Copied from gmail sent, Tuesday, June 12 - Beijing
I have to email you my travel blog because I couldn't get through to Blogger.
Our last night in Shanghai was spent around the Pudong district where the Oriental Pearl TV tower and the Jin Mao tower are located. We went up the 88th floor for a 360 degree view of the city. Awesome!
We walked along the park to the riverside promenade and just lingered there until it was time to get back to our hostel.
I forgot to mention that the entire morning was spent doing our laundry. Their dryer wasn't hot enough, in fact the air was cold so our clothes didn't even dry. We had to use the clothesline and let it dry until the evening when we returned (which most of the light clothes did except for the jeans and other pants which we ran through the dryer twice).
That evening we turned in early because we needed to wake up early the next day. For the second night in a row our next door neighbor began their shouting match at past 10 p.m. on through our wake up time which was 5:30 a.m. (It's too bad that guests like these had to be placed next to our room, we had to endure it for 2 days!)
~~~
We left Shanghai from Hongquiao Airport (their domestic airport). It was just like JFK but much more orderly and efficient. Peter was even able to bring in his big bottle of water, to his great surprise! All the clerk did was open the bottle and smell the liquid for any flammable fumes. That's it. They were much more civilized here, it turns out.
The flight to Beijing took about 2 hours. We landed amid the thick smog that covered the entire city. We didn't see a thing until we were already landing. The weather was not too hot, slightly humid, but bearable.
We found our way out of the airport via the airport shuttle bus that took us to the Beijing railway station. There we caught the subway to Qian Men and walked towards Dhazhalan jie. We lucked out to have met these two haole ladies along the underground walkway. Peter asked them if they knew where Leo Hostel was, it turns out this hostel is pretty popular among the young backpackers. They gave us a map which really helped, otherwise we would have been lost (or looking for it for a long time).
\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>The hostel is not too far from the Tian An Men Square. We went there after having a good hot lunch at the hostel (located along a hutong). There were lots of people there checking out the buildings, the mausoleum, the gates, etc. When we went to where the flags were flying, there were guards all over the place. A few minutes later these guards formed into a line and slowly herded us all out of the square to Qian Men avenue. no explanations given except that we all had to leave the area immediately. The whole area was blocked off and it seemed like something of importance was going to take place in the Hall of the People (?). It was really interesting how efficient and fast this method made us all leave the area quickly. Like sheep into a pen.\n\u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>Tonight we walked along our hutong and found places to buy interesting snacks: beijing thin pancakes and steamed buns. \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>Tomorrow we will begin our Beijing visit by going to the Forbidden city.\u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>BTW, this visit to Beijing is like coming full circle. I was here 25 years ago (one month less). It all looks different with all the huge buildings, vehicles, traffic and the smog. I have brought some of my old pictures with the hopes of matching it with the places we will visit this next few days.\n\u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>For now, zai jien!\u003cbr clear\u003d\"all\"\>\u003cbr\>-- \u003cbr\>Aloha from Mimi \u003c/div\>\n",0]
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The hostel is not too far from the Tian An Men Square. We went there after having a good hot lunch at the hostel (located along a hutong). There were lots of people there checking out the buildings, the mausoleum, the gates, etc. When we went to where the flags were flying, there were guards all over the place. A few minutes later these guards formed into a line and slowly herded us all out of the square to Qian Men avenue. no explanations given except that we all had to leave the area immediately. The whole area was blocked off and it seemed like something of importance was going to take place in the Hall of the People (?). It was really interesting how efficient and fast this method made us all leave the area quickly. Like sheep into a pen.
Tonight we walked along our hutong and found places to buy interesting snacks: beijing thin pancakes and steamed buns.
Tomorrow we will begin our Beijing visit by going to the Forbidden city.
BTW, this visit to Beijing is like coming full circle. I was here 25 years ago (one month less). It all looks different with all the huge buildings, vehicles, traffic and the smog. I have brought some of my old pictures with the hopes of matching it with the places we will visit this next few days.
For now, zai jien!
