Greetings from Beijing!!! [Archive]

Pawsitive Thinking

07-22-2007, 10:48 PM

Hello everyone :D

Got here eventually after a few delays (flooded railway lines, motorways, plane delayed etc etc) but wow what a place!

Found a lovely park very close to the hotel and had a little wander around yesterday - thought I was getting a nice tan but it turned out to be dust :D Lots of building work going on because of the Olympics

Been doing a lot of my favourite past time (no Jen, not table sleeping) - people watching - the highlight so far has been seeing a family of 3 on one moped!!

One thing is for sure, hubby will never complain about my driving again!!!

Karen

07-22-2007, 11:26 PM

Good to hear from you! When we were in Beijing in October 2001, the whole city was full of signs saying "Build New Beijing, Hold Great Olympics" which was just about the only English we saw. So I'm not surprised construction is still underway! Have a wonderful time!

Catty1

07-23-2007, 12:12 AM

Denise! People watching is just the best! I hope your home in the UK is all right...I just cannot believe all the flooding!

I look forward to hearing about your favourite person and place and all that! :)

wombat2u2004

07-23-2007, 01:51 AM

Hey BM.....good to hear from ya.
Hows the fried rice mate ???? OK ??? :D
Wom

Killearn Kitties

07-23-2007, 03:22 AM

What a surprise to hear from you already! Are you going to check in every day? :D

So long as you don't wash the building dust off, no-one will know it is not a tan once you get back home. :p

Maya & Inka's mommy

07-23-2007, 04:22 AM

Wow, a direct link with Bjing!! I am so happy to see you posting from the other side of the earth :) . Hey, watching people is something I love to: sitting on a bench and look at all the people walking by :D

I knew you were going to see lots of building everywhere. We went to Athens 1 year before they were hosting the Olympics; road works EVERYWHERE, and lots of building too. Even our hotel was renovating all their rooms :rolleyes: .

Seen any cute cats or dogs, Denise??

Big hug for you : http://users.pandora.be/bernardgabriels/images/smilies%20973%20Huge_hug.gif

Pawsitive Thinking

07-23-2007, 06:16 AM

Seen any cute cats or dogs, Denise??

Have only seen one dog and it was a Bichon.....very cute, you would have liked her Fritzie ;)

Had an eventful day - first taxi driver took us to a building site which wasn't that helpful :D ended up at the camera place where we wanted to go but was starting to get very confusing...............

So........we went to Beijing Zoo.................I'd heard nothing but bad about it so was expecting to be very angry and upset but have to say I was pleasantly surprised. The reptiles get a tough deal IMO but the pandas, tigers, monkeys,etc, etc all seem to live better than the people do round here. I will post some photos on my return to UK......

What needs to change at the Zoo is the education of the visitors - a gibbon charging at the cage is not "cute" she is protecting her young so stop tapping on the glass front!!!!!!

This place makes London look lazy....more later my friends xxxx

prechrswife

07-23-2007, 06:32 AM

Ni Hao! The traffic really is something to behold over there, isn't it? We only did one cab ride--most of the time, we were in our big tour buses, but wow... :eek:

Pawsitive Thinking

07-23-2007, 10:16 AM

Just got back from a fantastic meal - getting pretty nifty with the old chopsticks - get to eat more than ends up on the floor at any rate ;)

Met lots of lovely doggies this evening too - a peke, a chi, a jrt and two mini samoyeds....all very friendly so I am a happy PTer

Maya & Inka's mommy

07-23-2007, 10:17 AM

So it is true that the traffic there is super-hectic!! 13 years ago wewent to South Korea, to Seoul, and it was impossible there to cross a street!

Pawsitive Thinking

07-23-2007, 10:29 AM

Manic would be a good description although I have yet to see any cars with huge dents in them! There does appear to be a drivers etiquette here - just got no idea what it is :D

JenBKR

07-23-2007, 10:52 AM

Been doing a lot of my favourite past time (no Jen, not table sleeping)

Well, I must say I am disappointed. I guess I will have to do all of the table napping here for you.

