10: Home Sweet Home (via Beijing)

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Well after about four and a half great months in Japan and one nightmare week in Beijing I'm back at home in the UK. I really wasn't ready to quit my nomadic life in Japan , but I was excited to visit China so consoled myself with this thought.... and what a fool I was! I don't want to offend Chinese nationals and those that love that country but I must admit that I really struggled to relax there. It's a very stressful city but then that shouldn't have surprised me at it has a population of 8.5 million living in the city itself (according to Wiki)! But I did spent most of my time fearing for my wellbeing, and in some cases, for my life.

Beijing is one big construction site with zero regard to health and safety. All around roads, pavements, buildings are being dug up and re-built and if you happen to want to walk down a street where this is taking place you have to dodge the heavy machinery as it swings around. No safety fencing is put around holes in the ground or protruding manhole covers. Materials, including sand, reinforcement bars, timber is just heaped up on the pavement meaning that pedestrians have to walk in the road to pass, and then you really do run the gauntlet with cars careering around bumper to bumper at high speed, swerving and changing lanes every few seconds. As Katie Melua told us, there are "nine million bicycles in Beijing" and they all insist on cycling on ancient rust heaps, with out lights and down the wrong side of the road! Why? They also have no regard for scared pedestrians as on many occassions I nervously stepped onto the road and nearly got mown down by high speed 'stealth' cyclists.

I also found the constant hassling and haranguing really hard work. You are constantly having tourist tat thrust in your face along with words of "Hello, missus, post card?...". I did find my forte though and took great pride at my ability to completely ignore and blank people who tried to hassle me.

I'd be lying if I said the whole week was hell. In fact there was one experience that was quite unique and brought a smile to my face; at weekends Beijingers congregate in one of the city's parks to sing. They join improptu groups, some containing a hundred or so people and sing, in beautiful harmony, some really rousing songs. People of all ages take part; some groups are singing along to rickety, crackly, old tape players, others have instrument accompaniment. One group had a saxaphone, trumpets, drums. I enjoyed seeing these singers as it was the first time I'd seen Beijingers appearing to have fun; at that point they were all working together to create lovely music. I imagine that as soon as it was over they'd all barge their way out through the park gates and take on the agressive persona that I experienced the rest of the time.

Anyway I've posted some photos of some of the more interesting sites we saw in Beijing including the Great Wall (wow!), the 2008 Olympic site (no where near ready for next year's big event!) and other Beijing scenes.

I look forward to catching up with friends now I'm back; if you ask nicely I'll show you the other 4000 or so photos that I've not managed to upload here!

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Photos

Hutong
This is the Hutong that our hotel was on... note the 'road' surface!

The Great Wall
Look at the crowds (and this wasn't even the worst of it!)

The Great Wall
We were lucky as the hotel we were staying at had their 'own' section of the wall.

At Lama Temple
offering incence

The Beijing Olympic Stadium
Do the Chinese realise that the Olympics are in about 6 months time?

Beijing Summer Palace
I thought I better put a pretty picture in amongst the grot!

Customer Satisfaction Survey at Beijing Airport
Can you read this? Note how the customer's rating can only be "very satisfied", "satisfied" or "average" !!!