Well well well, there's a lot to catch up on! Sorry we haven't updated sooner, it's been a combination of time running out in an internet cafe, and foreign keyboards, it wouldn't make much sense to anyone in Chinese characters!

SO, to update. The day after we arrived in Beijing, we followed the Lonely Planet guide to a certain extent to see the 'Highlights' it recommended. The problem is that because Beijing is such a MASSIVE city, there is just too much to do in the space of 5/6 days. We had Tuesday - Friday to ourselves, to meet with our Intrepid group on the evening of Friday. So, on Wednesday, we dragged ourselves out of bed at about 6am, (oh yes) to visit first of all the controversial CCTV building in the financial sector of Beijing. It's designed by a dutch architect - the same one who designed the Birds' Nest in the Olympic Village. And visually, it's stunning. Not a lot of Chinese people like it as the design is so extreme, and to a certain extent it doesn't really fit in with the rest of the typical skyscrapers around. But still, we both thought it was pretty cool, and saluted the people who had to clean the windows, what a job! We were also intrigued by a building adjacent to it, which looked as if it had been a victim of a huge fire. Later, we learnt that around the Chinese new year celebrations, a firework had hit it and had burnt it to a crisp (although there is talk of arson from protestors trying to get to the CCTV building itself.) The city has a metro network so despite the congestion there really is no problems in getting around, and a single journey to anywhere costs just 20Yuan (about 20p - bargain!) The taxis are pretty cool too, we've been advised to take metered ones - which means you have no qualms in what price you pay on destination. It has happened in the past that taxi drivers agree on a number with tourists, but not the currency - which may mean they drive you to a place in the middle of nowhere and demand a horrendous number of dollars in exchange for a lift home - not good!

Next on the list was the Summer Palace. If you haven't already googled it, or seen our photos, do so, the place is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. For our first impression of oriental, authentic Chinese scenery, this hit the mark. It's not really a palace, more of just a huge park of temples and towers built on a manmade lake. We decided to walk the alternative way to the rest of the touristy groups - despite it being a Wednesday the place was still heaving.

At the top of the hill in the summer palace we lost each other. First disaster of the trip, and 2nd day in... we basically climbed up the hill at different rates, and ended up being separated. Claire was running around like a looney getting really worried and paranoid she would have to find her own way back to the hostel alone - without a map and quite a distance from a metro station.... meanwhile Liam had quite happily wandered off and enjoyed the temple, taking photos of the ornate decoration and incredibly traditional archictecture. Claire ended up befriending some Americans in her desperation, who suggested she 'keep Liam on a leash,' before finding him and not letting go for the rest of the week. But the Palace itself was absolutely beautiful. Historically, it had been rebuilt twice under the instruction of one lady - once when it was stormed by the Japanese and once when it was destroyed in a storm.

That's probably enough for one blog entry, but here are some notes of interest of things we have learnt or seen during our time in China so far:

* There are NO overweight people here! Food is much more of a necessity than a luxury; people eat on the move and very quickly, the epitome of 'fast food'! Also, they have what is possibly the most bizarre thing we have ever seen - adult playparks. They're made of the same materials as kids parks in the UK - but instead it's simple mechanisms which turn it into some sort of sociable, outdoor gym! They have treadmills, rowing machines, everything a gym has - but simpler, and always being used by people - brilliant! Makes a change from the English parks, most likely full of teenagers getting drunk and vandalising the place.
* Beijing is rightly known as being polluted. It's a hypocrisy really - people are always cleaning, sweeping, wiping, spraying the streets, but there hangs a misty haze in the air all of the time, and the air is very dry too - we're constantly thirsty. It's actually a lot colder than we'd thought it was going to be aswell! Eugh, and the spitting, Chinese people really are unafraid of hoiking up big wads of saliva and throwing them miles in the middle of the street, disgusting! And everyone does it!
* Apparently a traditional dish in China is... DOG HOT POT! Needless to say, neither Liam or Claire are going anywhere near it!
* On the other hand, Chinese beer is LOVELY! It's really cheap too, about 8 Yuan for a big bottle (80p) in comparison for 20 yuan for a western Corona!