So I bet you all want to know what Beijing is like?

I have to say I am impressed was not expecting it to be so clean and so smoggy at the same time.

The first thing you see is this thick grey cloud that covers the sky which is known as smog.

I have never seen anything like this before.

Beijing is a mental place, you smile at people and people just keep staring...its quite funny. Then you get other Chinese people that will sneak around you and take pictures of you or there are the ones that will come up and ask to have a picture taken all in sign language of course, as hardly anyone speaks English in China.

There was one time I spotted a woman taking her time and trying to get a picture at the very last sec where she was about to take I told everyone I was with quick more forward NOW! Which we did and started laughing as I explained what had just happened and the woman walked away….:D

SO I have been in Beijing for a week.

The hostel (Sanlitum Youth Hostel) we stayed in was buzzing from the day we got here, as it was a national holiday week we meet a lot of people that were working in China but came away to Beijing, the atmosphere has been excellent, a lot of dancing, people singing, people playing the guitar and just having fun.

First day in Beijing we had an early night, which was not good as we work up in the early hours of the morning so we went and sat downstairs for a few hours and then went back to bed.

Day 2 - we decided to go for a walk and got totally lost as we decided to go without a map. Eventually got to the monument of the peoples hero and we could see Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. We sat about for a while at the monument and had our pictures taken by random people. Headed out in the evening and found a random guy with a BBQ and decided to eat there, we had about 20 skewers of meat but the guy decided to rip us off when we refused to pay he started to get aggressive so we just paid and walked away…Tosser!!

Day 3 - We went back to where we were yesterday but this to time to see Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Then went a found Wangfingmen market and I sampled snake-very fatty, was like eating fat but jellified. Crab was nice, but I went and got loads of dumplings they were lovely. Also walked through a load of Hutongs (the old homes in narrow streets)

Day 4 - Was up early to get our Tour to The Great Wall of China - all I can say is WOW what an amazing place and views! Ended up a toboggan on the way down which was great fun.
Went for a massage in the evening and them somehow ended up in a club called Vicks which was playing all English music but filled with Chinese people that thought they were cool.

Day 5 - Hired out bicycles, as you do as your in Beijing, and visited the Lama temple. Then headed back chilled and then went to Beijing south station and brought our tickets for Taian on the bullet train. Also being in Beijing was told to try the duck, so found a duck restaurant and have to say we were not disappointed, for 4 people the whole meal came to £24 including drinks.

Day 6 - Visited the summer palace, a huge garden that belonged to the last emperor. With a massive lake so we took out a pedalo and saw a ship carved out of stone, apparently built for one of the emperors daughters as she wanted a party.
Re-visited the Forbidden City again. Then headed back to the hostel, just chilled played cards etc.

Day 7 - Re hired bicycles, ended up in a Chinese street restaurant and had loads to eat and only came to £3 per person, so cheap and the food is so much better than the Chinese food back home. Then cycled and visited the Temple of Heaven - Riding in Beijing is mental you just ride, don't look any other way apart from straight ahead….:D
We locked up our bicycles and the security guard could stop laughing as we had all locked ours bikes up. I then went over to the railings and tried to lift it which made him crack up, which was great to see.
Spent hours at the temple, ended up dancing and playing a Chinese game with locals in the park. Basically have a metal ring with feathers and you have to kick it but it can't touch the floor. Great experience and great people. Heard a Chinese guy in park singing opera, a group of people learning Tai Chi. the temples themselves are beautiful a blue colour looks so lovely.
We then headed back to the hostel nearly got squashed between a bus and a 4x4 very funny and scary at the same time, stayed at the hostel for a few hours before going out to eat again, again really good food, a lot of chilli but so good, ended up eating a spice which was horrible and killed my taste buds…but all good.

So my view of Beijing - I had no idea what to expect , I didn't think it was going to be a clean as it was, and the metro system is so easy to use and so quick.
People seem surprised to see you and wanted to have pictures taken. Found that many people didn't really smile too much. I thought that there would have been more street food and more stalls to buy things. Maybe it was the area we stayed in, but even when cycling around there didn't seem to be much about. But I did enjoy seeing Beijing not sure when I'll be back here again.

Can't believe it has been a week already, seems like we have been in Beijing for ages. Have done so much walking and cycling. Off to the next town.