Grand Gongda Jianguo Hotel Beijing

... It was exceptionally steep, so there is truth in the term 'climbing' the great wall. You don't want to have any problems with your ticker scrambling up this piece of history. A crowning moment of the day, as tacky as it sounds, was a steel taboggan ride down the side of the mountain through the beautiful scenery after climbing the wall. Though I must admit Carolyn's taboggan skills are a little shoddy after rear-ending ...

... feeling, aroused my endless pursuit Yi. In my childhood memory, Cuntou have a dense reed marshes. I do not know how big it is, only know that It is surrounded on three sides around the village green has become a natural barrier; do not know it from the start when Exists, only remember that Lake Shore is the only access into the city folks only way to return home; even more do not know it Exist ...

... back at PC but I didn't want him to think I forgot about him! We danced and had a drink on the wall before going to the bathroom and then hopping in our sleeping bags. It was quite an experience going to the bathroom outside along the wall and almost freezing in the process. I hoped as I went to bed that I wouldn't have to go again till morning but my body had other plans. I ended up having to go pee four more times throughout the night and I became a pro ...

... well dressed middle-aged ladies sat next to us. They ordered bowls of noodle soup and before we knew it they were eating away making the loudest slurping noises we'd heard. Now we must point out that one of the worst and unexpected habit the Chinese have is hacking up phlegm and spitting everywhere and anywhere which we found disgusting. After they'd finished the both let out really loud belches and we were struggling not to laugh when Maud said "The only thing she could do which ...

... though I think and with good reason I'm sure. There were torrential downpours that day....much needed I'd say, to get rid of the humidity and pollution. So, that evening, I took a rainy walk through Wangfujing shopping district to buy music books. I passed by St. Jospeh's Cathedral - China's 2nd oldest church, but unfortunately it was closed by the time I got there. I also went to a famous night market just up the street and saw the grossest things on ...

... given day, should there by an air quality problem, events could be re-scheduled Foreign athletes, dignitaries and spectators will see a much smarter, cleaner Beijing when they arrive for the start of the games on 8 August. Beijing officials have also been working hard to prepare the public for what is probably the biggest international event ever held in China. Slogans, posters and information sheets have been put up across the city, telling people how to behave. There have been ...

... hour, but we got a lot done. From the market, we caught the subway home to get ready for dinner. Dinner tonight was out big one with Sammy, Sammy's fiancé Faye (who dad accidentally called 'buffet' a few times), Rebecca, Rebecca's parents, Ian, Judy and Yumei. Yumei and Rebecca's parents, Mr and Mrs. Zhang, had already ordered for us by the time we got there. Once everybody else arrived, the food came out. It was a really nice ...

... we both declined... didn't go down to well with them! On returning back to the hostel late afternoon, nothing else to do but to try the local lager 'Tsingtao', it was 30p a bottle for it and was going down very quickly! However feeling very jet lagged we decided to keep the drinking to a minimal and try to get some sleep and maybe have a session the following night. While drinking downstairs though in the common area we were easily led astray by first of all Cath ...

... Wall. Still its little park was interesting and nice and green. I just learned that Carol, my Travel Chum, will be joining me in Beijing on Thrsday morning. She has been more or less stranded waiting for a visa extension in the small Chinese city (near Xijang) where she has taught English since January. I am hoping we can leave Beijing on Friday. Still since this is 3 days later than I had planned, it may mean we can't get to our whole itineray.

... deze enerverende week. We hadden met Femke en Wendy afgesproken op Wangfuijing street, zeg maar de kalverstraat van peking, maar dan heel veel grote winkelcentra. In de foreign language bookstore een leesboek gekocht voor als ik me verveel. We hadden het al snel gezien in deze drukke straat. Dus besloten we naar een ander winkelcentrum te gaan waar Rob en ik al eens geweest waren, daar was de ZARA net geopend en wilden de dames wel eens een kijkje nemen ...