Dec 3, 2009 - Days before my trip @ PEK

[4 Nov/09] 我的旅程进入了1个月的倒计时，可对于这次旅行的准备工作却刚刚开始。 周日去图书大厦，想买几本关于印度文化和宗教的书，最后只收获了两本旅行指南类，一本游记类，一本跨文化研究类的书籍。看来要在我出发前恶补目的地的常识，只有求助万能的wiki了。 那天正巧北京百年不遇的下了那么早的一场大雪，穿着秋装的我抱着一摞书走在街上，手已经冻得没有知觉，于是乎跑步取暖。 十几年前，一个雨天，我背着70L的大包结束了一次旅行，手里也是捧着一摞书，是旅途中买的图册。那应该是我刚开始做驴友的年月，满中国的转悠，囊中羞涩的我整天为要不要参观买门票的景点而思想斗争，同样斗争的还有要不要买那种厚的可以当板儿砖防身的风景画册。恰巧那次旅程——也许是我budget control的比较成功，抑或是碰到了什么打折促销——我居然买了3本画册。担心画册在背包里压坏了挤烂了浸湿了晤中暑了，我愣是一路抱着他们回了北京。北京的老天爷似乎也要考验我的虔诚，好死不死的下雨裹乱，我只能一手撑伞，一手配合着胳肢窝抱着三本请来的神仙。一路有惊无险的坚持到家门口，一个踉跄，手里的书们四散飞去，仰面躺在了一滩滩积水中。 同样的地方，盛夏换成了初冬，雨天换成了雪天，白天换成了傍晚。正当我忙着与北京第一股寒潮做斗争的时候，突然脚下地面的摩擦系数清0，我的双脚一起向前方水平面45度方向运动，接着就是收腹挺腰，0.[4 Nov/09] 我的旅程进入了1个月的倒计时，可对于这次旅行的准备工作却刚刚开始。 周日去图书大厦，想买几本关于印度文化和宗教的书，最后只收获了两本旅行指南类，一本游记类，一本跨文化研究类的书籍。看来要在我出发前恶补目的地的常识，只有求助万能的wiki了。 那天正巧北京百年不遇的下了那么早的一场大雪，穿着秋装的我抱着一摞书走在街上，手已经冻得没有知觉，于是乎跑步取暖。 十几年前，一个雨天，我背着70L的大包结束了一次旅行，手里也是捧着一摞书，是旅途中买的图册。那应该是我刚开始做驴友的年月，满中国的转悠，囊中羞涩的我整天为要不要参观买门票的景点而思想斗争，同样斗争的还有要不要买那种厚的可以当板儿砖防身的风景画册。恰巧那次旅程——也许是我budget control的比较成功，抑或是碰到了什么打折促销——我居然买了3本画册。担心画册在背包里压坏了挤烂了浸湿了晤中暑了，我愣是一路抱着他们回了北京。北京的老天爷似乎也要考验我的虔诚，好死不死的下雨裹乱，我只能一手撑伞，一手配合着胳肢窝抱着三本请来的神仙。一路有惊无险的坚持到家门口，一个踉跄，手里的书们四散飞去，仰面躺在了一滩滩积水中。 同样的地方，盛夏换成了初冬，雨天换成了雪天，白天换成了傍晚。正当我忙着与北京第一股寒潮做斗争的时候，突然脚下地面的摩擦系数清0，我的双脚一起向前方水平面45度方向运动，接着就是收腹挺腰，0....

Oct 17, 2009 - Planet China

Arriving in Beijing I was totally lost. ... Beijing is much cleaner than Cairo, where there were rivers of trash in the gutters. ... We went to a section with fewer visitors where the Wall is crumbling apart, and it made for a real lunge workout for the quads, so when we returned to Beijing, I got a massage. ... Did you know that the opening of the Yangtze River dam slightly changed the Earth's balance and rotation?!) Several of my sorority sisters are studying abroad in Beijing and it was so nice to have them chaperone me (especially considering the aforementioned difficulties with navigation and language). ... Although Beijing has grown on me day by day, I'm ready for a little recuperation in Western culture; the trip's now more than halfway over! Lauren a. ...

Oct 17, 2009 - Day 5 - Mucking around Beijing

We are both sitting in the business centre at Beijing Airport waiting for our plane to Shanghai after an excellent stay in Beijing. ... If you are planning a trip to Beijing we reckon the Beijing Downtown Backpacker's Hostel in Nanluogu Xiang in Dongcheng is hard to beat. ... The highlights of Beijing for me were the people and the food. ... Time Out said it had some of the best Beijing food in a courtyard restaurant. ... We didn't go to the Great Wall or visit the olympic site, we only drove by Tianenmen, we missed galleries we wanted to see and only saw a truly third rate version of Beijing Opera. ...

Oct 16, 2009 - Day 4 Beijing - Summer Palace

Hi All There is an update to Day 3 just on the artists' names for those interested and the night market (food). Also John's coverage of the day which some of you will have had by email! Well we are sitting at Beijing Fujichan (airport - spelling no doubt wrong) waiting for the plane to Shanghai. ... Much debate on the web about what is the best duck in Beijing - but this one came out near the top in many estimations. ... Incredible experience, including all the drama of the carving and serving of it.Hi All There is an update to Day 3 just on the artists' names for those interested and the night market (food). Also John's coverage of the day which some of you will have had by email! Well we are sitting at Beijing Fujichan (airport - spelling no doubt wrong) waiting for the plane to Shanghai. ... Much debate on the web about what is the best duck in Beijing - but this one came out near the top in many estimations. ... Incredible experience, including all the drama of the carving and serving of it....

