Orange Hotel - Beijing Zhongguancun

... and today spent time exploring the way to get a train ticket on the train to Lhasa and a Tibet Entry Permit. At the govt travel service CITS we were told the only way to enter Tibet is via a pre arranged tour and that independent ravel is not allowed. They gave us tour prices which were hefty. The girl was surprised we wanted to take the train rather than fly.After this we went to a nearby hostel which was in our street that had a sign about arranging Tibet travel. They also said ...

... I used this when I was taking a tour of a gym facility. I could guess most of what he was saying so I just let him talk.

5. Honesty - Ok, in the end, if it gets out of hand, and you have missed something important you do ask... "what do you really mean? Sorry I didn't get it!" (in Chinese of course). Then they will actually clarify. But this is the last resort. =)

I think it's safe to say that if you are not a native speaker, then ...

... represents good things and heaven. The middle represented the human ward. The water beneath the lotus represents bad things and hell. I lit some incense that we bought outside the temple here for my Dad. It would have been his 85th Birthday today. I lit one here for him because I know he is already in heaven.

Yonghe Gong Hall has 5 bronze statues with gold plating. There is a past, present (with 2 students standing beside him) and future Buddha. On each side ...

... that we were planning to walk to Tianamen square as it was a half hour walk??!! Originally walked the wrong way & had to ask some young shop keepers directions; they too giggled at the fact we were planning to walk - what on earth was so funny?! I have to say you do have to keep your wits about you a bit as there appears to be no real road rules at the traffic lights, yes there may be a green man for you & a red light for the traffic, but that doesn't seem to stop ...

... the bus and ready to go. What a sobering morning. The drive from the Pier took about ½ hour, our first stop being the Peace Memorial Park with its huge Peace Statue and fountain, and the many sculptures from various countries promoting the ideal of universal peace. We didn't notice one from Australia but the New Zealand contribution unveiled by Phil Goff in 2006, is a stainless steel symbolic cloak made up of many linked cranes which have become the Japanese peace symbol. A lovely ...

... the Golden Dome at Notre Dame, it provided a taste of home being probably the only domed structure in Beijing. The actual watchtower was covered up for renovations...of course; however you were allowed to go inside the building. At the entrance there is a placard stating the ruins is the criminal evidence of the destruction caused by the Russian and American forces during the Boxer Rebellion. I found this ironic in many ...

... for years). I went walking around, and found my self at the construction site of the olympic games. Pretty dam good looking for what they've done. mind you its gonna take serioue man power to get it finished on time. Then we spent our last day on the great wall soaking in its stupendouse length, and just how plainly cool it is. In fact its a little cooler than i expected!! Tomorrow we head to Harbin in north China, so till then.

... smog, which was a constant unpleasant side effect. The Chinese definitely have to come up with something before Beijing hosts the Olympic games next year. The square and the Forbidden City were nice though not overly impressive. After the tour Matt and I left the rest of the group to stroll around the city while they went on optional activities provided by the tour. That night we left Beijing behind us to catch the night train that took us to our next destination: Xi'an.

... as experts in the field of Teaching Chinese as a Second Language. That said, when it comes to delivering the content for the training, the approach is very teacher-centered. Every topic is delivered in a 3- to 4-hour lecture, supported by PowerPoint slides. Some professors are better at lecturing than others, so my learning fluctuates depending on the style of the professor. It is a shame that the most interesting topic to ...

The Canadian Flag is Red and White with a Maple Leaf in the Center. I am cold. I have been cold for days. I don't really remember what it feels like to be warm. And I am dirty. I am covered with five days worth of dust from the steppes of Rural Tibet. I have been too cold to change my clothes. The thought of pulling off my bottom layer of long johns just for the sake of changing my underwear is unthinkable and ridiculous. There is no hot water where I have been, and ...