Finally, a man

Mao said that once you've walked on the Great Wall, you are a complete man (or woman). So I guess that's it for me then.

Today we went on a tour with a multi-European group which included Italian, French and Belgian tourists along with Christina, our guide. We went to a wonderfully empty section of the Wall before visiting the Ming Tomb of Emperor Judy.

Then (the worst part of the day) we visited the walkway that was built between the Birds Nest and aquatic centre for the 2008 Olympics. It was like some sort of dystopian vision of a future world where nothing natural lives and we all breathe metal filings. I could have screamed only that would have suffocated me.

Three things I have learned so far...I rather like Empress Ci Xi, I rather like Emperor Judy and I'm not that keen on the Beijing air.