Less condensed. More orderly. More spacious. People are much nicer than expected. Guys of younger generation are taller and more attractive, A+++ :-). Girls are typical designer crap obssessed and fashion sense deprived.

Facebook, youtube, google all blocked. Internet incredibly slow.

We had breakfast at the hotel. It was all westernized but it was great. There were dimsum, hot noodle soup, fresh tropical fruit salad, congee, hot soya milk...Ima happy visitor :-)

We visited Lama Temple (Yonghegong) this morning. It wasnt part of our plan but we accidentally found the place. The entrance fee was 25 yuan (approx $4). Interesting that visitors get charged for visiting a temple. I was lucky there was some kind of mass going on but taking pictures wasnt allowed. I got warned a few times but the guards always let me go every time I responded in english. I wonder what could have happened had I responded in chinese.

Yonghegong is Mongolian-Tibetan temple comprised of a series of beautiful pavilions, which features an impressive fifty-four-foot (25m) high Buddha carved from one piece of Tibetan sandalwood.  It is a functioning temple and monastery of the Geluk School of Tibetan Buddhism. Excellent place to see Buddhism practiced. A lot of people were there to burn incense and to pray, which made for a very interactive experience. Tourists were a distinct minority here. In addition, there were monks chanting in several of the temples. Its a very beautiful and spiritual site if you're into eastern religion and like to stay off the beaten path.

Subway in Beijing is pretty clean easy efficient and cheap. Definitely one of the many ways to live the Chinese experience. The 14 line system connects within the city to major attractions railway stations and the airport. It costs a flat 2 yuan (approx $.30) to ride the train. The Chinese are pretty smart on how to regulate traffic and pollution I must say.
 

We also crossed out the Temple of Confucius (Kong Miao) from the list. Its more expensive to get in but the place is deserted. Kinda eerie. Nothing to see really. Used as a place for sacrifices to Confucius during the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties. This temple has lost its religious function and is currently open mainly for tourists. If you are interested in Confucianism and can read Chinese then yes it is a place to go. Otherwise just a few buildings same architectural constructions like other buildings.

We had lunch at a more westernized restaurant. The food was good but it was fatty and greasy. For dinner I had this rice dish that was completely soaked in ginger oil. How could chinese people stay lean after eating all these fatty greasy food?

Beijing 11/12/12