My second home in Beijing

Well since some JCU people may read this I think it's important I say something important about getting the required services.

BJUT internet services do not allow us to VPN to JCU, this obviously is a rather limiting factor. But the best solution I've found is Starbucks which is across the road from BJUT out the East gate. Generally it isn't the fastest, and sometimes useless, but since it seems rather unrestricted I've found it very good.

Also obviously the coffee isn't too bad either. Truth be known Coffee is a rarity here, basically if you need a coffee hit look for Starbucks or SPR.

From a man to a real man at the top of the Great Wall

Well this weekend was a huge one.

Friday night started it all off with Peking Duck at a famous restaurant named Hepingmen Quanjude Roast-Duck Restaurant, now some very famous people have eaten here and I took some quick pics of their signings on the wall.

None other than George Bush.


Some Aussie whom I don't know ;)

Cost was 1000RMB but food was very good. I'll do some restaurant reviews later I think.

Then Saturday we did the trek to the Great Wall, where Chairman Mao himself has written:

Which roughly translated says "He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man.- Chairman Mao". So who can agrue with that ;)

Here are some more pics from the Great Wall, such an amazing thing to see!

This is from the start of Ba Da Ling entrance to the Great Wall. See that tiny speck on the hill in the distance? That's where we went to the top. This picture does no justice to the distance, gradient of the climb or the shear number of people that were there!

So here is me at the very top of where you are allowed to go. An amazing day to climb the Great Wall. I'm in awe of the fact that this wall spans 6400Kms!

Next post will have some pics from the Forbidden City and Tian'Anmen Square.

Beijing 2008

Kind of a false title I know but hey not feeling really creative after a week of 10..12 hour days.

Thought I'd share a bit of my experience so far.

Well flight was 12hours, and while we were meant to be on a A380 we weren't so can't say the flight was anything special, well it was Qantas and we didn't fall out of the sky. ;)

But Beijing airport!!!! I've never seen such a large open space. This place is massive, beyond belief!!!! http://en.bcia.com.cn/ Check it out, I'll add some pics when I go back there as camera was in packed luggage.

Accomodation that is provided is rather average, but I think it is tolerable for 2 weeks. Hardest part is the 12 flights of stairs I have to climb to my apartment! No joking, and no lift either. Again pictures to follow as time permits. Seriously this is the first break I've taken today, other than food, and it is just gone 11pm here.

Speaking of food I'm loving it! There is so much of it, though we've tried every restaurant (term used loosely) at a shopping centre here. Not too keen on the dining halls here as it is very much a free-for-all and a mad house, maybe I'm just not used to perhaps.

The only sight seeing we've done in the week here was last weekend on Sunday we went to Yashow Market. I must admit the idea of haggling took me a few sales to get use to but I understand the mechanics of it now. For those of you thinking of going to them the rule is start with 1/10 of their 'friend' price. 1/6 is about where you'll really end up if you stick to your guns. It's really an entertaining process, but the time required to get to your best price can take quite a bit of time.

BJUT (Beijing University of Technology) is a great campus, I am amazed at the shear amount of activity. The place is amazing and this time of year simply adds to the effect. Walking the campus at night you feel very safe and there is this very light mist which just seems to make the atmosphere that much more appealing. Google maps for BJUT

The one photo I will attach was taken from a taxi on our way to Yashow, this building is owned by CCTV who are the primary TV station for China it would seem. Anyhow so much more I could write but still have to prepare slides for tomorrow's 8am lecture! And it's now 2320.

This building is huge and such a strange design, some of the locals said that they think it looks like a pair of pants.

My first blog!

Well I'm in Beijing and this sounds like as good a time as any to start some sort of record of my travels etc.

As the next two weeks go by I'll try to post as many pics as possible, smog permitting ;)