Bye bye Beijing

It's time to head south. Time to escape the cold. I've been wanting warmer weather since I left Norway more than two months ago. But Siberia was cold, Mongolia even colder, and now it's snowing in Beijing. Apparently I am not doing a great job in escaping the cold.

But I've loved every second of my trip so far, even though it's been pretty cold. And Beijing, wow, I don't even know where to start. What a mesmerizing city!

There are loads of things to see and do here, things that are sort of mandatory when you are in Beijing. But to be honest, I haven't done much of that during the three weeks I've been hanging around the city. I never really felt like it. Too many Chinese tourist groups with flags and matching hats for me to feel comfortable entering the Forbidden City. Too many people, too crowded, a bit claustrophobic.

What I have done a lot of is wandering around in random hutongs, small cobble stoned streets and stone houses with small and beautiful carvings on the roof. Looking at life, taking in the colors, the smell og street food, the people bustling about with their lives, old men sitting on the stairs playing Chinese chess and people hurrying by on their bicycles and looking at me as a stranger that had gotten lost in their neighborhood. And sometimes that was the case, but I couldn't care less. I enjoyed it!

The parks in Beijing are also amazing. So well organized, with loads of weeping willows, flowers, bamboo and rivers peacefully floating through the maze of green. It's a wonderful hide out to get away from the noise of the city. The parks are alive in Beijing. In any park you will find groups of people practicing tai tchi, or doing ball room dances or aerobics. People are singing, not for money, but just for the fun of it. Others might be practicing an instrument or preforming a play for anyone to watch and enjoy.

All in all, Beijing is a wonderful place to spend a few weeks. Even after 3 weeks here I'm not tired of it. I know that the city is a place I will always remember with joy and it's a place that my heart will always want to come back to.