Tanks but no tanks

After the Great Wall, a night at the opera seemed in order. I found a little restored temple that hosts Beijing Opera shows nightly. Some high pitched squealing and beautiful head dresses. The acrobatics were good also. Monkey masks and Kung Fu.

My Icelandic friend, Hera, and I were kicked off Tiennemen Square (should have left the tank back at the hostel) unbeknownst to myself, parliament was in congress and so the square and all surrounding streets were evacuated! This currently happens everyday but they alternate between the morning or afternoon.

Mao's Mausoleum (or as the Swiss guy in my dorm says, Maosoleum) is only open for 3 hours a days (depending on Congress times too) and it seems I might miss him as Lyndon and I missed Ho in Hanoi...

I've met some great people, predominately, Hera and 2 Canadian brothers - Sisco and Casey. We managed to find a pumping club in Beijing on a Wednesday night. For those in the know (I am not one of those), the DJ was DJ Food?? People were getting excited - I have no understanding of this but am told he is BIG.

The hostel has a 1/2 hour policy of internet usage, so I must apologise for the lack of diary entries at this stage. I am also unable to view any comments or re- read any of my messages (unsure whether this is a China or terminal problem) so you can write to my hotmail address.

Bei Jing you little ....

Greetings. I sit with strained calves (not of the cow description) after tackling the Great Wall yesterday. I decided to throw myself into the climb leaving less than 10 hours after I arrived into Beijing. I ended up at a part of the wall which remains vacant from the hoards of tourists. I would estimate that the total number of camera carriers totaled no more than 50 in the 4 hours I was trying to envisage how the climb would be if I was fitter. Must cut back on the Double Cranes. Quite incredible really. Why would you venture to any other part of the wall? Anyway, very picturesque. Exactly how one would imagine it. The rolling bricked wall framed amongst an ink painting backdrop. A sleepy dragon about to erupt. It had actually snowed during the past night and traces of stubborn snow were still visible in the shade of the steps. It was about 2 degrees on arrival but during the day managed to break into a sweltering 16 degrees - maybe that was due to my level of fitness.

He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a True Man - Mao Zedong

Great Wall hold back disaster comfort me - Boom Crash Opera