Farewells!

I've decided to give you two days in one update. Two for the price of one! What a deal, eh?

So yesterday, I woke up to a text message from the BBC peeps telling me that the plans had changed: we were going filming in a village that very day, and I had to be on the other side of town in 30 minutes! Could I make it?

I could. JUST in time, too!

The village was an amazing place. Just half an hour outside of Beijing, and it was as if we were in a completely different country.


It was really interesting to see that side of life in China. The camera crews did their thing and I followed them around. We were there till after sunset, and towards the end of the day it seemed like the whole village had turned up to hang out and be a part of the action! I met some great people, including this adorable group of girls who were playing and making up dance routines to various songs. It reminded me so much of what my sisters and their friends used to do on holidays when they were that age. Good times.

Then, today, I took another stab at the Forbidden City! Cause you know what they say: second time's the charm! (I know they don't really say that. Cut me some slack, guys!) Well, I made it in, and it was very much worth it.


The Forbidden City itself was a lot more interesting than Tiananmen Square itself. For one thing, the architecture was more ornate. The open spaces were tiered and decorated, and much more fun to walk through than flat, open courtyard. Also, it was just cool being in a place that for so many years was out of bounds for most of the world, where the imperial families of China lived and worked.


Incidentally, I have a theory about the name. The place isn't forbidden any more, so why still call it the Forbidden City? Because the 'Open To All For A Small Fee' City doesn't have the same ring to it. Also, I guarantee you that most of the people there were drawn, at least in part, by the idea of wandering around someplace that's forbidden. I know I was!

After all this, I wandered around a little and made my way over to the ol' Chinese Box hostel to meet up with the old crowd. As it turns out, people have been leaving in ones and twos and threes, so all that remains of 'the old crowd' is me, Paul and Janko. Alas, sunrise, sunset, auld lang syne, yes, we have no bananas. But we did go out for a fantastic last meal in Beijing, and made friends with a group of elderly, good-natured Finnish people, and the evening was pretty much everything I could have hoped for and more.


So now I'm sitting in the hostel, and I should really be sleeping cause I'm getting up in 7 hours. The plane leaves pretty early! Tomorrow I plan to update with a big chunk of reflection and looking-back and suchlike. But for now, let me just say that it's been a wild three weeks, and looking back on it, I don't regret a minute of it.

Goodbye, Beijing. I'll talk to you guys from England.

Night, all.

PS: Ladies and gentlemen, today's moment of zen:


Yes, those are British athletes. Yes, that is a signed flag. No, I have no idea who they are or what sport they were in. It was a photo of opportunity!

Wanderings!

Nothing much to report today, folks! It was a rather sedate day. No pictures either. I'm sorry.

I got up, did some work, and then I hopped on the subway with the notion that I'd check out this antiques market I've heard about. Well, I got to the right subway stop, then realised I had no idea where to go from there. I spent a good while looking around the area, even asking directions, but I just couldn't find it. After a while I gave up and went to Wangfujing. I love that place!

Today was 'buy random stuffs' day! I managed to pick up some souvenirs for family people, but I won't say what they are cause it's gonna be a surprise. To any family reading this: don't get too excited, they're more like 'trinkets' then actual 'gifts'. But I thought they were nifty!

I also got a copy of American Gods, cause I'm in desperate need of reading material. On a similar note, Caroline is awesome and recommends good stuff.

Sleep now! And with any luck, tomorrow should be a much more interesting day with actual photographs and suchlike!

Animals!

Lions!


Tigers!


Bears!


Oh my!

That's right folks, today I went to the Beijing Zoo! I'm not sure why I haven't been before now, cause it was a very cool place! I slept in to a ridiculously late hour, so I didn't have quite as much time as I would have liked around there, but hey! HEY!


At least I saw the pandas. Those guys are freaking adorable in person.

Other than that, today was a slow day. I've pretty much been lounging around the hostel, doing some work on the show I'm set designing for. The zoo was a great time, though, and because it's a vaguely old institution it's full of fantastic translation errors! I highly recommend the place for the awesome animals and the comedic value!

