We are presently in Beijing and are not anywhere near the earthquake area. Some people in large buildings here felt the quake but not us. Thanks to those who have been in touch or have rung Kerri to check on us.
The newspapers and huge TV screens in the street run programmes all day updating the earthquake news or rerunning rescue scenes. The hostel we are staying in has set up a box for donations to the victims and the Red Cross mobile blood bank buses have set up in the walking street.
Near the walking street is snack street and we ate turkey kebabs and freshly made spring rolls and the daring could also try these (teeny tiny) scorpion kebabs. We were hungrier!
We are a short walk to Tiananmen Square and were luck enough to visit it on a clear day at the start of the week. Things were pretty quiet in the square but there were loads of police checking bags and security guards and soldiers. Maybe they expect some action from people who are pro-Tibetan independence.
The Great Hall of the People is probably where Helen Clark, the NZ Prime Minister, came to sign the recent Trade Agreement with China. We have met several Chinese people who knew she was in China and they were most impressed that we had a female leader.
Mao's mausoleum was closed and our guide book says the official Party line on him is the 7:3 ratio: Mao was 70% right and 30% wrong.
We expected to see many statues from the Soviet times but other than these near the Monument to the Peoples' Heroes we have hardly seen any in our China travels.
Across from Tiananmen is the Gate of Heavenly Peace which has a large portrait of Mao.
While in Beijing we have to get a Mongolian visa and final instructions from the travel agency who have booked our Trans Mongolian/Siberian train trip which leaves Beijing on May 20th.
