April 19, last full day in Beijing

A free day for our last full day in Beijing, so we decided to try out the metro system. Actually, we got on very well with it once we got going, and made our way up to the Olympic area to see the “Bird’s Nest” stadium which was the centrepiece of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It’s now called the national stadium, although I seem to remember reading before we left the UK that it’s a bit of a white elephant now. If Seb Coe and his henchmen don’t sort out what’s going to happen to the stadium in Stratford pretty soon, that’s going to go the same way, I should think.

Anyway, it’s a fascinating building and we bought tickets for the “VIP Tour”. We had about 45 minutes to wait before the next tour started, so we wandered into the stadium to have a look around. I noticed that you could hire segways and ride round the running track on them, so I couldn’t resist (Jen could). £15 for 20 minutes, and as I had never previously ridden a segway I thought it was good value. It was really good fun and my session finished about ten minutes before our tour was due to start, so we followed the signs to “Tour Assembly Area”. When we got there, there was no-one around, and we never did get our tour. This, I’m afraid, is typical of the really poor standards of service that we have experienced throughout China. When you have a native guide with you, it’s not too bad, but when you are on your own and don’t speak the language, it seems that nobody gives a toss.

Surprised that I didn't attract a bigger crowd!

We made our way back to the subway station and, after three changes of line, we reached the area of Huo Hai lake, to the north-west of the Forbidden City, which is famous for its hutongs (a maze of alleyways where ordinary people live and work). On the shores of the lake itself there are bars, restaurants and endless men offering rickshaw rides, and we spent three or four hours in the area. We even found a proper Chinese Starbucks (see picture)!

Before leaving the hutong area we visited the Mansion of Prince Dong. It’s a vast house and garden complex which is no doubt historically interesting and certainly very attractive, but we had no guide and the signage is all in Chinese, so at the end of the visit, apart from what we’d read in the guide book, we were none the wiser!

A rickshaw taking tourists through the hutongs near Hou Hai Lake.

Eventually, feeling lazy and tired, we returned to our hotel (using the subway again) and enjoyed a couple of drinks before supper and an early night. Walking around in the fresh air all day tires you out!

Jenny’s bit: Chinese men spit.  The pre-spitting routine is very loud.  There are so many Chinese men, and so much spit. Jx