Beijing Birthday Blog

Jo would firstly like to say thankyou for the birthday cards that are sitting on the hotel room table. I know we didn't want to carry stuff with us but I think it was worth smuggling a couple in.

What a way to spend a Birthday morning! We visited the Great Wall at Mutianyu and it surpassed our expectations. We were there early enough to beat the crowds (us up early?) and the scenery was amazing. Apparently the most popular spot at Badaling you cannot see the wall for people at the moment.

In case you hadn't gathered, we're in Beijing during the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the People's Republic, coinciding with the week long National Day holiday. Our timing is always this good. We've never seen so many people. I think the whole of China is here this week.

We arrived on Sunday after more long border crossings (at least this time they have an excuse as they have to change the train bogeys on the Chinese side by lifting all the carriages up in the air). This completes what is considered the Trans-Mongolian journey and the rest of our travels are more or less unplanned and unbooked.

So far Beijing has been an adventure. The first evening we braved the crowds and walked around the outside of the Forbidden City moat the wrong way and then nipped to Tian'anmen Square to see the floats and the people and feel the excited atmosphere. We also walked along the Night Markets where they sell everything from noodles to Scorpions on a stick.

We hired bikes and did a tour on Monday along some hutongs and lakes around the centre and went up the hill in Jingshan Park for views over the dusty city.

Yesterday we spent the day in the Forbidden City which is humungous. In fact, a lot of the city is on an unbelieveable scale. I don't think the photos will do it justice.

The weather is still stunning although its supposed to change tomorrow. Still no tans though. This may waylay our plans to see the Summer Palace.

Communications are a bit restricted. Access to blogger from China is blocked so thanks to Martino for hooking up this email. We won't be able to see your comments for now but please still say hello. Also, our phone no longer works. We've bought a Chinese sim card but no one seems to be able to get through. We'll keep trying.

At least email works :)

Bye for now.