Beijing Here We Come

21Oct: We got the train from Haerbin train station. All was well, we found the right entrance for the soft sleeper waiting room. We don't mingle with the masses darling. However, our train didn't appear on the board yet again... and as it was getting closer to the time we should be getting on it, we heard an announcement that sounded awfully like Beijing. So off trouped G, to find an attendant who pointed in the direction that everyone else was heading to. Off we went.
Oh my god it was so luxurious compared to our trains in Russia. We ended up with a 4 Berth cabin to ourselves. There was a separate washroom with 3 sinks no less. The toilet was spotless. Our cabin even had individual tvs for each berth... with headphones. There were even complimentary slippers for crying out loud. Had to get a photo of the bear and the sheep in this state of luxury, separately of course!!!
It was great to see TV even if it was in Chinese. I ended up watching this soap set in ancient times with "Hidden Dragon, Crouching Tiger" type scenes and Kung fu stunts etc. and those were just for the women. I know it was a soap, as I now watch it each chance I get. Sad dab that I am.
After 11 hours, our train arrived in Beijing early Sunday morning. We got the Metro and walked from there to the Far East Hostel we had booked. It turns out the hostel is both a hotel and a hostel. And part of a chain. However, it was relatively cheap and we ended up with a twin room for 120 each with ensuite shower and toilet in the (2 star) hotel. We had breakfast across the way in the hostel cafe, which was very much a backpackers hangout. The menu contained English or American Breakfasts or muesli etc. I had fried rice.
There are some parts of Beijing that retain the old Hutong that were laid down by Genghis Khan when he razed old Beijing to the ground after he conquered it. These are little alleys laid down in a grid fashion, many just wide enough to carry a horse and cart; Should that have been your mode of transport at the time. Our hotel is in one such Hutung. They are fabulous. Full of so many chinese characters both human and caligraphy. I navigated my way past riskshaws, offering Hutong tours and bicycle bells warning me to get out of the way etc. and of course the odd posh car. To get to Tiananmen sq was a mare. There was some parade going on which left various entrances closed off. Eventually, I got to where I was to meet G. For the rest of the day we wandered around the various monuments around Tiananmen Sq. However, most were closed. But there was enough to see without having to enter anything. G didn't feel like dinner when I did. So I ended up wandering around our hutong and found a little restaurant with the sweetest man. He even had a menu with English in it, though he spoke not a word of it. I had a feast of mutton slices, chilli with the thinest slivers of fried potato and pepper. I had tried to get a glass of wine but it would have meant opening a bottle. In sign language I asked for tea and finally after getting rid of the bottled iced tea offered, I got proper hot chinese tea. Ah such bliss. I found the word in my chinese phrase book for delicious and showed the owner. He was sooo chuffed. I was dead tired so went to bed around 10. G came back about midnight then about 5am he had a few visits to the Wc, as his meal in the hostel cafe kicked in.

23Oct: The forbidden city was closed to the masses for 500 years but now is open and oh are the masses coming in. Today being Monday meant that all the monuments were open and of course that meant all the tour groups were out in force. It was facinating to watch the antics. We even found one guide with a miniture umbrella with little ears on it. Superb. I knew the forbidden city would be a marvel but nothing could prepare you. I could have wandered around it for days. Each corner brought another photogenic moment. I couldn't get enough. Even though some of the buildings are being "reconstructed" thus off limits, there was still plenty to gawp at. There are just so many rooms, exhibits and temples. So much history, so many stories. I found the story about the Empress Dowager, Cixi, the most interesting. She was a right little minx. She had been chosen whilst very young to be a concubine to the emperor. Because of her beauty, youth and wiliness, she was promoted up the ranks. She then had the emperors only son, which of course put her in a special position. The Emperor died, whilst the son was just 6, so she and the empress guided the young emperor in his rule. When he got married he then didn't need her any more so she then got rid of him. She was like that. She ruled China for over 50 years and didn't do much for her people but did a lot for herself. As we were leaving the forbidden city, the changing of the guard started. We then got hemmed in and ended up talking to this man (Joe) of the Chinese race but who lived in Canada. He spoke fluent English and Chinese and was over on business and decided to take a few days off to tour Beijing. This Ukranian lady came up to him in a fluster. She had lost her husband who was on the other side of the blockade and her phone had died. Joe lent her his phone and all was well. He was a facinating and lovely chap, we ended up going to dinner with him.

24Oct: We got up a little earlier this time without any digestive problems and set off to find the Ming walls. The remaining city walls go on for about 2Km. The real shame is that they went on for longer, almost around the city until the 1950s, when they were taken down by the then government. So many cities would give anything to have their original wals intact. It was sacrilege. But a lot of bad things went on at that time. The walls were impressive and the gate that remained was well kept and beautiful. We didn't go up as we wanted to see some other sites. Our next site was the Lama temple. This was created to house a visiting lama a few hundred years ago. This was a complex with an amazing array of Tibetan Buddhist temples. One of which houses a 55 foot sandalwood statue of the Maitreya Buddha. The statue was carved from a single tree. Awesome! in the true meaning of the word. We spent a few hours here and bought some incense and burned it at different temples. It seemed to be the thing to do. We then tried to go to the Confucious temple, which was closed for repairs and we couldnt even find the Imperial College. So we ended up going for a Cappucino in this fab cafe. I then had to meet this guy Glenn that wanted to do the great wall. I had a phone interview with a recruitment consultant which turned out to be for a job I already had got but turned down. which delayed me. Also, I ran out of memory and asked Glenn would he mind transferring my photos to my USB key. However, when we tried the key was broken but I had to transfer the photos so I could take pictures on the wall tomorrow. He agreed to send them to me. G, Glenn and I had a lovely dinner and chat.
Oct: We got up at 6 to get the 6.30am bus to the great wall. We had booked a tour to take us to Jinshaling, one part of the wall. This would allow us to walk 10km along the wall to Simotai anotehr point on the wall, where we would then be picked up. However, we didn't leave till 7, as these 3 morons alarm didn't go off. That was fair enough but instead of apologising for keeping us all waiting, they came on and complained about the lack of proper seats etc. They didn't impress anyone. At the wall, G did something that annoyed me. This particular thing had been annoying me for a while and this was the final straw. I made a sarky comment and just walked on and then later told them not to wait for me. I was in such a bad mood. I calmed down later but I decided that G and I weren't bringing out the best in each other and to call it quits and part company. The great wall was FANTASTIC. I knew it would be good but it far exceeded my expectations.