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Published: February 18th 2010
Wow what a week it's been. Beijin has really put in for us, finishing our week there with the most amazing fireworks ( more of that later).
This week we have made our way by subway and then public bus to Badaling to see the Great Wall. To actually see it was amazing. It was quite steep and icey to climb but, we made it quite a long way before the going got tough and the not so tough called it a day.
There were quite a few people there on the day and I can only imagine what it would be like in the peak of the season. We have visited the Temple of Heaven, a very special place. It is set among 267 hectres of 500 year old trees, a lot of the locals visit there each day and have areas set aside for ballroom dancing, badmintion, a bat & ball dance that they do with a ball with ribbons attached . The whole area has a wonderful peaceful and spritual feel to it. We have visited the Oylmpic Park and seen the 'Birdsnest', Dean has even walked on the rowing course ( a bit chilly and
frozen at this time of year), and we have done a audio tour through the Forbidden City on what would have to be the coldest day I have ever known. We have seen the Summer Palace about 25kms from town, another incredible place, with a huge lake surrounded by an avenue of trees, as you walk around gentle Chinese music plays and on the frozen lake people are flying kites. We have eaten hot sweet potatoes, hot chessnuts and enjoyed hot chocolate all sold from venors on the street.
The week ended with the most amazing fireworks. We had asked where the firworks display would be and couldn't understand why they were looking at us in a funny way. Now we understand! as just before midnight the sky erupted. Everywhere you looked the sky was alive with colour and the sound was deaffening. The local communities all have their own fireworks stockpiled and on streetcorners temporary shops are set up selling them. Dean come back to the hostel with his only 2 meter string of crackers and Roman Candles, which he let off from the roof of the hostel. His contribution to the display!
We are now in
Xian having travelled down from Beijin on the overnight train, we had a hard sleeper ( a booth which sleeps six people) quite comfortable and warm. Each carriage has its own attendant, and like most people in government jobs here they wear a uniform, look very official and take their jobs very seriously. After we had been on the move for about 30mins along she came drew the curtains and turned the lights off. We kind of knew not to ask any questions so settled down for a good nights sleep. Then at 6.30am on the dot along she came and opened the curtains, Obviously time to get up! The scenery was beautiful, we where going through the most amazing mountains and the snow was about six foot deep. The hostel here is great, our door faces the city wall and the streets are lined with trees which are lit with thousands of lights. They even have these lights which look like tear drops that move through the trees. It really is very beautiful. Last night as we walked back from the supermarket the sky was alight with red lantens which they light and set free. Whilest here we have
visted the Bell Tower, Drum Tower and the Muslin quarter. The streets there are lined with all sorts of food, most of which we decided to leave alone. The meat ( some of which was black?) looked like it had seen better days, but I'm sure cooked the right way could be quite nice??
But the high lite would have to be the 2200 year old Terracotta Warriors. We took the local bus there 35 kms $1.00 each, and they are amazing. We even managed to meet the man who found them, shake his hand, had a photo taken and got an autographed book. The government after all that they have made from the site, still have him working. He and the people around him think that he is lucky now because he gets to sit in a warm room meeting people not working in the fields! The warriors are everything that I thought they would be, all 6000 of them, each different and an amazing thing to see.
China really has been a big surprise to us, we knew that it was on the move, but am surprised by what we have seen. Tall modern building, huge wide freeways, wide treelined streets, Gucci shops the lot. The modern architecture is beautiful, the ancient amazing, but the stuff in the middle really has to go. Row upon row of old apartment blocks which have been left unmaintained, grey and very dirty looking. But having said that no rubbish anywhere. Until next time.
Zaijian from Xian
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lew willis
non-member comment
thank you for sharing
wow you make me want to travel, but i am slaving away at work without your help:{ while you are having a wicked time thank you for sharing it with us i will keep looking for new stuff take care both of you till next time bye for now cheers Lew