While I have time

I have a moment to point out a few other topics that are worth noting in relation to China. I'm also doing this now because I don't know if I'll be able to post tomorrow evening, because we are taking a 12 hour train ride to Shanghai. We will be sleeping overnight on the train, and I don't know if I'll be able to access a computer (or be able to sleep). What I wanted to point out now was the traffic situation in China, which became even more apparent today after taking a one and a half hour trip to the Great Wall. To put it simply, if you have high blood pressure, I wouldn't suggest traveling on the roads of Beijing. While there are traffic lights, and lines, there doesn't appear to be any rules on the road, but more of just guidelines. The term cutting someone off would be overused in China, as it is just a standard occurrence. It's also very typical to see bikers or pedestrians in the middle of the road waiting to make their move. What's scary is that these moves usually put them within inches of a vehicle. Our bus driver is particularly skilled at cutting things close, and that's not an insult, he's just good. What is amazing is that we haven't seen many accidents (knock on wood), and not only that, but the majority of cars do not even have a single mark of damage. Watching the dance of vehicles on the road is definitely a sight to behold, and is a great way to wake up the senses if you're feeling tired. The first picture below shows a typical intersection at a good time, and the next is rush hour, which isn't much different than other parts of the day.

The other topic I wanted to discuss was the obvious importance of the coming Olympic games in China. Above is the Olympic Stadium seen from the road. It is clearly an architectural marvel. Advertisements are also seen everywhere throughout Beijing, including at the Great Wall of China. I think that I'll gather examples of the presence of the Olympics throughout the trip, and make a post to illustrate in pictures exactly what I mean, but it may just be the case in Beijing. I suppose we'll see, but that's it for now. Tomorrow we're headed to Lenovo who happens to make the computer I'm currently using, which I have to get off of for tonight (why close at 11?).