北京

Beijing, is totally different compared to two years ago - lots of new buildings and it likes a construction site (I think the government likes to give a new image to the world on 2008), in addition, the sky is not clear or blue...
I planed to go to Summer Palace (頤和園) and Ming Tombs (十三陵) today (Sunday) but the taxi driver asked for RMB600 (=人力三輪車司機的月薪...). It is unreasonable! It was RMB400 to rent a taxi for a day two years ago and the one way cost to Summer Palace is (approx.) RMB120 only. So, I changed the plan to go to the Olympic Games Venue and Hutong (胡同).
The construction work of Olympic Game hasn't been completed yet and I think the work will take 6 to 10 months more! Athough, it is still a construction site, some tourists have been there and taken photos already when I arrived. A reportor from Japan is also recording as well... I stayed there for 10 minutes then went to Hutong. After a tour in Hutong (RMB80+RMB20 for the visit of each 四合院), I went to Winter Palace (北海公園) where is just beside Hou Hai (后海).
I found the books are cheap in supermarket so I bought 4 books (only RMB160 in total). The most expensive book is only RMB58 -“The Global is flat” in Simplified Chinese, but it is HKD200 in English!
Then, I made the decision to spend this afternoon in the hotel room - listening music, order the room service, and reading!!!
(I didn't bring my handwriting pad, so can't type Chinese...shame!)
A guy drawed pictures on the floor in Winter Palace and the clearner was cleaning the floor...