Huanghua Great Wall, outside of Beijing, China.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Forbidden City, Beijing China.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Beijing China. I stayed about a week in Beijing, walking around and getting used to the large city. They had the best and cheapest food I've ever had. I'd get many huge plates of food for $5.The people were very nice too, one group of guys kept giving me alcohol one dinner.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

I went back to the Dirt Market to get some last goodies before I head out of her to Quanjo tomorrow. I had a scroll shop in mind when I went into the market, but I wanted to look at other things first. I ended up buying a box, a few bracelets, and some doodad before I got to the scroll shop. I tried to do better in my bargaining, but I think I still suck at it. It's difficult when the prices start out so low to begin with. When I see something I think of a number that I'd pay for it and they usually say that number. But that's way too high if they're asking it. Like this box with a compass inside it I was sure would've cost 10 dollars, he wanted 5. I think I ended up paying 3 or so, which is ridiculously low. Afte spending all the money I had in my pockets, I wandered around some more, looking at all of the stuff you could buy. The Tibetan people were selling very colourful clothing and nice jewelry. To show the silver was real, they'd take a knife and cut a shaving off of a bracelet. I was down to cab fare money, so I wasn't able to buy more bracelets I'd probably never wear. The Tibetans (ok, the women) there are really beautiful - they have really open faces and nice smiles. I wanted to take their pictures, but I was too chicken. Which is too bad. They have neat clothing; thick fur lined jackets with colourful trim and jewelry on their long fingers. I took a cab back to the hotel and walked over to my shumai stand to get two plates of dumplings. The owner seemed happy to see me and was always smiling. As I walked back to the subway to get my massage, I was noticing everyone coughs without covering their mouths and hocks their spit all over the place. It's no wonder why SARS got big over here. I'm kinda a germaphobe, so it'll be nice to be where they're not spitting near your feet or coughing in front of you. I went to the massage building and saw two chinese students and two westerners going in too. I noticed it was the two students from yesterday, so I turned on my heel and went back outside to wait for them to go up. After the coast was clear I went upstairs and got another hour massage. Tomorrow I'm flying out in the morning to Quanjo (I'm sure it's spelled differently) to take a train to Hong Kong. I saw the weather forcast and it's finally dropping under 75 at night, though the heat will be a nice.

Summer Palace, Beijing, China.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

On Saturday I woke up early to head out to the Panjiayuan (or Dirt) Market to get in some shopping. I first had to find food, and as it was to early for breakfast in the hotel, I went onto the street looking for grub. I walked by a tricycle that had a stove on the back of it. They were cooking pancakes with eggs in them. I ordered two for 2 yuan. Pretty fricking good. I found a store down the street and bought some strawberry yogurt and had breakfast at the side of the road. I took a cab to Panjiayuan and started perousing. The guidbook says you're supposed to ignore the 1/2 rule when bargaining, things can be as much as 10 times cheaper than what the vendors start out at. But I'm a terrible bargainer, I think I got a good bargain once in my life. I walked around and looked at all the stuff to buy, lots of silver (which I like), jade, knives, pots, glasses, everything you could not want. The market consists of an outer ring of stores with a covered inner area with about 30 rows of vendors. You could spend all day and all of your money here. I quickly spent all of my money. I even went into my reserve money that's stashed under my insoles of my shoes.

Read More

I got moving a little earlier today,almost got out of the hostel by 8:30. It's cold enough outside to see your breath in the morning - maybe a reason why I sleep in. I got to my new hostel/hotel and got a room for the next 3 nights. This place is in a much more central location, 2 long blocks to the subway or bus station to the Great Walls. And near a Pizza Hut in case that hankering kicks in. I have 3 rooms, a bathroom, a bedroom and a main room with a movable wall dealiebob that separates the couch area from the kitchen. Pretty snazzy. I mosied over to the bus station and asked a few people where to pick up the 916 bus to Huanghua. An hour or so later we arrived at some little town where it's necessary to take another bus or hire a taxi to get to the wall. A mini-bus driver came up to me and asked if I wanted a ride. I was thinking I didn't because the bus is 4 yuan and he wanted 80 yuan round trip. But he pointed at the time (1pm) and I realized that I only had like 4 hours of daylight left to see the wall. I had to find a bathroom first and he took me to one. (that sounds a bit strange.) I went in and saw there were no stall doors, just one door to the bathroom. He came in and went and then stood there. I looked at him and then at the stall and back to him. He smiled, nodded and left. Which was good, cos I wasn't about to use a doorless stall with someone in there.

Read More

Day trip to Lantau Island, home of a very large Buddha.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

On Wednesday I moved to a new hostel and then headed out to the Forbidden City. I rented one of those cassette tape deals so you can hear about what you're looking at. I put it into my bag a few minutes later when I realized I had no idea what the lady was talking about. So I made up my own history for the buildings I saw. I took a bunch of pictures of doors and walkways, I figure that all the normal pictures have been done already and maybe my 'artsy' shots will be cool. My parents told me there was a Starbucks in the City, but I was skeptical until I actually saw it. While it was sad to see it there, it wasn't too bad because there are lots of little shops to buy coke, 'fast food' and toilet paper for the toilets. While there are a fair amount of hawkers and 'guides', they leave you alone as soon as you say 'no thanks.' Which is a bit different than in India, where they don't leave you alone until you throw rupees or rocks at them.

Read More

After sleeping in I went to the north west part of Beijing to catch a bus to the Summer Palace. I was expecting a bus terminal but it was just like a normal town with bus stops along the streets. I had to walk a little ways to find the bus stops, but couldn't find the number (375) that I wanted. I used my fluent Mandarin to say hello and point at the number 375 and the Chinese for Summer Palace and got directions to the other side of the street. I hopped on the bus and pointed in my book to the Summer Palace and the fare lady nodded her head. I paid my 1.5 yuan and sat down for the ride. I didn't end up getting to the Summer Palace until 12:30 and it closed at 5. I was a bit worried that I wouldn't see everything I wanted to in such a short time (everyone says you need a full day.) But it got to be pretty cold and windy so I didn't think I'd be itching to sit around and do people watching. I was still a bit bummed from leaving my jacket in Hong Kong - who woulda known that it was super cold and windy? Everyone else had on nice North Face parkas and wool jackets. :( I walked around and looked at the various halls and walkways. It was nice to not hear the city (until you get to the top of the hill.) I can see why royalty hung out here, it has a beautiful lake and neat looking palaces. They have a bunch of large stones or rocks that have much significance. They look like large pieces of coral and seem really alien to the place.

Read More