Wai~~. It is already Day 4 on the trip . I can’t believe it. We are now in Xi’an, (most famously known for the Teracotta Warriors) It is absolutely gorgeous here. The city is situated in the plains land, but it is surrounded by mountains. Xi’an is much more relaxed and laid back than Beijing.

Yesterday was amazing. We toured around Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden City. Both was amazing to see. Tian’anmen because of the history is holds, and Forbidden City for the sheer vastness. Afterwards, we had toured around the Houtongs. Essentially they are small communities that the government perserved. They are examples of historical dwellings. I would recommend googling it. During the tour we visited two families, one that was a private dwelling, and one that was a shared community. The difference between these two is how the courtyard is used. I was able to get some really nice photos. One of the families we visited had a son that attended Dalhousie University! He studied in the computer science department. I believe he is now working there.

Once we got back to the hotel, Tish, Vick and I headed towards the Temple of Heaven. Another beautiful place. At the top of the temple, you can see the city 360. It was amazing to see such a historical place surrounded by the modern city.

At night, we took the overnight train to Xi’an. We slept in the hard sleeper. It was actually an enjoyable ride. We drank Chinese Beer, Wine and traditional hard liquor (from those vats!) We met up with another Intrepid group who was heading to Xi’an as well. They were on the longer trip that will last for 21 days.

Overall, the sleep was very good. After settling into our hotel in Xi’an, we headed to a house for a home cooked meal. It was delicious. The couple preapred a delicous tofu dish. I swear, I’ve never had tofu this good before! It was soft, silky and sooo smooth! Simply amazing. The vegetables were so fresh. I wish we had markets like they have here.

Tonight we will be having a Dumpling Banquet. I look forward to tasting over 20 kinds of dumplings!

Hi folks,

Quick update:  Today is our last day in Beijing. We will be heading to Tian’anmen Square  and Forbidden City. Then later on tonight we take an overnight train to Xi’an. Things have been going well.

I am excited to see the Teracotta Warriors and eat more tasty food. This morning I ordered my breakfast in Chinese! woo hoo.

15 mins on the internet is up. I will update further on my reflections on this wonderful city later on.

A.

Ni Hao! I am in Beijing, China. Today is Day 2 of our trip and we will be heading to the Great Wall of China!

Day I:

The plane ride was very good. I am surprised by this, I only had to use the washroom once! I found it comfortable, (partially because I wasn’t sitting next to anyone) and there was plenty of entertainment onboard. I watched many movies, played a few games and of course slept. The food was acceptable for the plane ride. At least they were timely, whenever my stomach was hungry they seemed to be going around with food/snacks . At one point we had a cheeseburger and ice cream. Don’t worry, I was good. I at the cheeseburger, and had a few bites of the Haagan Daz ice cream. I felt so sad wasting it.

Getting to my hotel was an interesting experience. Carrying the hiking pack on the public transportation system proved to be challenging. It wasn’t so bad on the Express Train to the subway because there was a lot of space. However once I got to the subway I was standing for most of the way. Thankfully it only weighed about 30lbs! Also, a nice gentleman paid for my subway ticket and helped me find the proper track. My chinese lessons are coming in handy! I’ve had a few conversations…(very limited) but at least I am getting better at understanding what people are asking.

For supper we ate Peking Duck! It was delicious. The skin was so crispy. I was blown away at how fresh the vegetables tasted. One of my favourite vegetables was the Chinese Spinach …I forget the proper name, but they were so juicy and crunchy. My taste buds has been spoiled. I will have to post pictures much later.

Day 2:

We just got back from the Great Wall of China. I have no words to express how wonderful the experience was! We were at the Mutianyu section. I tackled many fears. First, my fear of heights (we took a cable car up, ironically the very same one that President Bill Clinton took!). Second, my fear of staircases. Well I guess it is not so much of a fear, but an aversion towards steps. I can climb them with no problem, but going down them makes me extremely nervous. I feel like I am going to lose my balance in most case. (Perhaps I need to do more yoga or something) Lastly, I faced my fear of going down by toboggon! My co-worker warned me against this particular method of coming down from the wall, but I decided to try it anyway. I have a dislike for these things…waterslides and rollercoasters are just not my thing…so well obviously I wasn’t thrilled to take it. It was this or a chairlift down! The toboggon was not as bad as I thought.

Tonight we will be eating a Szechuan dinner. Then I hope to meet up with Leah’s sister!

Overall, the experience here has been great. There is a strong mix of old and new. You can see this especially in their transportation system. In rural areas, horse drawn carriages are still used. Also, biycles are everywhere!

I also noticed that there are lines between upper and lower class. These are usually marked by walled areas. The poor areas in the city are quite poor. Our tour guide mentioned that they do not have a problem obtaining food or clothing, but shelter is a huge issue.

Well I want to get some walking down in the city before we head for supper.

Cheers,

A.

The day has finally come! I am on my way to China. I am at the airport and I am so glad that they have Free Wi-Fi. I imagine that all the other airports cost some money .

I was afraid that I was going to miss my flight today. They only had one person at the desk and the group infront of me was having issues with checking in. Thankfully their were no problems on my end. I am now just playing waiting game.

One hour till my flight leaves.

I am franctically updating my little netbook with software, like Skype, and downloading material to read on the plane about China. Its going to be a long flight and I should milk this free wifi as much as possible.

Wow. In less than 12 hours I will be on a plane heading towards Newark, NJ. Then on a plane to Beijing, China! I have been anticipating this trip for a long time, and now it is finally here. Honestly, I am quite nervous.  I have checked and re-checked my bags. I realized that I will need to buy a watch with an alarm, but that shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

I packed quite lightly …(well I think so). I am taking one large hiking pack (courtsey of my brother) and small day pack (again, it is wonderful to have a brother that has the gear).

I will begin my trip with a tour group (Intrepidtravels.com). Next, I plan to meet up with my Uncle in Shanghai. I don’t have the next few days planned out, but I am hoping to visit the surrounding cities. Later, I will head to Shenzhen, then to Hong Kong. I will leave China for Singapore to hang out with family.

I don’t have much to say right now, but I hope to post pictures as the trip evolves. So stay tuned!