THE GREAT CHINA WALL

This was not all what I expected, It looked as if it was built last year with a long set of comfortable steps. At the base of course were many stores for the multiyude of tourists as well as many restaurants, one of which offerd good food (Chinese menue).

VIEW FROM TIENAMEN SQUARE

Tienamen square is a large lot paved with concrete. There is nothing on it except a small raised band stand on a rear corner. Of course there are a lot of tourists too, mostly oriental. There is one professional cameraman with a chair for still pictures, he is kept busy. Across the street is Forbidden CITY with a well known picture hung on the front. Really the whole thing is a very nice site worth seeing.

FORBIDDEN CITY

At the entrance we were rented recordings with earphones to guide us through underground city. Just inside there was a painted wall, this picture. A guard saw me and politely advised me that no pictures were to be taken on the premises. The city is divided into eleven sections, such as supreme harmony, medium harmony, protective harmony & celestial purity. T item that impressed me most was a group of small statues of a cavalry unit. There were also many wall carvings. The entire place was magnificent and awe inspiring

NERVOUS LADY

Along with all the usual games for tourists to play, there was a live camel. The lady on the camel is a famous singer in the philippines, now working on a contract at the finest hotel in Beijing. My guide helped her on and every time the camel would move she would kick and scream and it was a nervous animal. This young lady, professional name "Marybeth", was responsible for me being in Beijing at this time. She got the contract when I was in Manila and she told me she would be leaving. I came home and later returned to Manila to my usual pension where the owner gave me a card from Marybeth telling me what hotel she was performing at and please come visit. As it happened a friend from Arizona that I got acquainted with in Guadalajara had come to visit me. I invited him and my guide to visit her with me, they jumped at it. No problem, thanks to United Airlines frequent flyer free tickets. We really had a good time and the Chinese were great hosts, better than any other country that I have visited.

NATHAN ROAD

This is the main street in Kowloon with a major part of the signs in Chinese, a very pretty street. Probably even more Chinese signs there now that Chinese have it back.

FARMERS MARKET

Before when I have visited Hong Kong I would stay in a world chain hotel. This time a Chinese lady stoped me in the airport and asked if I had hotel reservations, I said no, but I knew where I was going and told her where. She said that was a very expensive place and that she had rooming house aross the street. All I could rmember was what looked like the typical flea market, king size. There are hustlers at most airports outside the US and I avoid them carefully. This lady was not going to be avoided. Finally we got on the bus and went to the FLEA MARKET. I said that I always stayed acrossthe street and that In would go there. The name of the building is "Chung King Mansion" some name for that place. She asked to please at least come and look at it. How could I refuse such a nice and pretty lady. I went and found a very clean place with very nice rooms. Here it was $20. a night and across the street it was $130. I took the offer & never regreted it. After a few days it was just like a big happy family & other guests were introduced. She has a space on the third floor called "HOME TOWN" and another on the fifth called "CHINA TOWN". If Iever go back to HONG KONG I will stay at the FLEA MARKET.

EXCITED

When I am away from home, I usually have a camera in my hand. Of course most of the cassettes are later put some place to be forgotten. So here I am in the Shanghi airport just clicking away when I saw my guide very excited and pointing at something. The lady behind him was laughing so I needed whatever he was pointing at, so s l o w l y I turned.

DANGER IN CHINA

This was the new view! Never incased a camera so fast in my life. Any place but China, please.