June 08, 2007

Arriving in Beijing

View from plane window just before decending into Beijing

Cartoon of man using a computer in a plane

I just arrived in Beijing after sitting for more than 10 hours beside a mathematical genius drumming esoteric formulas non stop on his computer...

When I was filming our descent, I thought at first that my lens was dirty and then I realised that pollution was shrouding the city in permanent veils of yellowish grey mist.

View of Beijing from the plane

Just the facts:

Beijing Capital International Airport is the main international airport that serves the capital city of Beijing, People's Republic of China. The Airport Code is PEK, because Beijing was formerly known in English as Peking. The code BJS is also frequently used.

First opened in 1958, the airport is located around 20 km to the northeast of Beijing city center and is today the busiest airport in the People's Republic of China.

Views from inside the airport...

Looking from the second floor onto the promanade

Beijing looks interesting and the people seem super friendly, I managed to avoid the well known racket of the airport taxi drivers by taking the bus.

Friendly people standing around waiting to board the bus

Tomorrow, I will enquire about train travel to Mongolia. So far so good. I like what I see and I am warming up to the local people.

Simple Overview Map of Beijing and it's environs

June 17, 2007

Have been in China for a week

The morning commute

Just the facts:

The capital of China, in the northeast part of the country, Beijing was founded 700 b.c. It served as Kublai Khan's capital (13th century) and the capital of China (1421-1911; 1949-present). It is a major commercial and industrial center and the political, educational, and cultural center of the country.

Wangfujing night market in Beijing

Map of major cities and regions in North China

I was pleasantly surprised by Beijing people, gentle, courteous, and friendly. To the left is what the morning commute looks like. Below is what everyone at work looks like.

The city is tentacular and everything is on a gigantic scale. One Chinese block is ten of ours. I dragged myself back to the hostel every night with wobbly legs!

I enjoyed above all getting lost in the maze of hutongs (alleys) sandwiched between super wide and busy avenues. These alleys are oasis of tranquility, like tiny villages hidden in the big city.

Time stopped there, a few decades ago, but people have found a life in the streets. Children play while parents cook and sell food on their doorsteps. Small gardens give families produce to eat or trade. The government is trying to move hutong residents to large apartment buildings, but many people (mostly the elderly) are resisting. They fear loss of community and individuality.

"No one will be able to find us."

"How will we live without our gardens ... our cook pots?"

A Chinese man and woman enjoying a pot of tea

In the hutongs, men and women have their routines... playing cards or chatting with friends. This doesn't happen in the apartment buildings to the same extent.

A hutong with greenery and bed sheet

A hutong beyond an ornate door

Unfortunately, the hutongs are disappearing fast. The end of the hutongs would be a very sad thing for everyone. Not only are the hutongs the best place to get an intimate feeling for the city and it's people, there is also a whole lot of great food to be tried!

A symbol of longevity in the Forbidden City... the body of a turtle with a dragon head

I enjoyed some other sightseeing... the Ming architecture of the Forbidden City:

Just the facts:
The Forbidden City was the Chinese Imperial palace from the mid-Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). It is located in the middle of Beijing, China and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost five centuries, it served as the home of the Emperor and his household and the ceremonial and political center of the Chinese government.
Built from 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 surviving buildings and exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture. The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987.

The Great Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City The Gate of Godly Prowess in the Forbidden City

I also was able to visit the Great Wall, gazing at breathtaking views.

The The Badaling section of the Great Wall of China

The Badaling section of the Wall snakes along the mountains NW of Beijing. It was built at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, representing battle forts at important points and at corners.

The Wall is the world's longest human-made structure, stretching over about 6,400 km. It was built to defend the empire against invasion.

Tomorrow I am catching the train to Mongolia. Am really looking forward to it. I will see blue skies again and breathe clean air. Click to continue the journey...