Wow!!! What an amazing past 3 days!! We left Changping on monday to begin 3 days of sightseeing around Beijing to finish off our trip in China. Having just raced, packed my bike up, watched the elite women, gone to closing ceremony all on the Sunday I was pretty flipping exhausted but China awaited and this was a once in a lifetime chance! We began our sightseeing in the Ming Tombs. We visited the tomb of one of the emperor’s from the Ming Dynasty, who had built his tomb in this area because of the good ‘Fung Shui’ when he was 19years old. He then celebrated his 24th birthday in the tomb….bit creepy but nevermind!

Next on our travels was the Great wall of China. I have to say this was probably the highlight for me of the whole trip. Now the great wall spans 5000miles across China but exists in different passes. We visited the Juyong pass and with two different ways to climb the wall, we began our ascent. Having completed this side in not too long a time and realising that the other way went higher and longer AND our tour bus leaving in less than an hour ….this seemed like a good challenge. With a bet of alcohol thrown in that we couldn’t climb the other side in 20mins this was all I needed to get going!! Now, if you have ever been to the great wall you will understand that’s it’s blooming steep steps of varying heights and they go on and on and on….. This was hard work but the view at the top was amazing!!! The scenery was just breathtaking. Unfortunately the weather let us down as it was really misty which kind of spoiled the view but it was something else! the way down was pretty precarious and outstretching both hands to steady myself with full concentration on controlling my legs I knew I was going to suffer later for this. As we made our way down carefully, a chinese man with 3 bin bags full of rubbish came running by….DOWN…the wall!! Fair enough he’s probably had a lot of practice but SACK THAT as a job! Very impressive!

I won’t go through everything else in quite so much detail but other things encountered in the past few days include:

Tiananmen Square

Forbidden City

Summer Palace (including a boat ride….vomit)

Temple of heaven

Lama Temple (not related to Temple of Heaven)

Jade Factory

Pearl Factory

Silk Factory (was really only a couple jars filled with preserved larvae)

Kong Fu Show

Silk Market

Rickshaw Tour

‘Genuine’ chinese man’s house….or basically a long tale

Downtown Beijing

now I think that’s it…. apart from the bus banter….karaoke tonight ‘chinese style’…

It’s been an amazing visit, and it really is a very interesting place with very strong culture. I won’t say too much about the politics about the place because that would be a whole other kettle of fish….plus the internet is restricted enough over here I wouldn’t want to be arrested for saying something out of line! It truly was a great experience, with a great race and fantastic end to the season.

Coming home tomorrow though and there is a TT on Sunday which I may just do for fun….then there’s Huntly triathlon next weekend….again, just for fun of course….THEN I’ll finish my season….maybe…..

Well, must get packed and find my passport which I actually seem to have misplaced at the moment! But it must be here somewhere….otherwise I may be here a little longer and to be honest I think Ive had enough of eating rice, breathing smog and squatting toilets so Ive got to find it!

Thanks for following my blogs over this visit. Please subscribe to my blog and I will continue to update with details of my next adventures….STATESIDE BABY 🙂

 

For the last time….Goodnight China, Goodafternoon Scotland and Goodmorning America

Lisa x