beijing welcomes you...

this is the signage i saw getting off the train in beijing - 'beijing welcomes you' (since beijing is the site of the 2008 olympics - slated to start on 8-8-08)...let me tell you, beijing welcomes you by having a cab driver ripping you off on the way in. they are totally ruthless in the lengths they will go to when they price goods and services. beijing also has some of the most aggressive panhandlers i have ever encountered.

this place is also different from all the other asian cities i have been in since it has (in my opinion) the worst public transportation system i have seen. beijing proper is HUGE (i think more than 1.5 hrs to get from one end to the other) and they make it hard to navigate around. on the other hand, the sightseeing here is pretty spectacular - there is TONS to see, dont know if i will have enough time to cover it all. off to the great wall tomorrow...