Great Wall of China

Jetlag!
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Fact: Beijing is the size of Belgium.     The peony is the countries flower.

It seems as though every person in China has a job.  Its as though they invent jobs for people to do...for example, while driving down the highway we saw a woman whose job was to sweep the highway with a broom.  They do backbreaking labor.  Cutting the grass with sickles, roadwork with picks and wheelbarrows.  There are no efficiencies for the working class.  And almost everyone is working class.

The Great Wall
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The city is on countdown to the 2008 olympics (literally they have a huge countdown in Tianamen Square - 701 days left folks).  There is so much construction and rehab going on here in preparation.  They have a lot to do yet.

We were told the best time to come to China will be in 2009.  Now is "bad" because of the construction and rehab.  2008 will be "bad" because the government has declared a minimum of a 50% markup on everything for the games.  But by 2009, the prices will be normal again and everything will be shiny and new.  Make your plans today!  In fact, if nothing else gets you excited about China...this should....

Tobogganing down the Great Wall!
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You can ride up to the great wall on a ski lift and slide down it via toboggan!

We swear it!  We went on a tour of a more remote part of the great wall (remote meaning less tourists).  We drove for 2 1/2 hours and arrived to find that you ride up to the top of the Great Wall on a chair lift and slide down it via toboggan (alpine slide for you Northeasterners).

The wall was amazing and really treacherous.  Carries walking sticks were the envy of everyone on the wall.  We spent about 2 hours climbing and walking the wall.  We took great pictures and will post.

Our street
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We are still seriously struggling with jetlag.  Today, we went to the Temple of Heaven and now plan on drinking a beer and watching 24.  That's right, we downloaded the whole season to our ipod before we left...guilty pleasure.

While we are thinking about it...we need to know who wins Rockstar Supernova.  First one to get back to us with the answer gets a special treat!

This morning, we did some amazing work...we took a bus to the train station and bought a ticket to Datong for tomorrow morning.  Mind you, we cannot speak, read, or understand a single word of Chinese.  This great feat was accomplished with the aid of our travel guide book, Carries brilliant pointing skills and some pushing and shoving.  So, tomorrow we head out to the country on what we thought would be a short train ride.  Turns out that shit is 10 hours and we are riding on "hard seats".  That'll make for a good story I'm sure.

Temple of Heaven
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Our hostel (which is totally gross) is in a really neat/filthly/loud/interesting hutong (old neighborhood). We are really  in the thick of it here.  Jarod, I will do my best to get you some good "food shots" :)

Going to the night market tonight.  Perhaps you have seen it featured on Globe Trekkers China?  Scorpions on  a stick for 10 yuan.  ($1.25)   MMMMMmmmm...

We'll be in touch again when we can!

Shannon and Carrie