Beijing - China 26th January 2006

Beijing

What a contrast to Japan - Complete chaos !

On arrival at Beijing airport, we attracted every taxi driver in Beijing trying to take us to the city ( It must have been Alison's red pac a mac ).

Our instinct was to ignore the taxi drivers offers, and to take public transport.
What we hadn't bargained for was half of China trying to visit the same location for the Chinese New Year!

Today was our first real view of Beijing.

In short, it has too many people and you cant see what your looking at due to the smog.

On the upside the food is excellent and you can have great fun haggling for a few pence off everything that you buy ( See the hair cut photo ! ).

Things are a little cheaper here which is good.
We looked at some coats in a store, which ranged from £7 to £12.

If we can find some that come in supper size then we might have a month where we are warm.

We have seen some strange signs about their chicken over here.

In the more upmarket places, their chicken has been through quarantine.

I take this to mean that they are battery chickens that couldn't have come into contact with wild birds !!

An indication of the smog levels.

If you can get up close, then you can actually see the colour of the buildings.

I cant wait to see what things look like during the New Year celebrations as they have just lifted the ban on fireworks in the street.

One of the many lions guarding the Forbidden Palace.



I mentioned earlier that you could haggle for anything.
Well I have just learnt that you should do this after your haircut and not before!
I created great amusement trying to get the guy to understand the words Clippers and number 3.
I finally ended up with the clippers, but the number of the guard was lost in translation.
The length of my hair was dependent upon ththicknesses of his comb, which seemed a tad too small for this time of year !!
Needless to say that Alison who was planning a trim herself declined !!!



I am not sure if you were allowed to take these photos, but watching them goose step was quite a site.