Beijing started off well. I found my hostel within about twenty minutes. That's a new record. On the first day, I visited Tianamen square. This was a little bit of a let down. I had learned a lot about the history of this square especially the 1989 incident but there was no mention of any of this here. After having visited Hiroshima and various places in Korea leaning about the Korean war, I kind of expected it but it was disappointing to see that so many Chinese probably don't know about their own history. There was a monument in the middle that was okay but other than just being a huge concrete square with no where to sit, it just seemed like a place to celebrate and recognize communism. In principle, communism is great but as we have seen so much in history, it can be brutal if you have the wrong man in place. Anyways, I'll go on.

While Tianamen was a little bit of a let down, behind its walls and the forbidden city was really cool. So much history I don't even know where to begin (or maybe because I only know a little), there were 14 emperors throughout Chinese history who called this their home. Very impressive architecture!

Immediately after the forbidden city, I ventured off in search of a food market that many travelers had told me about and it didn't disappoint. I met two Americans on my way there who helped me find it and also join me in the Chinese delicacies of street food, (I don't know if that jut made sense but I wanted the word delicacy in there, you'll see why in a second). On the list for this evening was scorpion, bee cocoon, cockroach, water beetle, cat, dog, silkworm, and centipede (with 46 legs?). Most of the food was simply on a stick and deep fried which proves that I could live in the wilderness or jungle (as long as I have my deep-fryer). Guess which new animal or insect I enjoyed the most. I'll tell you at the end!

One night, I didn't have much to do so I treated myself to a "Shaolin Kung Fu" show. It was okay. Certain parts were really good but the story line was quite slow. I also went to an art district in Beijing which was quite neat. Not many of the shops were open as it was a Monday (oops!) but the outdoor art was cool. I also found a few touristy shops which sold lots of Obama paraphernalia with his head as that of Mao Sedong. I could understand having Bush's head on t-shirts, posters and bags but what has poor Obama ever done an he's clearly no communist? I tried taking pictures of the stuff but was immediately told to put my camera away.

Then it was my birthday. My friends Emil and Emilia from Denmark joined me in climbing the Great Wall. We did a tour through our hostel an were a little skeptical because for about 75$ we got lunch, dinner, breakfast, transportation both ways, a pass to climb the wall and accommodation close to the wall. It sounded too good to be true. I now know why it was so affordable but I'm not complaining because the experience was amazing. We took a small little Chinese car their as transportation and then were taken to an area of the wall that very clearly looked closed, off-season or a place where we shouldn't have been. Either way, we were on a beautiful part of the extremely 2218 year old wall and with no other tourists. In fact, this was a spot of the original ancient wall (many new parts have been mostly if not completely redone) where the Mongolians had actually destroyed part of the wall which was the entrance. The wall was very cool by night but it was a little cloudy. It was amazing in the morning at sunrise and luckily for us, there was not a cloud in sight. The scenery of the mountains alone would have made it worth the trip and then throw in one of the Seven Wonders of the New World and that makes for a pretty spectacular birthday! Oh and I forgot to mention that we enjoyed a beer on the wall as well. Not to brag or anything but how many people can say they saw sunrise from the Great Wall of China while drinking a beer on their birthday... oh yeah! Before I forget, I have to mention how cold it was on the wall. I don't know the exact temperature but my drinking water froze and then when I set it down on the ledge, it blew off. Anyways, for continuing on about why the trip was so cheap, we stayed at a hotel that had no heat (probably a summer resort, I can't believe I just called it a resort). I don't know if I slept more than an hour. The lunch was a piece of bread with cheese, tomato and lettuce ( not bad though) and the best part was when our tour guide would hop out, push the closed gates open, drive past, get out of the car, close the car and not pay anyone for entrance fees. All in all, a great day and I hope the pictures prove how cool the wall was but I don't think they'll do it justice.

Well I am about done writing for two reasons, my Peking duck is about to come. I ordered it an hour ago but the restaurant just opened it will take a while but that's okay because it's about time I updated my readers. By the way, believe it or not but cockroaches were the best tasting and follow that up with some Jesus beer (picture on the can looked like Moisan in 2009...I mean Jesus). Last but not least, I am finished my meal and Peking duck was all it's cracked up to be. Really good!