Beijing

Trip Start Mar 22, 2008

Trip End Oct 05, 2009

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Flag of China Beijing, China
Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Was pretty jet lagged when I arrived in Beijing after a 10 hour flight from Frankfurt. First thing I noticed about Beijing was the haze. The sun is there, it just can't break through the polluted haze that surrounds the city. I can see why some olympic athletes have been complaining about it. Managed to find a really cool hostel to stay, the Sleepy Inn. The staff there were great and met some really cool people there as well.

The highlight of Beijing for me was the Great Wall. Took a bus for 3 hours to a remote part of the wall with very few tourists. Then trekked back about 10 or 12 kilometres to another town where the bus picked us up. It's a pretty impressive wall to say the least! My god it was hot and humid there though. Did the trek with John from Sweden, Diana from Iceland and Caroline from Norway. Met up that night for some well deserved drinks in Sanlitun, Beijing's main nightlife district. We didn't finish up till after 7 the next morning, the Scandinavians know how to enjoy themselves.

Took a stroll around Tianamen Square. The buildings around the square are pretty ugly but the image I had in my head was of the student that stood in front of the tank during protests in this very square in 1989. There's so much police and security around now that I couldn't imagine any disturbance breaking out today. Chairman Mao's body is kept in a mausoleum in the centre of the square and his image still lords over the square from Tianamen Gate at the north of the square.

Took in the impressive buildings and complexes of the Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City where the Emperor (or the Son of Heaven as he liked to call himself) used to hang out. You could get lost in these places they're so vast. Called in to the Military Museum as well. This place is hilarious. The amount of Communist propaganda on show is unreal. History has been changed to suit the Communist Party. The amount of arms and weaponry on show at this museum is phenomenal. I'm sure that this museum is better equipped than the entire Irish army.

Made it down to the Olympic village and to the Olympic Stadium. The birds nest as it's called is a stunning sight. Only problem was that with only a few weeks to go till the Olympics start the stadium is completely shut down to tourists. I could only make it to within 500 metres. I had hoped to do a few laps of the track but it wasn't meant to be. Still it's been cool to be in Beijing so close to the start of the games. There are posters and banners everywhere and the locals are going crazy in anticipation...

After 6 days in Beijing it was time to move on. Said goodbye to all at the Sleepy Inn and set off for the train station. Next stop Quingdao by the coast....