Back in Beijing

Although we've been in Jong Kong for a week, I didn't give much of an update on our last few days in Beijing after Xian.  We got an overnight train back to Beijing, this time taking a second class carriage, which was much more comfortable and quiet, but not really that sociable, as the two chinese businessmen in our cabin promptly went to sleep as soon as the train set off.  Still, it was a good nights sleep and we arrived back in Beijing early the next morning. 

We managed to figure out which bus to get from the train station to the hostel, depsite all the signs being Mandarin, and checked in early to our hostel.  They did western style breakfasts, so we had some french toast and Andrew had a fry up.  After that we had a quick snooze, and then headed off to see the Olympics site, and after taking a few photos we decided to visit the water amusement park that's been built in the Aqua cube.   It was pretty expensive, but we figured it was an unusal opportunity to swin in olympic water park.  There were loads of great slides, and a huge wave machine.  We were practically the only people there, so it felt like all the facilities had been laid on just for us!  On the way back home we stopped by the night food market near Wafunjing and got some tasty noodles and dumplings, ignoring the options of sea horse, scorpion, cricket or, apparently, cat, on a stick.

The next day we went to do some bargin shopping in one of the fake markets, and andrew procured some fake converse (their labels are peeling off already) and I got a lovely '100% pashmina' scarf.  The market stall holders tried to tell me this meant it was cashmere, but I just pointed at my own clothes and said yeah , 100% t-shirt, 100% trousers....  Basically, after much haggling, I got my fake scarf down to 25 yuan - about 2 pounds fifty.

That evening we decided to got back to the red lantern resturant district for food, and had some spicy sichian beef with loads of chillis and surprise pak choi, as well as spicy stirfied cauliflower with bacon that was cooked on its own little stove.

The next day we finally made it to a Great Wall tour and got up at the crack of down to be collected by our mini bus for a 3 hour drive to a much less touristy part of the wall where we were to go on a 'hiking' tour.  It was just as beautiful as I hoped and many photo opportunities abounded.  As it was autumn time the surrounding trees where all kinds of shades of yellow, orange and red which made for a gorgeous backdrop.   We took a small picnic lunch with us, but by the time we got back to Beijing we were starving so we visited the cool hutong district near Beixingtao and got some dumplings in spicy sauce, cooked on a hot skillet with egg.  This and some garlic brocolli with egg fried rice and a few beers sorted us right out.  We had a few cocktails, avoiding the more random combinations (midori, absinthe and baileys anyone?), and walked back to our hostel for a well earned nights sleep.

More updates on Hong Kong to follow soon, probably once we get to Bangkok, Thailand which is our next stop!