my first trip to Beijing.
Beijing reminds me a lot of Singapore. heavy dose of government influence, of which the people seem to take in their stride. trip coincided with the first Sino-African Summit. major traffic diversions and road blocks are the order of the week. No big deal it seems - life goes on. Hardly any mutter from the cab drivers (ok, so maybe this is the difference from Singapore).

the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven..., something about stepping into the ancient worlds of emperors and empresses touched me. There is a sense of reality, history and imagination mixed together.