Last night in China. Finally found the Olympic stadium after much mouth gaping and scratching of heads. There are no signs until you get within 100 yards and then they have a small blue sign with a stadium symbol and "Good Luck". Need to improve things for August methinks. It looks nice but it is surrounded by unfinished roads, mud, cement and little old men with wheel barrows. When you get close half the red army are there to stop close up photos and there are lots of blacked out cars whizzing around and running over your feet. Had to go through 2 lines of heavily guarded police to get a coffee at TGI Fridays next to the stadium. Not many customers...
Good things
Fantastic views from the Great Wall of China. Incredible that they built it nearly 2000 years ago. Amazing that the Monguls broke though it in the 14th Century and still surprising that the Americans or going to have another go on the Mexican border. They don't work but at least this one looks nice complete with chasing locals that try to sell stuff running up the hills.
Huge palace grounds of the Forbidden City built in 1420. Lots of repainting for the tourists
Bad things
Rice wine that smells like blue cheese and should be used to clean windows
Looking at maps and still having no idea where you are
Dust in the air for choking sunsets
Taxi drivers that can't find the hotel
Tian'amen square - just a big car park surrounded by 4 lanes of traffic for flag raising and hastling tourists
Travelling in the tube at armpit sniffing rush hour
Buns that looked like cinamon swirls but were really made from beans
Walking boots have finally cracked and I don't have Al to glue them back together. Left boot proving very effective at pumping water into my socks for soggy shopping trips
Good things
Fantastic views from the Great Wall of China. Incredible that they built it nearly 2000 years ago. Amazing that the Monguls broke though it in the 14th Century and still surprising that the Americans or going to have another go on the Mexican border. They don't work but at least this one looks nice complete with chasing locals that try to sell stuff running up the hills.
Huge palace grounds of the Forbidden City built in 1420. Lots of repainting for the tourists
Bad things
Rice wine that smells like blue cheese and should be used to clean windows
Looking at maps and still having no idea where you are
Dust in the air for choking sunsets
Taxi drivers that can't find the hotel
Tian'amen square - just a big car park surrounded by 4 lanes of traffic for flag raising and hastling tourists
Travelling in the tube at armpit sniffing rush hour
Buns that looked like cinamon swirls but were really made from beans
Walking boots have finally cracked and I don't have Al to glue them back together. Left boot proving very effective at pumping water into my socks for soggy shopping trips
