Finally able to access from Beijing!
Whew, what a tough thing to find - the access to this blog so that I can post! Laughing!!
Of course I have been almost too busy to even get ONTO the internet and EMAIL let alone post on the blog! What fun!
After flying into Beijing on Saturday evening and arriving at the hostel, I booked a 7 am trip to the Great Wall, Mutianyu for Sunday. A magnificent stretch of rebuilt wall that is about 2 hours van ride from our hostel. We had four hours to run around, hike around, and get tired on the Great Wall. The most pictured and busy place, Badaling, I have decided not to visit. Maybe some other time, grin. Also the Ming Tombs, which many do together with the trip to Badaling, will be missed by me on this trip (but not much missed).
Monday, I headed out for Tiananmen and the Imperial Palace (Forbidden City) which at 40 yuan is most likely the greatest bargain in China as far as National Tourist sites go. Vast and very elegantly/timelessly restored. I was very impressed. After about 4 hours I headed to Wangfujing street, a big shopping area but also home to the imfamous eating delicacies, soon to be shown on this here blog (but NOT eaten by me!). A bit of running around, a hair cut and a great meal later - I was TIRED! And had already booked a 6 am trip to the Wall for Tuesday!!!
6 am, on the bus - four hours to Jinshanling where we began a four hour, 10 kilometer wall hike and stairstep venture over newly rebuilt and totally desintegrating portions of the Great Wall - all connected but there were two different fees! Jinshanling is in Hebei Province whereas Simatai is in Beijing District. Very interesting with tons of pictures and more to come!!
Wednesday, I slept in until after 7 am and THEN read a book until after 8 am - RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM GRAND JUNCTION, YES, I received a phone call from Grand Junction, Colorado in Beijing on my cell phone! So we chatted for awhile - until after 9 am! So I quickly pulled on my long underwear = dang right, it is COLD out there in them thar streets of Beijing. The high was to be 5 degrees Celsius and we MAY have reached that but I am not sure if it was that warm on the Lake where we were - UP at the SUMMER Palace!! AMAZING - that's all I can say. OH, and the Anglo-French Coalition forces burnt down ALMOST everything in 1860!!! We had to finally laugh because it was on EVERY sign!!! Of course it was all rebuilt by the Emporer Qiaolong a few years later. Then we hopped on a bus to the #10 subway line to the #8 subway line (which goes ONLY to the Olympic village areas) and took pictures of the swimming, Bird's Nest and Olympic Tower all lit up (even in the cold wind). THEN a quick stop at Starbucks (after three subway rides) and an hour of shopping/bargaining/getting lots of good deals!!! OK, tired again!
Today, Thursday, I again read until 8:30 and had a cup of coffee, then headed out to Tian Tan - the Temple of Heaven. Another amazing place where all the ceremonies by the Emporers of the Ming and Qing Dynasties were performed. These three places (the Forbidden City, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven) are far apart, even today by bus, and yet linked by the Emporers of the last 400 years (600 for Tian Tan and even lnger for the Imperial Palace).
Sigh - lots of fun!! Now off to dinner!
Of course I have been almost too busy to even get ONTO the internet and EMAIL let alone post on the blog! What fun!
After flying into Beijing on Saturday evening and arriving at the hostel, I booked a 7 am trip to the Great Wall, Mutianyu for Sunday. A magnificent stretch of rebuilt wall that is about 2 hours van ride from our hostel. We had four hours to run around, hike around, and get tired on the Great Wall. The most pictured and busy place, Badaling, I have decided not to visit. Maybe some other time, grin. Also the Ming Tombs, which many do together with the trip to Badaling, will be missed by me on this trip (but not much missed).
Monday, I headed out for Tiananmen and the Imperial Palace (Forbidden City) which at 40 yuan is most likely the greatest bargain in China as far as National Tourist sites go. Vast and very elegantly/timelessly restored. I was very impressed. After about 4 hours I headed to Wangfujing street, a big shopping area but also home to the imfamous eating delicacies, soon to be shown on this here blog (but NOT eaten by me!). A bit of running around, a hair cut and a great meal later - I was TIRED! And had already booked a 6 am trip to the Wall for Tuesday!!!
6 am, on the bus - four hours to Jinshanling where we began a four hour, 10 kilometer wall hike and stairstep venture over newly rebuilt and totally desintegrating portions of the Great Wall - all connected but there were two different fees! Jinshanling is in Hebei Province whereas Simatai is in Beijing District. Very interesting with tons of pictures and more to come!!
Wednesday, I slept in until after 7 am and THEN read a book until after 8 am - RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM GRAND JUNCTION, YES, I received a phone call from Grand Junction, Colorado in Beijing on my cell phone! So we chatted for awhile - until after 9 am! So I quickly pulled on my long underwear = dang right, it is COLD out there in them thar streets of Beijing. The high was to be 5 degrees Celsius and we MAY have reached that but I am not sure if it was that warm on the Lake where we were - UP at the SUMMER Palace!! AMAZING - that's all I can say. OH, and the Anglo-French Coalition forces burnt down ALMOST everything in 1860!!! We had to finally laugh because it was on EVERY sign!!! Of course it was all rebuilt by the Emporer Qiaolong a few years later. Then we hopped on a bus to the #10 subway line to the #8 subway line (which goes ONLY to the Olympic village areas) and took pictures of the swimming, Bird's Nest and Olympic Tower all lit up (even in the cold wind). THEN a quick stop at Starbucks (after three subway rides) and an hour of shopping/bargaining/getting lots of good deals!!! OK, tired again!
Today, Thursday, I again read until 8:30 and had a cup of coffee, then headed out to Tian Tan - the Temple of Heaven. Another amazing place where all the ceremonies by the Emporers of the Ming and Qing Dynasties were performed. These three places (the Forbidden City, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven) are far apart, even today by bus, and yet linked by the Emporers of the last 400 years (600 for Tian Tan and even lnger for the Imperial Palace).
Sigh - lots of fun!! Now off to dinner!
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