As the name suggests
So what's new, I'm in Beijing and its pissing it down but I'm not letting that dampen my spirits.
After Cambodia I had a few days recovering, getting Prada suits copied and celebrating birthdays of unspecified years before trying to get a train up to Beijing. Unfortunately due to timing, money and a need to go drinking with George (living legend and goon poker victim from Sydney) I had to fly but maybe the 48 hours I have from Beijing to Lhasa tonight is enough rail travel for one trip!
So, I'm in Beijing and though it's a huge polluted mess that's predominantly closed for Olympic renovations its great. Greatest of all is the aptly named "Great Wall", I went there yesterday and was lucky enough (I know I know I'm always lucky) to meet up with my flat mates girlfriends colleague 'Tsing Tao Wang' (yes pretty much the same name as the beer), who drove us to a place called Xiangtum about 90 minutes north of Beijing that is totally untouched by tourists.
We had a great meal (including chickens feet and heads plus beers) for the equivalent of 2 pounds sterling in a little farming village then walked for about 90 min along the wall and back without seeing a soul. The section we were on is about 600 years old and though I couldn't jump off it (yes I still get that urge) its probably seconds only to Bayon in Angkor for places I've been in the last year or so, high praise indeed!
In Beijing itself I've explored a few of the cities drinking area which are mighty fine, the Ming tombs (not like the name but turned up late so not very open) plus the Forbidden City. Alas as with the great wall this place did live up to its name as lots of it is closed or fenced off for the fore mentioned renovations for the Olympics next year. That said it is still an amazing site, the luxury the emperors lived in than the number of concubines they must have had to fill the place is mind boggling.
And that's what I've mostly been doing. I'm hopefully meeting Sean in an hour or so to get the train to Lhasa this evening and with a bit of luck the permits will get us in as easily as the US dollar got me into Cambodia (I forgot to take a photo for the visa with me, on telling the customs man he simply said "one dollar", on handing it over I got my visa, no photo but guess the face of George Washington or whoever it is on American currency was enough!).
So, to Tibet.... Until the next time
JP
Far East International Youth Hostel (see, I am still young!)
Beijing
PRC
After Cambodia I had a few days recovering, getting Prada suits copied and celebrating birthdays of unspecified years before trying to get a train up to Beijing. Unfortunately due to timing, money and a need to go drinking with George (living legend and goon poker victim from Sydney) I had to fly but maybe the 48 hours I have from Beijing to Lhasa tonight is enough rail travel for one trip!
So, I'm in Beijing and though it's a huge polluted mess that's predominantly closed for Olympic renovations its great. Greatest of all is the aptly named "Great Wall", I went there yesterday and was lucky enough (I know I know I'm always lucky) to meet up with my flat mates girlfriends colleague 'Tsing Tao Wang' (yes pretty much the same name as the beer), who drove us to a place called Xiangtum about 90 minutes north of Beijing that is totally untouched by tourists.
We had a great meal (including chickens feet and heads plus beers) for the equivalent of 2 pounds sterling in a little farming village then walked for about 90 min along the wall and back without seeing a soul. The section we were on is about 600 years old and though I couldn't jump off it (yes I still get that urge) its probably seconds only to Bayon in Angkor for places I've been in the last year or so, high praise indeed!
In Beijing itself I've explored a few of the cities drinking area which are mighty fine, the Ming tombs (not like the name but turned up late so not very open) plus the Forbidden City. Alas as with the great wall this place did live up to its name as lots of it is closed or fenced off for the fore mentioned renovations for the Olympics next year. That said it is still an amazing site, the luxury the emperors lived in than the number of concubines they must have had to fill the place is mind boggling.
And that's what I've mostly been doing. I'm hopefully meeting Sean in an hour or so to get the train to Lhasa this evening and with a bit of luck the permits will get us in as easily as the US dollar got me into Cambodia (I forgot to take a photo for the visa with me, on telling the customs man he simply said "one dollar", on handing it over I got my visa, no photo but guess the face of George Washington or whoever it is on American currency was enough!).
So, to Tibet.... Until the next time
JP
Far East International Youth Hostel (see, I am still young!)
Beijing
PRC
posted by JP at 2:03 pm
<< Home