Adventure of the month

Soong Ching Ling's home A pyromaniac's dream Teas, teas, teas View from the Drum Tower Temple of Heaven Michael leading the way By the fourth day, we were finally ready to venture out on our own. We had the morning to ourselves and my guide book had a suggested walking tour of the Hutongs , so a plan was set. The Hutongs , as they are known, are the small alleys and lanes leading to a jumble of simple homes which used to proliferate most of Beijing. But sadly, progress always has a price and in the story of Beijing, it is the hutongs that have paid the most dearly. Swath by large swath, they are being eradicated to make way for high rises and Olympic stadiums. The area near the Drum Tower, which is where we went, has become quite popular with tourists looking for a glimpse into the days of Old Beijing, so it appears to be safe from imminent destruction, although, it may now face a similarly disappointing fate. On one of the main intersections, there no...

Crappy picture of the very cool Bird' Nest Stadium taken through a bus window. Even crappier picture of the even cooler Water Cube Arena The Juyong Pass portion of the Great Wall of China Sign declaring that all who walk on the wall become Chinese heroes. One of the protectors on the Sacred Way. Some are less threatening than others.. By the third day, I was feeling decidedly better, which is fortunate, because the day's group outing included a visit to one of the newly named seven world wonders (my 4th of the list). We were heading to The Wall, the famous one that gets all the press, the one you can allegedly see from outer space (only, you really can't)...the fricking Great Wall of China. To get there, we had to drive about 37 miles outside of Beijing, passing two of the landmark stadiums being built for this year's Olympics along the way. We saw them without the benefit of any lighting, landscaping or final flourishes that are sure to come a...