Brian Zhang Larsen | 
10 19th, 2008| 
We have now arrived in Yanji, where Lei’s mother live. It is considerately colder here than any other place we’ve visited this year. But its fine, and it is kind of similar to Denmark, so in a way, we are preparing ourselves for our return.
Last week we spent in Beijing, and a lot have happened since last year. We were lucky with the weather, and had clear blue sky everyday. Since my parents were with us we visited the major tourist sites like the great wall and the forbidden city again.
We took a tour bus to Badaling, which is one of the heaviest visited tourist attractions on earth. The trip itself couldn’t be more profit optimized. Just when we got in the bus, the (chinese speaking) guide, recommended we went to the toilet before departure, for which they charged 0,50 RMB. Then on the way they dropped us off at a jade shop, where the prices were supposed to be especially favourable. The shop itself had a layout like a maze, where it was hard to find the exit. And the nearer to the exit, the cheaper was the prices on the same items, to squeeze as much out of the travellers as possible, no matter if it would mock or anger the customers who allready had made a purchase (poor suckers).
At Badaling there is now so many people, so they have extended the parking lots down the mountain, which means that there is now even longer to walk to the wall itself. But it is pretty impressive though, and it certainly is a challenge to walk on the wall.
Later we went to the newly reconstructed Qianmen street. The street have been completely rebuild to look like it did in the 1920′es. After the reconstruction, the prices are so high so very few companies can afford to rent in, which have resultet in an almost completely empty street, with the exception on the obligatory Quan Jude Roast duck restaurant, and a post office.
A visit to Beijing in 2008 have to include a visit to the olympic city I guess. And so we did. It has become a pretty nice area, with crazy theme hotels and off course the well known stadiums.
