Ming Music

I tripped over this delightful performance of classical musicians (performing for the tourists) in the ancient pavilions of the Summer Palace, Beijing. At the end, check out the man in the cool garb, walking over to gong the gong. I'd love to do that!

Line Dancing Chinese Style

Seen in a pavilion in the Summer Palace, Beijing, a bunch of good friends strutting their stuff. Chinese style.

Sign in the washroom, Beijing Airport

Toilet paper is usually not provided in public toilets in China. However, here in a washroom (outside the cubicles) in Beijing Airport, the tide is turning. But I'm not sure what "Bumf" is!

Boutique Bedoir in Beijing

Fortune-Land International Hotel. A strange mid price "boutique" hotel with outrageous decor. Sadly, even though the place is only two years old, there is obvious evidence of lack of maintenance, so it will maintain its 3-1/2 star rating. The entry lobby looks as if the designer was worshipping magic mushrooms, but I think the objects on the ceiling are lotus flowers, with the lotus roots providing the down lights. I upgraded after the first uncomfortable night, to a beaut, quiet room, complete with bath. The red steel structures at the entrance portico light up at night, much to the amazement of the taxi drivers. I have never liked design for the sake of showing off, if it is not also apt and functional.

Hotels in this part of the world devote part of the space in a revolving door to a flower arrangement - I am proud of this photo. I watched a cleaning lady trying to clean the floor in a revolving door - I just wish I had a video for you! You will
see below photos of the two rooms,and why I preferred the upgrade!

What a difference a rain makes!

Storms and heavy rain washed away the "frog", and left everything sparkling and clean, with a rare blue sky. Today was my day to discover Beijing, and I think I did a pretty good job!

• I successfully caught four underground trains


• I travelled by four different buses


• I walked for miles


• I visited the Summer Palace, a delightful garden and countless pavilions (see slideshow of 32 photos)


• I ventured into Tien'anmen Square (see slideshow of 14 photos)


• I experienced for free (as it was closing time) a national Art gallery exhibition (see slideshow of 17 photos)


• I finished the day by eating at a Japanese restaurant a filling buffet for $12, six delicious dishes.


• I returned to my hotel for a long, relaxing bath.

It was wonderful! Beijing shines in the sun. People are generally considerate and helpful and have much better English than in Jinan. How different the weather, and lack of air pollution, makes for enjoyment!

The previous night I also took in the Chaoyang Theatre Acrobatics Macrocosm - which was great! Good photos at their web site : www.bjcyjc.com

(Tomorrow I return to Jinan).

The Wall

Been there, done that.
Here's my mandatory photo to show it.
In previous posts I have mentioned that the journey is more important than the destination. Getting to the Great Wall of China was not pleasant, but the destination was worth it!
Here is a slideshow of 43 photos posted at FlickR which includes a few of Beijing and glimpses of the Birdsnest, the Ming Tombs and the Great Wall.

Tour Guide Chinglish

This tour guide was so confident with his English, but his pronunciation was simply terrible. For example, for "Chinese" he'd say "Chess". Here is a short video:

Frog in Beijing

After last class Wednesday, and sporting a filthy cold, I was driven in a University Car - whoo hoo - (at the gates the sentries saluted, and I saluted back), to the airport, for a later Beijing flight. I whiled away the waiting time chatting to a delightful young Chinese man who turned out to be a reporter with the China Daily, and who was returning after an assignment covering the terrible train crash. He was exhausted. Being dispassionate has its price. He assisted me to get on the correct shuttle bus to the area of the city I was going to (there are no less than 5 different shuttle buses). "Welcome to my home city, Beijing."

Woke this morning to see a thick fog. Well I think it's fog. But sadly, I suspect it's not.

Update: 2pm. It's not fog.

Update 2 days later after a rainstorm, which washed the "fog" away. (some locals say "frog".)
This is what it looks like:

Beijing airport

This seemed nothing special, I remarked to myself. In fact it seems rather dated. I wonder how it will cope with the impending Olympics? We passed quickly customs without incident ( we were invited to vote on the custom officer’s performance using an electronic device and I bought a prepaid SIM card – with the help of James’ Chinese. We had a five hour wait ahead of us, and the plan was to “escape” the terminal and see a bit of the area from a taxi , or preferably get into Beijing city and back. But this was not to be. We first had to find domestic departures, for our last leg to Jinan.


What fun! A new country, hordes of people, countless signs in Chinese, and conflicting advice from various officials we approached. We met a cockney soccer player lad in the lift as we all struggled with our luggage trolleys: he was only wanting to get out of the building. He’s been going up and down and was lost – he may still be there! “They won’t go without me”, he weakly reassured himself, “as I have all their kit”.

It seems we were in the wrong building. “Take a shuttle bus to Terminal 3”. So we got back into the lift again, nodded at the soccer lad who was starting to mutter gibberish, and after several false starts found ourselves being whisked through the yellow tinted atmosphere to a modern marvel : Beijing Airport Terminal 3.


Commenced only five years ago, and finished on time within budget, this building is a testament to dogged determination, political will, intense labour and bold, brilliant architecture. This is where the Olympic visitors will be arriving and leaving – their first and last impression of a proud, emerging nation, with the fasting growing economy in the world.

It was a pleasure to be in extended transit in this brand new building, although it was almost deserted. And even more enjoyable as we welcomed the company of a 24 year old student from Jinan, the city we were soon to call home. “Luke” is studying his masters in UK and returning to visit his family. His English was excellent and he helped us enormously. He is the face of the new generation of young Chinese who are dispensing with older systems and embracing selected western values. James, of course, practised his Chinese on him, and was appropriately guided.

Our pathetic efforts of trying to find the taxi rank, let alone secure a taxi to take us on a one hour “excursion” ended in our giving up, and having a cup of (very expensive, relatively) coffee. We said goodbye to Luke at the luggage carousel at Jinan, but hope to catch up with him again. He has a fine mind.