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Itinerary for Beijing (base of operations was the Sitting on the City Walls Courtyard House, Beijing, China [Google Maps]):
2010/09/06 – Arrival in Beijing (from Hong Kong with Air China flight CA102)
2010/09/07 – Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Beihai Park
2010/09/08 – The Great Wall (at Badaling), Donghuamen Night Market
2010/09/09 – Beijing Zoo, Silk Market; Departure for Shanghai (via train D305)
Taxi into the city from the airport…
…the famous Beijing smog makes the buildings somewhat difficult to see.
Found our hostel… the Sitting on the City Walls Courtyard House.
Throwing your used toilet paper INTO the toilet is not a good idea here.
Welcome to Tiananmen Square.
Yes, me….on Tiananmen Square.
Next we went to the Forbbiden City…
…with lots of other people.
And finally we went for a walk in Beihai Park.
More Beihai Park.
Searching for dinner… rickshaws and bikes are clogging up the roads.
Looks like we found the home of the Rickshaws.
Finally…food. Not especially typical Chinese. But hey, I’m using chopsticks.
After two hours of riding buses… the Great Wall.
Here comes the first good opportunity to take a picture…
Still a long way to go…
Lots of up…
…and down…
…and up again.
Finally we reached the highest point of this section of the wall.
Followed, of course, by more walking…
Last chance to take a good picture before the sliding car.
At the Donghuamen Night Market. Food, food, food…
…as far as the eye can see…and a lot of it you don’t really want to eat.
Last day in Beijing and where do we go…the zoo.
Off to see the pandas…
I’m not sure if it is even alive.
It moved. Guess it’s not dead (yet).
This one has its paw over its eyes. Definitely wants to be left alone.
Now those have more space…
…and seem somewhat more alive.
Or perhaps not.
Time for a break and a picture.
Another lazy panda…somehow they remind me of koalas.
If you thought animals had it bad in our zoos…
…wait till you get to the Beijing Zoo.
![Welcome to Tiananmen Square. [2010/09/07 - Beijing/Tiananmen Square]](http://travel-on.planet-muh.de/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/20100907-Beijing-05-Welcome_to_Tienanmen_Square-300hs_1189p_img_0249_downscaled50-150x150.jpg)