Glad you are having a good time, enjoy that 'tan!'

sandragonfly

07-23-2007, 06:09 PM

hello! :D

glad to hear you're having fun. :) enjoy few more!

Pawsitive Thinking

07-25-2007, 08:59 PM

Went to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square which were amazing! So much history in those walls and the buildings were just wow.

As you may know I have tagged along on one of hubby's conferences - and part of this was attending the Conference Banquet - well pah!!!! First of all it was a buffet and hubby and I have lost a whole day due to food poisoning!!!!! Haven't eaten for 36 hours and spent a whole day in the room either on the big white telephone or asleep.......oh well, I did say I was looking forward to getting lots of rest :D

The guide books tell you that foreigners are a source of fascination to the locals which is true but what they don't warn you about is that us well endowed ladies will be openly stared at (and not at our faces) :D

Got a couple more tours booked to the Summer Palace and the Great Wall then we are leaving Beijing on Sunday to stay somewhere along the Li River - I am looking forward to getting into the countryside for a while......

Freedom

07-25-2007, 09:04 PM

I hope you are taking lots and lots of pictures for us! You will need another vacation after you upload all of it on your return home!

Sorry you were under the weather, glad to hear things are back on track. Enjoy!

prechrswife

07-25-2007, 10:58 PM

The Great Wall is amazing, but it is so steep. My knees were killing me by the end of the day. That said, I would go again in a heartbeat.

Maya & Inka's mommy

07-26-2007, 05:16 AM

OOPS!! Poor you, food poisoning is serieus! I hope it didn't ruin your plans to much.... :(

Pawsitive Thinking

07-26-2007, 05:57 AM

Am as close to normal as I am ever going to get :D I call it my "instant diet"

Hubby was at some conference thing this afternoon so I went for a wander to the supermarket and sat in the nearby park just watching the world go by. My legs are now a darker shade of white and its not just dust!!!

Glad to be feeling better and ready to do some more sightseeing over the next few days

Maya & Inka's mommy

07-26-2007, 08:14 AM

Wow, it is great to see you posting all the way from China!
I am so jalous, you are seeing the most special places. Please take tons of pics, okay :) . I miss you!!

JenBKR

07-26-2007, 08:40 AM

Do you DID do some table sleeping (a nice big white table). I'm glad to hear you are having a good time. Don't worry about me, stuck at work, all alone :( :p Have a good time!

Pawsitive Thinking

07-26-2007, 08:42 PM

Do you DID do some table sleeping (a nice big white table). I'm glad to hear you are having a good time. Don't worry about me, stuck at work, all alone :( :p Have a good time!

Take a week off - tell them I said so......

JenBKR

07-27-2007, 08:30 AM

Take a week off - tell them I said so......

woohoo I feel better already!

Laura's Babies

07-27-2007, 08:38 AM

I can't wait for the pictures!! Hurry home and start posting them!!

Pawsitive Thinking

07-27-2007, 08:42 AM

pitc9

07-27-2007, 12:11 PM

Glad to hear you're feeling better!
Can't wait to hear how your visit to the great wall went!!!

Maya & Inka's mommy

07-28-2007, 08:49 AM

Pawsitive Thinking

07-28-2007, 08:59 AM

Been a long but unforgettable day! The Great Wall was amazing but so busy otherwise we would have made it to the top (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it :D )

Had a great lunch with some lovely fellow trippers and ended up at the Ming Tombs where some gorgeous little boy took a fancy to my blonde plait!

All packed to leave for Yangshuo tomorrow for a few days :eek:

K9karen

07-30-2007, 12:10 AM

Sounds so exciting! It's one of the places I wanted to go, but never got to, when I was a travel agent.

Had to laugh at being stared at.. Decades ago, my boss was one of the 1st tourists to China. She was walking down Taminen Sq in her red winter coat when she "felt" eyes on her. She stopped, turned around and there were at least 50 people following her, pointing to her red coat and nylons and shoes!!! She offered the little kids some M&M candies but they recoiled in shock, thinking they were medicine pills! She had to bite into them to show the chocolate, then they scarfed them down!!! The food wasn't great (to her) in those days..lots of pickled ducks feet and octopus with the suckers on! And she had to drink bottled water! WOW! Have times changed!!!

