Vietnam. We new we had to head to Beijing West train station so we were thinking 'yeh - we just grab a cab....just like you would to Connolly or Heuston'. As were were driving we saw this GIGANTIC building that looked like some big huge University....then we saw the sign on it "Beijing West Train station"....unreal....it would make Dublin airport look like knock airport!! 1000's of people....we had to find our boarding gate (which was pretty smelly!) But the train was A1....super clean...comfy beds....brilliant restaurant car! So it was pleasure getting the train to Vietnam!........oh well apart from the train we had to get for 3 hours after we crossed the border - YUK!! 😊

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Photos

Ah....it's not Croke Park! HA! unreal!
Outside the bee's nest....i mean the birdies nest....what a place!

On your marks...
Mick waited for the sound of the gun for a loooong time!

Hurdle Gold Medalist
Lorna giving the hurdles a go (before security spotted her!)

August??? Damn....we must have read it wrong!
We thought we had great seats for the opening!!

Beside our hostel
EVERY time we walked past...where it was 6am....or 11pm....or 3am....they were ALWAYS playing ping pong!!!

Our lovely hostel "Sitting on the City Walls"
The Happy Buddha greeted us at the door :)

The resident dog of the hostel 'chew'...
Such a cool dog....he had a different outfit every day! Hoodies....and even trackie bottoms!!

Me & Mao
At the forbidden city

Mick the rickshaw driver!
Ha....Lorna loving every minute!

Casey & Mick sampling the local produce
At the best night market in town....we're not sure what we ate that night - but it was good!

At the Roast Duck restaurant
....Great meal with the rest of the 'Trans - Sib' gang....We had 3 ducks!!

The happiest musician in Jingshan Park
She had the biggest smile when playing!! (check out the video)....Great!!