Busy Beijing

Left for China yesterday on the morning train. Was sad to leave Mongolia and I was a little upset to move on, but it was time. My friends Xime and Pato had given me some advice on what to do before getting on the train for China. So I was up late downloading a VPN and Google Translate. Hope it works! The landscape changed from a flat desolate place to a mountainous green land overnight. Made me excited to be in China. Arrived at the railway station and then it was chaos. People everywhere with less info than I have seen in other places. Managed to find money at an ATM a little ways away from the station after teaming up with a couple of Dutch guys. I guess the Bank of China is the only place that works. Who knew!

Blundered my way through a subway ticket and after a transfer and a bit of walking found my hostel. Bit nervous in China as language is going to be a real issue. Spent the day getting organized for the days to come. Got up at 7:30 to go to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. Left before eating so I picked up a Chinese version of a breakfast sandwich from a street vendor. Cost me about 50 cents and was quite tasty. Unsure of some of the things in it. May end up in the bathroom later! Headed to the subway to try my luck at getting to the square. Turned out to be quite easy and efficient. Got to the square and had a wander around before heading to the Forbidden City. Lots of people today at the Forbidden City being a Saturday. Was good but too crowded for my liking. Get used to it I guess because this place has a lot of people. Quite a big place with a lot of temples that kind of look the same. I liked it but was maybe expecting more. The Square is just a big place with a few monuments in it. Nothing really special, but famous because of the protests years ago that caught the world's attention. I enjoyed myself today in the Forbidden City and at the Square, but equally enjoyed just walking through the city on the way back to the hostel. Quite a neat active place that is so vibrant. People are very kind and helpful. Tomorrow is supposed to rain so I am unsure of what I am going to

do. Maybe a museum day would be a good idea. Who knows what tomorrow will bring, but I am sure it will be interesting whatever it is!