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Ni hao, From't far east. We've made it to Shanhai via Vancouver and then Beijing.
Vancouver was ace. We stayed in a mint Hotel, well it was mint in the 50's when it was last done up but it literally hadn't been touched since. It was very clean and like a proper hotel but just had an ace old school decor. It was also in the part of town where all the crackheads live which was hilarious, as there were some right nutters outside all hours night and day. Some one even tried to buy a crack pipe off me for two dollars but alas I had left my crack pipe in my bag so that chance went a-begging.
We toured round Stanley park one day and got drunk with the locals watching the Cunucks (local ice hockey team) get smashed 7-0 in the stanley cup play offs. It didn't ruin the night out too much. The next day we hired a car and went to Whistler mountain in the snow to do a bit of walking which was ace, although slightly marred by the fact that people were skiing and we weren't! We love Vancouver and Canadian people in general!
Then it was 11 hours flight to Beijing. China is also pretty ace. The people are great and the food is unbelievable. It's like being allowed to have a take away every night, but without the chips. And it's only 1 pound 50! Apart from the one meal I had which was mainly spinal cord I think. I think it made Helen feel iller than me, as I made a heroic attempt not to waste too much but was, alas, defeated by the grissle!
We covered the sights in Beijing, the forbidden city, temple of heaven, Ti an amen square and then, of course, the Great wall, which is ridiculous i scale and it was a beautiful day so we got some right photos. We walked miles too (and I think I have got gout in my big toe cos it's chuffing killing me. I'm getting well old!)
Then we we're off to Shanghai on our 16hour sleeper bus that smelt a bit like feet but was otherwise comfy. Shanghai is massive and has a very dramatic skyline. We had a rubbish day the first day trying to book train tickets at the station which is nigh on impossible and takes ages but yesterday was a complete success. We saw the Yuyang Gardens (which were slightly overrated), went to the Bund Which is the riverside near the main centre which is as breathtaking a vista of a city centre as you could wish for, and finished off in the peoples square (which is scandalously underrated) for a relaxed walk and a sit betwixt japanese maples and the streams of Koi carp. Then Last night was off to the Shanghai acrobatics. 'Man dem sum bendy chinese folk!' Culminating in 8...yes you heard me 8, guys on motorbikes driving round in a steel ball no more than 6 metres in diametre. Unbelievable.
We're having a quiet day today to rest my girly soft foot!
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