Things didn't start too well here....our hotel wasn't quite what we were expecting and the area wasn't too great (basically a building site); wasted several hours in both of Beijing's HUGE railway stations trying to find the ticket offices (and failing to buy a soft-sleeper rail ticket); and getting ripped off by a taxi driver!! The next day didn't start too well either.....had decided to move to a hostel recommended by someone in Shanghai but couldn't find the place! Had to phone the hostel, then get TWO random Chinese people to speak to them to try and find out where we were in relation to the hostel!!! Still, it was worth it in the end as it was a much nicer place to stay (even if they did play Jean Claude Van Damme movies every night)! Anyway, we did all the usual tourist spots - Tianamen Square (just a very big square); The Forbidden City (slightly disappointing to be honest - probably wasn't helped by the fact that some of it was closed for refurbishment); The Summer Palace (really enjoyed this, basically a chance to wander around a huge lake for the day - shame the smog was pretty bad) and the Temple of Heaven Park (more parks and temples - again, nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city). The highlight was probably The Great Wall (even if it did mean having to get up at 6am)!! The weather was good and we had arrived before the crowds. It was crazy when we got back to the starting point - you have to walk down a narrow alley that has stalls on either side, all selling exactly the same crappy tourist junk.....and it just goes on and on and on!! AND the sellers were really pushy - even trying to block your way down the path! I just thought it was funny.