So we had a real Chinese dinner last night. As we were walking back to our hostel we were feeling pretty hungry, and we decided to be brave. For dinner, we chose a small restaurant in the main hutong street by our hotel. It was the smaller then our kitchen, with tables full of middle aged to older Chinese people and not an english word in sight. The cooks, which were an older Chinese couple that spoke no english, seated us at a table with another man who was asle...

Today started off really confusing. We got up early with the intention of walking through tiananmen square, then visiting the forbidden city. But police men were everywhere and they had roped off the walkway underpasses and crosswalks so we couldn't get to either attaction. We kept walking further and further, trying to navigate around the blocks, but we finally rage quit and decided to visit the summer palace instead. We trekked back to the metro station and att...

Well, we survived the 12 hour flight. Minor incidents when the two young Chinese boys in front of us efficiently discovered the recline option on their chairs, but we tuned into 4 movies and endured. Our flight was air Canada, and we departed at about 2pm Vancouver time, and we arrived in Beijing at 4pm china time. We were picked up at the airport by victor, our prearranged driver. We found him in the mob of guides and drivers by the sign he held, labelled 'mr al...