Two and half days in Beijing are certainly not enough to go round this huge 'Olympic 2008' city !! First impressions, not much, I mean it's a big city with high buildings, only difference are the Chinese characters all over the place.
But then the best of China just hits you when you get on the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. Pity didn't have time to get to other wonderful places but I think I got to experience the creme de la creme.
I got pretty excited yesterday walking up and down along the Great Wall. It took us about 1000 steps to get to the top, then about an hour and a half just to go walk from one tower to another, maybe 6 miles out of the about 3500miles or so of it. We visited the Mutainya part. Of course, there are several sections open to tourists but you only get to do a fraction of it. After that we went for a Kung Fu show - just like watching a musical at the West End - magnificent moves and breakings.
Today we visited the never-ending Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. The latter is about 880km long has lots of important big buildings and could hold the entire population of Malta within it. The City is a wonder. I wish the sun was out so the gold would just shine while the colours extenuate their hues from those typical Chinese style buildings.
Other intrinsic things that make China unique ....smoking & spitting (yes still going) in public, 4-star squat toilets with no paper...to mention a few!!!
ta for now, off to get a sleeper train for Xian....
Nicky
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