Arrived in Beijing and found my hotel ok - taxi had to phone them for directions. Went out in the evening in search of food and ended up at a Pekking Duck restaurant. Everything on the menu sounded gross tho - intestines, webbed feet etc - so I ordered something plain (fried rice with beef). The waitress said I couldn't have that tho and brought me a beef stew with rice which was basically just gristle and bone!

Spent the next few days exploring various sites in the city with and without my tour group, who I met on the 2nd day. By that time I'd already been ripped off twice with the 'tea scam' and the 'art scam'! Saw the Forbidden City, The Summer Palace, the Bird's nest stadium, Tianamen Square and most importantly The Great Wall! It was freezing cold on this day but the climb soon warmed us up and the views were great. My calf muscles killed for about the next week tho from all the steps! Food was amazing every night with our tour guide Eileen ordering for us - even went back to the duck place again!

Next we got the overnight train to Shanghai.