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After having abandoned this blog for over a year I've been forced to resurrect it's use now that I am in China - where Facebook does not exist. So when you notice that there's been no activity for the better part of six weeks, do come here to view my photos and latest updates.
Much has happened in the past year since my last entry sometime during my Alaska trip. In short it consists of 3 months in South America, another winter season in Whistler with two months working for the Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic winter Games thrown in, a road trip across Canada, six weeks in California working for the American Civil Liberties Union in San Diego, a trip to the the East Coast - New York, Boston, Providence before spending the summber in Quebec, 3 weeks in Singapore for the Youth Olympic Games in August, a brief last return to Canada before getting on the long road home. So far, that has taken me to New Delhi for the Commonwealth Games and I am now travelling China for three weeks before working at the Asian Games which will be hosted in Guangzhou in November. Home via London, Spain, possibly Morocco in time for Christmas in Sydney!
So, since this entry is meant to be about China, I better get started - the rest is available in photgraphic evidence on Facebook.
First stop: Beijing. A pretty cool city, especially after flying in from New Delhi I was a bit awestruck but all the neon lights and relative cleanliness. The people are still pushy, like you get in any over populated city but the food is amazing. The first day I visited the Summer Palace and spent 4 hours wondering around the temples, lakes, over the arched birdges, around the pagadas etc. Then I went to the Temple of heaven - bit of a trek and we (members of my tour group of seven) were all exhausted. After dinner we went out to see the Birds Nest and Water Cube - the Olympic athletics and swimming stadiums. That was a sight to behold - all lit up in red and yellow and blue - made me wish I'd been here in 2008!!
Today, I just got back from the Great Wall so am resting my weary legs. We went to a place called Jinshanling, when there were no other tourists, only the locals who helped us climb the stairs and warmed us with coffee. Amazing to have the place to ourselves. It was very cold and slightly misty but that only added to the magnificence. Climbed so many stairs - parts restored, others not.
We were up at 5am for a 2hr bus ride to that particular part of the wall. Our guide is an Aussie ex-rugby league / world cup touch footy player who speaks mandarin and is really well read on China.
I'm glad I took up all that space in my back pack with winter coats cos I'm using them all in Beijing - including my gloves and beret from South America. The Wall was kinda like the Inca trail with really steep steps in parts which are leg burners on the way up and just plain scary on the way down. The damp weather made them nice and slippery just for some extra fun. There are towers all along the wall some of which were restored in the 1990s, others have been crumbling since the 1400s. The mountains are breathtaking with autumn colours but its harsh country which forces the local peasants to hassle tourists to pay postcards and books all along the wall. But they are very friendly, try hard to practise their English and saved a few of our group from nasty slips down the stairs!
Even though the rain had set in and the cold had set into my bones, we visited the Lama Temple, ahead of Peking dinner tonight. Tianmen Square and Forbidden city are tomorrow.
Enjoy the pics. Would love to hear lots of emails. New email in case you haven't got it already is [email protected]
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