Can't wait to see pictures!!! And lots of them!!!

Giselle

07-30-2007, 12:40 AM

Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow - so much to see!!!!

We also went to a pearl market where yours truly was chosen to model the necklaces :eek: Hubby bought me a black pearl bracelet ;)

Having quite an early night as we have to tackle the Great Wall tomorrow :eek:

Saw a bat flying overhead tonight which is a sign of something.....happiness, prosperity, longevity....I forget - but I know it is a good thing :rolleyes:
Ohh, I miss China. Half of my family is still back there. Granted, they're in HK/Guanzhou, but it's almost the same thing ;)

I hope you bargained for those pearls, though! Hate to tell you, but a lot of stuff there is fake. Even though I know this is true, I still love to buy things there. Just be sure to bargain! My cousin's tip: Never pay for more than 3/4 the original price. If possible, bargain to at least half of the original price. ;) It really works.

Pawsitive Thinking

08-02-2007, 06:40 AM

Last evening in Yangshuo - had to wait for only computer with internet access to be free!!

This place is beyond beautiful!!!! Been cycling, bamboo rafting and shopping!!! Back to Beijing in the morning

pitc9

08-02-2007, 04:19 PM

Thanks for posting while your on vacation, it makes me feel like I'm there too! :D

Pawsitive Thinking

08-03-2007, 09:29 PM

Spending the last few days in the most gorgeous hotel ever built! We have a 6 poster bed and the most fabulous furniture! There is a fish pond just outside our door and we had breakfast surrounded by budgies and parakeets.

Have only seen 2 cats the entire time (both white with ginger tails so I guess it could have been the same cat :D)

Seen quite a few dogs - and lots of puppies but they all seem to be looked after. The ones here are mainly little Pekes.

Am really enjoying the markets - hubby is a first class haggler!!! Tesco is in for a shock when he gets back :D

Lilith Cherry

08-03-2007, 09:49 PM

Glad you are enjoying China! Which city are you in now -- the high class hotels there are like palaces aren't they.. you can get thoroughly spoiled!

Most people who keep pet cats in Chinese cities keep them indoors so they wont be stolen ( or even worse , eaten :eek: )

Last summer I bought a young friend to Canada with me and she tried to bargain whever we went which was fun though sometimes embarrassing. In some cases though it actually worked!

Have fun!

Karen

08-03-2007, 10:14 PM

We just regretted not buying pearls for Paul's mom when we got home from China, being as they were 1/10th the price they are here. We had our guide/translator/friend who not only was apparently an expert haggler, but insisted on inspecting the merchandise - even running her fingers along the edges of every silk scarf we bought. She said afterwards it was her mother's training - she wouldn't buy *anything* without a complete inspection of it first.

Pawsitive Thinking

08-04-2007, 09:35 PM

Went to Beihi Park yesterday and the cat count doubled! Although they must be feral someone had put a dish of food and water out for them :D

The restaurant we went to last night was great fun - you cooked your own food on a grill in the middle of the table.

Today we are planning to go to the silk market for a few last minute presents - have loved it here, everything has been my favourite but I am looking forward to getting home to my Katie and my furkids :D

We have to leave quite early tomorrow so I expect my next post will be from the UK. We will be posting all our piccies so you can browse through them at your leisure - Karen would kill me for posting all 600+ on PT!!!!

Karen

08-04-2007, 11:12 PM

At the silk market, follow our friend Wang Min's example - run your fingers around the edge of each scarf or garment before you pay for it, just to be sure it is well-made!

