Beijing

On my way home for Christmas break I spent a weekend in Beijing.  It was my third time in the city.  Every time I'm in Beijing I see a different Beijing.  My first time was in 2000 as a student at Northern Jiatong University.  I was studying history.  There were so many bikers at that time.  My second time was in 2007 as a debriefing time from teaching English at a university in Qinghuangdoa.  The city had changed so much in seven years.  More skyscrapers, cars and fewer bikers.  

This time I stayed by myself in a youth hostel in old Beijing, which is what Beijing used to look like before all the skyscrapers.  It is close to the Drum Tower and Bell Tower.  A very cool place to be.  I would highly suggest staying in hostels.  They are so clean and safe.  I stayed in a 6 bed public room for girls for about 55 yuan, which is $8 a night.  The first night I was with a teacher friend who was continuing onto Russia.  I saw her off at the Beijing Train Station.  

When I was wandering around old Beijing I walked into a music store where this man was tuning Chinese cymbols.  It sounded so interesting.

Sunday I spent with a student from Qinghuangdoa, who I barely knew, but she opened her heart and home to me.  It was her birthday so she had me over to her apartment and cooked me traditional style Beijing noodles.  The tradition is to eat noodles on your birthday for a long life.  They were so yummy.  Later we walked around Beihei Park and Hohei Lake.  We had some great talks.

Monday I got to meet another student from Qinghuangdoa for lunch and she helped me make it to the airport subway transfer.  The subways are fantastic in Beijing.  They have 13 lines.  You can get anywhere you need to in the city.

Didn't see any of the Olympic sights this time, but maybe next time around.