Beijing

The flight to Beijing was in two 7-hour parts, with 2 hours in Abu Dhabi between. We found a bar and made extensive use of the Internet, not knowing what access we'd have within China.

Etihad have a video-on-demand system just like BA, so this was another sleepless trip for me.

We arrived at Beijing airport early on Friday 6th and nervously approached Immigration, our passports bearing the stuck-in whole-page visas that had involved so much form-filling and evidence-printing. Obtaining these had seemed to fill the period between Legs 1 and 2, but had probably taken about a full day, spread over that period. As it was, we entered pretty quickly and completely smoothly. Ultimately, an imagined storm in my own teacup.

We were met by Jason, the slim, bespectacled, guide who would stay with us for the whole tour. We found him very easy to talk to, immediately and for the rest of the trip.

I learned a lot from the taxi drive from airport to hotel, as I wrote previously. It's funny how much one can learn from just setting foot in a country and seeing it oneself. I know from my own experience that one only photographs "interesting" or picturesque things, not stuff that looks exactly like at home. Hence any "picture" formed just from photos is likely to be distorted.

After our 15-hour flight and before our 15-day tour, we treated ourselves to the rest of the day lounging in bed, and dinner in a chinese-speaking restaurant within the hotel, ordering from a big picture book. The only highlight was our futile attempt to order a glass of white wine for Clare (they seem to have even less white wine here than in South America).

Although Saturday 7th was technically the first day of the tour, nothing was actually organised. We went for a walk all afternoon, visiting the Natural History Museum and then the "Temple of Heaven" complex, a large park containing various historic temples and such like.

We rounded the day off with a meal for two in the other restaurant within the hotel, posher-looking but no dearer. This time we did manage to get white wine (only a whole bottle) by showing the result of a translation I'd done on my iPhone by popping out to where there was a wi-fi signal.

In the morning of Sunday 8th we started meeting the rest of the group. First, in reception, five English twenties who teach in international junior schools in Bangkok. Then, at breakfast, two English ladies in their late 50's. Then four Aussies (couple, brother, wife's friend) of that age or older. Finally an English couple who we eventually found out (because I spotted some clues, rather than them volunteering it) were involved with Royal Navy chaplaincy work.

We turned out to be a very happy and sociable group, mixing in various combinations and enjoying the time we spent together.

Our first stop was Tianenmen Square. You have to pass through security checkpoints to enter the square, and it was notable that they were rather less interested in Caucasians than in local-looking people.

We were told that this was the largest square in the world. Unfortunately, ones appreciation of this is somewhat spoiled by two large walls down the centre, with huge video screens on one side. I asked how long they had been there (imagining that, as eyesores, they might be temporary). I was told both "ten years" and "since 1989", so a permanent feature in either case. Shame.

There were various security forces in the square. I expect some in plain clothes too, perhaps some of the Chinese who hung around near our guide to listen when he was talking to us?

We went on through the Tianenmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) which gives the square its name and into the Forbidden City - so called because the Emperor and family lived there and only certain people were allowed to come to see them. It covers a huge area, with zones dedicated to only men or women.

The buildings have yellow roofs - a colour reserved for the Emperor, and which anyone else could be executed for wearing. The roofs have layers of eaves with varying (I suspected, status-related) numbers of small carved animals along the lowest ridge- seven on buildings where foreigners or businessmen were met, nine on the Emperor's private hall, and eleven on the big hall where he held audiences. I spotted just three on a little roof over the doorway to the ladies area, but up to seven on buildings within.

We were shown the quarters of the Dowager Empress Cixi - one of thousands of wives who cleverly used her womanly wiles (initially singing as he passed) to get prime position with the Emperor and then the power behind the throne when he died and left his child son on the throne.

Leaving the Forbidden City, we went on to a Hutong. These are walled compound areas representing the historic accommodation of Chinese cities - now being torn down wholesale in most cities to allow the building of tower blocks. The compensation paid to residents isn't enough to live in the replacement building. 

We went into a private house in a hutong, belonging to a Kung Fu master, for a plentiful lunch. I kept trying to get our guide to tell the master that I'd learned Kung Fu for a couple of years, but he wouldn't pass it on. Perhaps he was worried I'd get asked for a bout if he did?

Next we went on, via another hutong visit, to a rickshaw ride round an old city area near a lake which would obviously have good nightlife.

We rounded off a ridiculously long day watching an excellent Acrobatic show preceded by a meal. No matter how gripping the show, it couldn't stop me dropping off for microsleeps even while a guy was risking his neck balancing on a tall stack of eight or ten chairs. Shame.

Monday saw us walking on the Great Wall of China for 3 hours. It deserves its ranking as a wonder of the world - stretching off into the distance, twisting across the hilltops like a snake. The top surface gets steeper and steeper until you can't cope any more and then turns into steps. It may be hard work climbing up, but you'd do yourself more mischief if you tried to stop whilst walking down! A fabulous, so memorable experience (aided by taking a thousand photos).

Earlier on, we'd agreed to go that evening to a theatrical production based on Kung Fu. As the day wore on we grew more concerned about this decision. In the end I missed more than I saw, due to falling asleep. We were both disappointed because the martial arts stuff was quite incidental to a very weak story, rather than being the focus as we'd hoped. 

The show didn't include a meal, so when we got back we went in search of a McDonald's marked on our city map, to make a change from Chinese food at every meal. It was a building site, and - at just 9pm - the hotel had no food on offer, so we went to the native Chinese restaurant across the road and had a perfectly acceptable meal once we'd made ourselves understood.

Tuesday was our last day in Beijing. Beijing means "northern capital", because the capital has moved around a bit over the dynasties. We eventually visit Nanjing, the "southern capital". Incidentally China means "central kingdom" or "central state".

We were taken to the "Silk Alley" Market - an old name but a new six-floor building full of individual vendors' booths selling different things on each floor. We arrived at the same time as the Turkish prime minister, taking time off from an official visit to shop in her convoy of half a dozen black cars. 

We saw some nice Chinese-style jackets and found one that suited Clare well. We were told that the proper price was 6000 Yuan (£600) but the asking price was 3080. Fortunately, before asking the price we'd decided what it was worth to us (£30) and wouldn't go above that, even under severe, prolonged bargaining - OK we did go up £5. At one point we decided to walk away but the saleswoman clung on to Clare's arm and we had a little tug-of-Clare until I prised the woman's fingers off. I think both sides were OK with the final price, but (standing there emotionally drained by the intense experience) we were staggered to be asked whether we wanted another jacket too.

We recovered with lunch at McDonalds, then were driven out to the Summer Palace (where the Dowager Empress loved to hang out, having huge banquets prepared for every meal and just picking at one table - ah, power!)

At one stage I got "lost", spending so long taking atmospheric photos over the lake that I missed where the group had gone and had to telephone them.

That night we were off to Xi'an on the sleeper train, so we had to grab snacks for overnight in a supermarket and dinner on the run (McDonalds again - some brave world travelers we are!)