Beijing

This city is alive. There are no facades. Just life happening everywhere all around you in a real, raw, energetic way. This is our 2nd day in Beijing. The best part so far has just been wandering around the streets seeing what is going on. The vibe is similar to Koh-san in Thailand. Vendors selling fruit, bags, watches, dvds, clothes, guys welding rickshaw bikes on the street without glasses, dusty brick homes with grass growing out the roof, rickshaw drivers everywhere greeting you with "hello hello", red lanterns hanging, kids & old men playing checkers outside, babies wearing pants with holes in the bum for easy disposal?, fruit vendors moving when the cops come by and then returning 2min later to sell their melons on sticks, beer is cheaper than water so ive switched! The food is incredible. Had peking duck last nite with Ben, rose, shaun & chris. SOO good & so cheap! Still starting to process the fact that I've left Japan. Its going to take a bit of time i think. I keep comparing everything here to Japan. Just soooo different. Starting to unwind...