Another ferry from Macau back to Hong Kong, and we were straight off to Hung Hom station to catch the afternoon train to Beijing. The train takes 24 hours (almost exactly in fact) and we couldn't believe our luck when it turned out that our four-person carriage was unoccupied except for ourselves. It made a big difference to not have random strangers snoring above you, or getting up in the middle of the night to get a drink, etc. We slept like logs for 11 hours, meaning there was less time to kill on the train. Enjoying the scenery during daylight, plus several episodes of American Dad on my iPod got us through the rest pretty painlessly. If you pay the extra to travel soft sleeper in China, it's really very comfortable.
An old work colleague of mine, Julia, was kind enough to offer to let Jacqui and I stay with her and her husband while we were in Beijing. She has a fantastic apartment and we had our own room and bathroom, so we were very comfortable. She gave us a spare key too, so we could come and go as we pleased. On our taxi ride to her house we passed the building that will soon open as the headquarters for China Central Television (CCTV). Designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, its probably my favourite building in the world. Just a shame about the scotched remains of a Mandarin Oriental hotel next door that was also almost completed when it burned down in a fire caused by Chinese New Year fireworks.
Our first evening was made memorable by a visit to a bizarre Russian bar called Chocolate with the weirdest burlesque/variety stage show soundtracked by pumping Euro dance music. One of the oddest venues I've ever been to - you must poke your nose in if you ever visit Beijing.
On our first full day we went to the Great Wall. It was my second visit (this was my fourth trip to China, and third to Beijing), but Jacqui was in China for the first time so this was a great way to get her started. We went to the Mutianyu section of the wall, which is less touristy than the hugely popular Badaling, and probably safer to clamber around on too. Despite a little haziness, the views were superb. On our way up we saw a Chinese couple coming downhill, both clutching their bloody noses. Apparently they'd gone further than you're supposed to at the top, onto some unsafe crumbled ruins - and paid the price. Hard way to learn that lesson - I'd say they might both have broken their noses judging by the state of them. They looked like they'd been boxing each other!
Next day we took in all the famous sights around Tiananmen Square, including Chairman Mao's mausoleum and the Forbidden City. You have to check in all your belongings bar your passport before they'll let you in for the briefest of gawps at the nation's controversial yet celebrated former leader. Security guards hurry you along; you're not allowed to stop. I assume they're paranoid that somebody would cause a disturbance if they had the opportunity. An interesting experience to stroll past him, though he looked oddly waxy. Wonder if it's really him?
The Forbidden City was an interesting as you'd expect, and looked like it had been given a lick of paint in readiness for the 2008 Olympic Games as all of the decoration on the major halls was gleaming and immaculate. After two or three hours exploring all of its various nooks and crannies, we climbed the hill at the northern exit which gave spectacular views of the entire complex and its more modern surrounds. The new National Theatre building (known as 'The Egg') looks almost comic from up on the hill, positioned as it is just a few hundred metres away from the Forbidden City.
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