And now it is time for sleeping.

Olympics!

Today I did something very special. In my travels around Beijing, I've heard rumours - whispers, one might say - of some kind of event that's been going on in town recently. I finally decided, hell, I'd best go and check out what it is that everyone's getting so worked up about.

So I went to the Olympic Rowing finals!


I got a wee flag and everything, cause I'm hardcore like that. The rowing was a lot of fun to watch, and the crowds were fantastic:


The Chinese fans went nuts whenever a Chinese boat raced, and when they won a gold? I thought I'd go deaf! It was insane. Britain came away with a few golds, and so did the USA, so both sides of me were duly satisfied! All in all it was a great day.


As a side note, we saw this on the way to the event:


Yeah, man, I dunno. Military presence in cities... still doesn't sit right with me.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I need to collapse into bed. Desperately. Night all!

Gardens!

I woke up this morning and decided to visit Tiananmen Square. And about damn time too! Can y'all believe I haven't been to it yet? It's high time that was remedied, I said to myself. So I did, cause I am a man of action.


There we are! At long last!

Now, here's the thing about Tiananmen Square. It's huge, and it's certainly impressive. But when you get down to it, that's pretty much all you can say. Big featureless buildings and huge featureless courtyards. Don't get me wrong, I dutifully walked through it and was duly awed, but... when you get down to it, 'big' is the most you can say about it.

My plan was to walk through Tiananmen and onwards to take a look at the Forbidden City. But calamity! The Forbidden City closes at a ridiculously early hour, and I was too late. Woe. But lemme say this: if anybody ever finds themselves in the same situation, just turn left. You'll find yourself in a great little place called the Sun Yat Sen Garden: a little park right in the middle of the city that somehow lets you forget about traffic and skyscrapers.


I'll say this for Beijing: it's got some wonderful parks.

After all that, it was back to the hostel. I gotta say, I think I prefer the Chinese Box. It's just more fun there, and it's got a great atmosphere. People hang out and meet each other. Here, everyone's already doing their own thing. Ah well. I reckon I'll head back there tonight to see what everyone's doing.

G'night!

Reflections!

You guys, guess what? It's been 2 weeks! Time for some personal reflection. Strap yourselves in tight, cause it's gon' get real.

So the difference between this week and last week is incredible. I just moved into a new hostel, I don't know anyone here, but I feel fine. I feel happy! And I think it's for the following reasons: I've gotten more experience with the city. The job got a lot easier when we decided that I don't actually need to leave the hostel to check the internet. I made a lot of friends at the Chinese Box, and we're still going to hang out.

Probably most importantly, I leave in a week. Now's a good a time as any to announce that my stay in China now ends on the 22nd, not the 29th. I'll be flying from Beijing to London, for a week's relaxation in England's Green and Pleasant Land, and I honestly can't wait. It's for the best, and the thought of seeing my family in a week's time is really helping my mood.

So yes. This week has been a hell of a lot better than last week. And I've done some kickass stuff in the past few days! Which leads me to my next point.

I told myself that, weather permitting, I'd go to the Summer Palace today. Well, blogketeers, let me just say this: weather permitted.


I know, right? Beijing without the smog hardly seems like Beijing at all! But there it is. And let me say, the Summer Palace was beautiful. Full of serene wooded parks...


... and amazing imperial architecture!


I took a boatride across the lake, and generally just wandered about enjoying the sun and scenery.


The one complaint I have about the Summer Palace is the scourge - that's right, scourge - of identical food and trinket stalls they have, every ten metres. It's pretty ridiculous, and kind of detracts from the natural beauty of the surroundings? Ah well. It could be so much worse.

When I got back to the hostel, I realised - by which I mean, the staff told me - that I had only booked up to today, and that I had to move and make way for more people. Yeah, I had it in my mind that I was moving tomorrow. A little packing and a cab ride later, and here I am at the Lama Temple International Youth Hostel, my newest - and final - digs!

Tomorrow? Who knows? Right now I'm gonna settle down in my new bed and watch Iron Man.

Aw yeah. Y'all heard.