Pawsitive Thinking

08-07-2007, 09:25 AM

Got back home yesterday evening and have 2 more days before work beckons again......so can spend lots of time with Katie and the animals :D

Katie and her friends festooned the house with balloons and welcome home messages - she was out having dinner with my Mum when we got in but when she got home she nearly knocked me flat with her hug :D so I guess she is happy to have the old folks home again :D

House and contents are intact and we have two guests for a while (her friend Becca is away so Katie is looking after her fish, Megan and Wayne :rolleyes: )

All in all it has been a fabulous 3 weeks - China was fantastic and being home again is wonderful :D Green tea anyone?? ;)

wombat2u2004

08-07-2007, 09:39 AM

Did you bring me back a present BM ????? :D
Wom

JenBKR

08-07-2007, 09:46 AM

Got back home yesterday evening and have 2 more days before work beckons again......

Wait a second......I don't believe I approved those extra days off. You are lucky I gave you all that time off for your vacation! I better be getting a really good present out of this :D

Pawsitive Thinking

08-09-2007, 06:14 AM

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a396/Denise40_0/panda.jpg

wombat2u2004

08-09-2007, 06:29 AM

Don't get off the bloody subject BM.
We want to know what you brought back from China for us all here in PT.
We want PRESENTS !!!!!! :p
Wom

Pawsitive Thinking

08-09-2007, 06:54 AM

Don't get off the bloody subject BM.
We want to know what you brought back from China for us all here in PT.
We want PRESENTS !!!!!! :p
Wom

Just little ole me :(

Whisk_Luva

08-09-2007, 06:56 AM

Just little ole me :(

Good enough ;) We can split you between us..... now who wants an arm? :D

wombat2u2004

08-09-2007, 07:14 AM

What ???? Not even a Hamster Spring Roll ????
Geez BM !!!! :rolleyes:
Wom

Killearn Kitties

08-09-2007, 07:19 AM

Have you sorted the rest of the pictures yet? Huh? Have you? Huh?

Whisk_Luva

08-09-2007, 07:20 AM

What ???? Not even a Hamster Spring Roll ????
Geez BM !!!! :rolleyes:
Wom

Oi! :p Hamsters are to cute to put in a spring roll! :p

wombat2u2004

08-09-2007, 07:45 AM

Oi! :p Hamsters are to cute to put in a spring roll! :p

Well....how about Gerbil Spring Roll then ???? ;)
Wom

Whisk_Luva

08-09-2007, 07:47 AM

Well....how about Gerbil Spring Roll then ???? ;)
Wom

How about no spring rolls? Or a nice healthy veggie one? :D

wombat2u2004

08-09-2007, 07:54 AM

How about no spring rolls? Or a nice healthy veggie one? :D

VEGGIE ???? OH Pallllleeeeeze.
I'm a carnivore !!!!!!

Whisk_Luva

08-09-2007, 07:57 AM

VEGGIE ???? OH Pallllleeeeeze.
I'm a carnivore !!!!!!
A prawn spring roll? :D

wombat2u2004

08-09-2007, 08:01 AM

A prawn spring roll? :D

Not as good a "Small Furry Animal" Spring Roll !!!!!! Heheheheeee

Whisk_Luva

08-09-2007, 08:05 AM

Not as good a "Small Furry Animal" Spring Roll !!!!!! Heheheheeee

But how could you eat these tiny cute faces?:

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s215/whisk-luva/chinoforforum.jpg

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s215/whisk-luva/whiskforforum.png

wombat2u2004

08-09-2007, 08:09 AM

But how could you eat these tiny cute faces?:

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s215/whisk-luva/chinoforforum.jpg

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s215/whisk-luva/whiskforforum.png

Ohhhhhhhhh....yum....can I eat the brown one first ????? :p
(Wombat licks his chops)

JenBKR

08-09-2007, 08:14 AM

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a396/Denise40_0/panda.jpg

awwwwwww do I get to take him home? :D

Pawsitive Thinking

08-09-2007, 08:24 AM

Have you sorted the rest of the pictures yet? Huh? Have you? Huh?

Be patient my dear - got nearly 700 of the flipping things to sort out :rolleyes: And I've got to get my dongle sorted to upload the zoo ones......