Updates
|
Subject: Remind me...
Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 18:29:27 +0100
Never to go sightseeing with a determined relentless German lunatic who has worked out a full scheduled for the day!
I met Ruth, this lovely German woman (she was). On the second day, we decided to check out the Summer Palace together! It was definitely a day to remember!
Early rise at 6:30 am, meeting in the lobby at 7:00am, in the tube by 7:20 am, on the bus by 8am, in the Summer palace by 9:00!
The Summer Palace is just grand and beautiful. The architecture is splendid and the scale of the buildings is always breathtaking! We walked for miles, drank gallons (I should "get me' one of them poles to put across my shoulders and carry a gallon on each side :)
We skipped lunch - too much to do, it didn't seem to be in the schedule! - Walked around all the compounds, saw every single temple and building, went on a boat trip! All that, by 14:00. We came out of a different exit and spent half an hour working out which bus would take us in the right direction. A couple of attempts to ask our way and a bus collision later we were on the way back.... to the tube to get the bus to go to the lama temple! To be honest by that time I was ready to be brought back to the hotel on a stretcher :) but mechanically carried on anyway, we saw the lama temple which was ok and made our way to the hotel where the dorm shower felt unusually luxurious!! ;)
By the time me and Ruth met again in the hotel lobby I was accompanied by a French girl who had just arrived, we went for some food at a local restaurant and then set off to a Chinese jazz bar which was supposed to have live music. I can tell you, I needed that refreshing beer! Unfortunately no Chinese jazz music (I Was curious) so we moved on to another area with bars and ended up listening to some African type music! Surreal! I legitimately collapsed at 1:00am for a well deserved night sleep!
Needless to say that yesterday felt like a breeze when I set off at my own pace to check out the Forbidden City! With both Valerie and Ruth gone I was able to recuperate! ;) The Forbidden City is quite something and I think I was quite lucky cos it wasn't very busy! I don't know if it was the colours, the symmetry, the richness of the place and its designs or the voice of Roger Moore taking me on a taped guided tour ;) but the place felt very tranquil and inspiring indeed! If it wasn't for all the art students, it would have been perfect! Beijing seems to be populated by art students who happen to have an exhibition going very close to where you are (No matter where you are in Beijing!) They always have a professor who does grand work and they are on the look out for 'suckers' like me to buy their art! It's a shame every European (Or foreign face I should say) is associated with cash.
One of them did make me laugh though, she came over and she said to me: "Hello, where you from? You very cute, normally tourist very fat! Have I offended you?" I was in stiches! I think she was playing the flattering card! ;)
Anyway after that I treated myself to some night entertainment at a teahouse with acrobats, comedians and actors. Was very good and it felt more real than going to see the touristy spots! I ended the evening sitting in Tienamen square and watched the world go by! Those seem to be the best moments!
Tonight I'm going to the opera, with a girl from San Francisco who I met about an hour ago! (I checked she didn't have a schedule! ;) tomorrow it's an early rise again to go to a mega market on the south east side! I may even feel brave and rent a bike to go there. The traffic in Beijing is like I have never seen before! I swear the traffic lights are only decorative! It's complete chaos but in slow-mo! No one ever stops but then curiously no one seems to ever crash either! Anyway enough of this long email! Thanks for all your emails, hope you are all well! Won't make it this long next time!
Take care - Lots of love
Mendez xxxx
|
|
