Wow! Both in surprise and amazement.
We wake to rolling hills of tropical shrubbery encompassed by lakes and rivers as far as the eye can see. Beautiful as we hurtle through changing landscape that begins to flatten out and make way for agriculture and villages. We pass by many of China’s infamous Ghost Towns, well worth a read to find out about these vast prebuilt cities without people.
Getting close to Beijing is made evident by the Smog that no description can prepare you for. By the time we’re in Beijing we can’t even see the other side of the street it’s so dense.
Exiting the station we’re introduced to the thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of people filling every available space around the station; sitting, standing, sleeping, spitting, selling, gambling, cooking, eating, begging, and rushing about. One tries their best to seep through the mire, like trudging through a swamp.
After a short walk we arrive at the hotel, shower and settle in and go for a walk around the street markets where we catch a glimpse of scorpions, seahorses and starfish all grilled to ‘delicious’ perfection!
In the evening we leave for a fantastic feast of all sorts of food from 100 Day Egg to Sweet and Sour pork. Bellies full for less than £4 including two dishes each, beers and spirits we leave for a late night adventure through the Hutongs and back streets in the rain - a welcome relief as we’re promised blue skies once the rain washes away the smog.
