Sooo, back in Beijing - 38c and very very humid. Walked for miles just admiring the city, the Olympics certainly seem to have made a big impact, well, on the city centre at least. Very modern, with all the usual shopping malls but with quirky bits tucked away down side alleys. The night market was incredibly busy, partly because it is the school holidays here, but also because the Chinese are taking their annual holidays too. Walked the length of the "famous" Wang Fu Jing Street, designer heaven if you like that kind of thing! The noise and bustle, plus thousands of people, are a bit overwhelming after the emptiness of the last few weeks.
Walked through Tiananmen Square today - huge and teeming with children and organised tours all shouting "my group, my group" Umbrellas (as sunshields) are a b.... menace! Forbidden City (done and ticked off) home to the Ming and Quing dynasties - these Emperors had absolute power and never strayed much from their pleasure domes unless they absolutely had to. It was off limits to "the people" and the likes of us, until 1911 revolution. Had lunch in the Hutong (old) quarter with a local family (Sheila - a bit like our SA tour....) Managed to be persuaded to buy a silk duvet and cover which is exquisite and very expensive , God knows how I am going to get it home... finally managed to spend some money on something other than Vodka...
Tomorrow is The Summer Palace and Kumming Lake followed by Chinese opera in the evening, then on to the Great Wall. Doug revving up for the Peking Duck, food has been great so far. Sorry can't spell check this as all the characters come up in Chinese so bear with me please.
Hope all well at home, love to all, emails to follow.
Love Annie xx
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