Friday I returned to Beijing because I had to speak at a teachers' conference. Normally, I wouldn't go back so soon, but the last two weeks schedules were out of my hands.
I returned to the Far East Hostel, which has become my Beijing home. It was a perfect location since the conference hotel (special price of $66/night compared with $9.90) was just down the main drag 5 minutes south. I got the same room so this does feel like "home."
Friday I wasn't so lucky with the roommates as I got someone who came in at 2am or something. So she woke me, but wasn't rambunctious about it. Saturday I got an Aussie woman who just finished a practicum in acupuncture in South China. She had good tales to tell. Then there was a more quiet Swiss woman. No one noisy.
The conference didn't start till Sunday so on Saturday, I got up, treated myself to a Western breakfast - scone and cappuccino and headed for the Forbidden City. I wanted to see the post-Olympics renovation and get some pictures. The sky wasn't all that blue, but I have no idea when I'll be back so carpe diem.
On the weekends one expects crowds at any sight in Beijing and there were hordes of people, lots of groups on Saturday, but it wasn't horrible till the end.
This time I went to the Picture and Calligraphy Gallery out through a gate on the left once you enter the first courtyard. That was a smart choice. The gallery has been renovated and has lots of bilingual multimedia explaining the various works. It's beautifully displayed and it wasn't crowded so you could leisurely enjoy the art work. It's just one floor and three main galleries so it doesn't add that much time to your trip. Oh, it's free, or no extra charge.
I then spent hours taking pictures (soon to be posted here) and wandering around the magnificent Imperial Palace.
I did long for the Starbucks that Bridget and I never found. They have a few cafes, but they weren't the same, close but not the same. Too generic. I would say they could use an upscale tea place for visitors to relish some tea in real porcelain cups, not paper and something to nibble on like petite dumplings.
There are some new gift shops, very nice and so expensive. For example, they had T-shirts for 168 rmb at various shops, which is about 100 rmb more than you'd normally pay. I did find the Red China Mao playing cards that Genevieve admired at a good price though.
After the Forbidden City, I trekked over to the Hilton for a leisurely lunch. It's hard for one person to find a meal since so many restaurants cater to groups. Chynna at the Hilton was a lucky choice for a good lunch set at 108 rmb for several courses.
Afterwards I went up to the Olympic grounds to get some photos of the Bird's Nest and the Cube since the one's I took in May were lost.
Then I tried to find the electronics part of town to buy an adapter for my laptop, but it was 6-ish and too dark to search a new part of town. I wandered a bit and went to the conference site to register.
I returned to the Far East Hostel, which has become my Beijing home. It was a perfect location since the conference hotel (special price of $66/night compared with $9.90) was just down the main drag 5 minutes south. I got the same room so this does feel like "home."
Friday I wasn't so lucky with the roommates as I got someone who came in at 2am or something. So she woke me, but wasn't rambunctious about it. Saturday I got an Aussie woman who just finished a practicum in acupuncture in South China. She had good tales to tell. Then there was a more quiet Swiss woman. No one noisy.
The conference didn't start till Sunday so on Saturday, I got up, treated myself to a Western breakfast - scone and cappuccino and headed for the Forbidden City. I wanted to see the post-Olympics renovation and get some pictures. The sky wasn't all that blue, but I have no idea when I'll be back so carpe diem.
On the weekends one expects crowds at any sight in Beijing and there were hordes of people, lots of groups on Saturday, but it wasn't horrible till the end.
This time I went to the Picture and Calligraphy Gallery out through a gate on the left once you enter the first courtyard. That was a smart choice. The gallery has been renovated and has lots of bilingual multimedia explaining the various works. It's beautifully displayed and it wasn't crowded so you could leisurely enjoy the art work. It's just one floor and three main galleries so it doesn't add that much time to your trip. Oh, it's free, or no extra charge.
I then spent hours taking pictures (soon to be posted here) and wandering around the magnificent Imperial Palace.
I did long for the Starbucks that Bridget and I never found. They have a few cafes, but they weren't the same, close but not the same. Too generic. I would say they could use an upscale tea place for visitors to relish some tea in real porcelain cups, not paper and something to nibble on like petite dumplings.
There are some new gift shops, very nice and so expensive. For example, they had T-shirts for 168 rmb at various shops, which is about 100 rmb more than you'd normally pay. I did find the Red China Mao playing cards that Genevieve admired at a good price though.
After the Forbidden City, I trekked over to the Hilton for a leisurely lunch. It's hard for one person to find a meal since so many restaurants cater to groups. Chynna at the Hilton was a lucky choice for a good lunch set at 108 rmb for several courses.
Afterwards I went up to the Olympic grounds to get some photos of the Bird's Nest and the Cube since the one's I took in May were lost.
Then I tried to find the electronics part of town to buy an adapter for my laptop, but it was 6-ish and too dark to search a new part of town. I wandered a bit and went to the conference site to register.
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