Oct 15, 2009 - Day 3 Beijing - 798 Arts District

Dear all Well day three has been a treat. His Chinese is fluent and they are both laughing - the main thing you do in Beijing is laugh. ... We go into the little cafe next to this excellent hostel and see a western woman sitting in the corner with her laptop chatting rapidly, lots of laughs of course, with the woman behind the counter.Dear all Well day three has been a treat. His Chinese is fluent and they are both laughing - the main thing you do in Beijing is laugh. ... We go into the little cafe next to this excellent hostel and see a western woman sitting in the corner with her laptop chatting rapidly, lots of laughs of course, with the woman behind the counter....

Oct 14, 2009 - Day 2 Beijing - Forebidden City

Dear all Well today far less impressive.Dear all Well today far less impressive....

Oct 13, 2009 - Day 1 Beijing - Getting the feel for it

Dear all Today we began our adventure in China. Well the Holts have arrived in Beijing and like absolutely everywhere they go they love the place after one day. ... We are staying in an alley in old Beijing - in the Doncheng district for those in the know - north of the Forbidden City and Tienanmen. ... Built around 1200 it is lined with hutongs - old courtyard buildings - and plenty of trees.Dear all Today we began our adventure in China. Well the Holts have arrived in Beijing and like absolutely everywhere they go they love the place after one day. ... We are staying in an alley in old Beijing - in the Doncheng district for those in the know - north of the Forbidden City and Tienanmen. ... Built around 1200 it is lined with hutongs - old courtyard buildings - and plenty of trees....

Oct 6, 2009 - Day 17: Beijing - Summer Palace

For most people, last night was the end of their trip in China, but a couple of people still had a bit more time, so Sarah, Monica, Alex and I went off for the day to the Summer Palace, a vast park, about 200 hectares in size, two-thirds filled with the enormous Kunming Lake, and the rest crowded with palace temples, gardens, pavilions, corridors, and of course, people! Everyone who was in Tiananmen Square the other day was at the Summer Palace today! I'm sure I've said it before, but you can't even begin to imagine the crowds.For most people, last night was the end of their trip in China, but a couple of people still had a bit more time, so Sarah, Monica, Alex and I went off for the day to the Summer Palace, a vast park, about 200 hectares in size, two-thirds filled with the enormous Kunming Lake, and the rest crowded with palace temples, gardens, pavilions, corridors, and of course, people! Everyone who was in Tiananmen Square the other day was at the Summer Palace today! I'm sure I've said it before, but you can't even begin to imagine the crowds....

Oct 4, 2009 - Day 15: Beijing - Tiananmen Square

Beijing! I am finally in the capital of China! This is amazing! It's quite an incredible feeling to be in such a major city of the world - with some of the longest and most interesting history in the making of civilisation. ... My tip for anyone coming to Beijing is to perhaps not visit during the National Day holiday, which lasts for 8 days. ... Of course, at this time Mao's Mausoleum was also closed due to the crowds.Beijing! I am finally in the capital of China! This is amazing! It's quite an incredible feeling to be in such a major city of the world - with some of the longest and most interesting history in the making of civilisation. ... My tip for anyone coming to Beijing is to perhaps not visit during the National Day holiday, which lasts for 8 days. ... Of course, at this time Mao's Mausoleum was also closed due to the crowds....

Oct 1, 2009 - Beijing - Sept 25 - Oct 1

September 25 We arrived in Beijing almost dot on time - 6-ish am! It was still dark but the sun was beginning to rise. ... Not much use! September 26 Our first real day in Beijing, complete with full night's sleep, we headed to Tiananmen Sq and the Forbidden City. ... The sheer size was overwhelming and made Red Square look, well, a little pathetic! The columns of red around the square offset the greys of the square itself and the sky! Before we left, if I recall, my friend Ian said Beijing was great but everything was dull with a bit of red thrown in - well, he was spot on! Still, even through the gloom, the square and the Gate of Heavenly Peace were brilliant to see first hand. ... However, once outside the actual tomb room, the building contained a shop with all things Mao - I couldn't resist buying a key ring! From here, we had zero luck - firstly, we went to the Imperial Museum which was shut for renovations and then to the Underground City which appeared to be permanently shut! Walking to the Underground City we had to go through a rougher area of Beijing, a Beijing which was more like we expected to see with people living in poorer conditions and the streets much dirtier. ... The more we saw in Beijing, the more the buildings blended together, all in the "Forbidden City" style, as Elizabeth named it! We had lunch at a Malaysian restaurant and to get there we walked through some hutongs, Beijing's small alleyways which connected the larger roads and where many people lived. ...

Sep 23, 2009 - Great Wall of China

Our tour continued the next day with a trip to the Great Wall of China.Our tour continued the next day with a trip to the Great Wall of China....

Sep 22, 2009 - Beijing

We had a smooth flight from London to Hong Kong and on to Beijing. ... We were impressed with how clean Beijing is – although the pollution in the air is still a real issue. ... Our bad luck continued with taxis as we tried to hail one back to the hotel so instead we put H and J on the back of a motorised bike and we walked – it was funny to see this small bike weaving in and out of central Beijing traffic with them on the back! We met our tour group that night – mostly British and Aussies and we have a great Chinese guide. ... After our trip to the Great Wall of China (see separate entry), with weary bones we dragged ourselves to the Summer Palace the next day – another magnificent park in the heart of Beijing. ... The people in Beijing have been so friendly and helpful as well. ...