I have to email you my travel blog because I couldn't get through to Blogger.
Our last night in Shanghai was spent around the Pudong district where the Oriental Pearl TV tower and the Jin Mao tower are located. We went up the 88th floor for a 360 degree view of the city. Awesome!
We walked along the park to the riverside promenade and just lingered there until it was time to get back to our hostel.
I forgot to mention that the entire morning was spent doing our laundry. Their dryer wasn't hot enough, in fact the air was cold so our clothes didn't even dry. We had to use the clothesline and let it dry until the evening when we returned (which most of the light clothes did except for the jeans and other pants which we ran through the dryer twice).
That evening we turned in early because we needed to wake up early the next day. For the second night in a row our next door neighbor began their shouting match at past 10 p.m. on through our wake up time which was 5:30 a.m. (It's too bad that guests like these had to be placed next to our room, we had to endure it for 2 days!)
~~~
We left Shanghai from Hongquiao Airport (their domestic airport). It was just like JFK but much more orderly and efficient. Peter was even able to bring in his big bottle of water, to his great surprise! All the clerk did was open the bottle and smell the liquid for any flammable fumes. That's it. They were much more civilized here, it turns out.
The flight to Beijing took about 2 hours. We landed amid the thick smog that covered the entire city. We didn't see a thing until we were already landing. The weather was not too hot, slightly humid, but bearable.
We found our way out of the airport via the airport shuttle bus that took us to the Beijing railway station. There we caught the subway to Qian Men and walked towards Dhazhalan jie. We lucked out to have met these two haole ladies along the underground walkway. Peter asked them if they knew where Leo Hostel was, it turns out this hostel is pretty popular among the young backpackers. They gave us a map which really helped, otherwise we would have been lost (or looking for it for a long time).
\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>The hostel is not too far from the Tian An Men Square. We went there after having a good hot lunch at the hostel (located along a hutong). There were lots of people there checking out the buildings, the mausoleum, the gates, etc. When we went to where the flags were flying, there were guards all over the place. A few minutes later these guards formed into a line and slowly herded us all out of the square to Qian Men avenue. no explanations given except that we all had to leave the area immediately. The whole area was blocked off and it seemed like something of importance was going to take place in the Hall of the People (?). It was really interesting how efficient and fast this method made us all leave the area quickly. Like sheep into a pen.\n\u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>Tonight we walked along our hutong and found places to buy interesting snacks: beijing thin pancakes and steamed buns. \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>Tomorrow we will begin our Beijing visit by going to the Forbidden city.\u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>BTW, this visit to Beijing is like coming full circle. I was here 25 years ago (one month less). It all looks different with all the huge buildings, vehicles, traffic and the smog. I have brought some of my old pictures with the hopes of matching it with the places we will visit this next few days.\n\u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>For now, zai jien!\u003cbr clear\u003d\"all\"\>\u003cbr\>-- \u003cbr\>Aloha from Mimi \u003c/div\>\n",0]
);
//-->
The hostel is not too far from the Tian An Men Square. We went there after having a good hot lunch at the hostel (located along a hutong). There were lots of people there checking out the buildings, the mausoleum, the gates, etc. When we went to where the flags were flying, there were guards all over the place. A few minutes later these guards formed into a line and slowly herded us all out of the square to Qian Men avenue. no explanations given except that we all had to leave the area immediately. The whole area was blocked off and it seemed like something of importance was going to take place in the Hall of the People (?). It was really interesting how efficient and fast this method made us all leave the area quickly. Like sheep into a pen.
Tonight we walked along our hutong and found places to buy interesting snacks: beijing thin pancakes and steamed buns.
Tomorrow we will begin our Beijing visit by going to the Forbidden city.
BTW, this visit to Beijing is like coming full circle. I was here 25 years ago (one month less). It all looks different with all the huge buildings, vehicles, traffic and the smog. I have brought some of my old pictures with the hopes of matching it with the places we will visit this next few days.
For now, zai jien!
posted by Mimi | 10:36 PM
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