Beijing Dongjiaominxiang Hotel - Beijing

It all started when I met Mr. Wang. I am not sure exactly what this man does, but he sure likes Graham and I as teachers. He met Graham a few weeks ago by going up to him in the street and asking if he was from the US. He instantly offered Graham a tutor job. Graham told him that I would be coming soon so we met him my first day here at KFC for breakfast. (Side Note: KFC is more popular and prevalent over here then McDonalds ...

And even when you know you're on an arranged trip with wake-up call at 7am and breakfast, along with departure 8.30, you still go out drinking. oh well...
Our overly excited tour-guide, a local Chengde resident with the habit of putting "yaah" in at least 2-3 times in every sentence(it's a set joke by now) took us to two temples. There are eight so-called outer temples, because they're outside of the ancient city wall. They're all built in various styles from ...

... lock and key with some angry tourist banging on the door - Getting lost in the Palace corridors of the Forbidden City - Taking a 5 hour nap- John's Memories: - The uninvited buttock massage from the woman selling dolphin-shaped electric massagers at the department store - the realization that there are a whole lot of Chinese people,and at any given time half of them are at the forbidden city - Establishing a ...

After a late night and a long snooze in the morning we arrived at Tiananmen Square in the hope to see to Chairman Mao however when we got there the queue was without doubt the longest queue I have ever seen. Starting at one end of the square and running the entire length of the square to the tomb before entering an equally long winding queue to the tomb itself we took one look at the queue and decided against it, so after a quick lunch at a local ...

... the night. It is surreal to look up at this gigantic creature and feel that we perhaps could touch it and feel the cool glass bubbles glittering on the surface of the building. Later Joseph got all wet playing in an outdoor fountain. There are actually two huge sets of music water ...

... and 30 foreiners. Each of the forein teachers had a class of 30 and 2 chinese teachers. I had a really really good time, and learned a lot, it was the best thing who could happen to me, at this time I just arrived in China, and didn't know much people, after this week where we all lived together, I met many people, and it helps me to get to Chinese. The students were really nice, and really open. They are volunteers, and at this ...

Beijing is a beautiful city. It has blown my expectations right out of the water.

... warned us, but it was in Chinese). The trip was relatively uneventful, but enjoyable at the same time. We read a lot, chatted some and ate noodles again. When we arrived in Beijing, Amanda's family was eagerly waiting for us. They took us out to a restaurant where we shared an excellent meal. It consisted of cashew chicken, green beans with garlic and meat, sesame balls, fish kebabs, a salad, an entire (head, tail, fins and bones!) fish that was soaking in a spicy sauce.

... ways to annoy people (I mean that in a good way). Finally, for the first time in China, we were essentially forced out of a restaurant--even before we were finished chewing, our plates were taken, for example. I realise they were closing, but what ever happened to southern hospitality? Anyway, way too short of a stay in this great country. Must go back soon to better explore central, south, southwest & northwest China--definitely in the summer for that last one.