JUSTBLOG=Jonathan and Mary Tan: Trip to Beijing

Clockwise from top left: Forbidden City; Mary at the square down from the Great Wall; Beijing Zoo; Sunrise from my window in the hotel

Clockwise from top left: Mary climbing the Great Wall; Outside the Great Wall; Beijing's modern buildings (above subway); Calligraphy (Mary's name)

I went to Beijing to attend the 14th Session of the WMO Commission for Climatology (CCl) that was preceded by a technical conference on "Climatology as A Natural Resource" from 1st to 10th November 2005. Mary went with me and she proved to be a wonderful companion not only to me but also to the spouses of other dignitaries and delegates. She visited many interesting places like Forbiddeb City, Tiananmen Square, the Summer Palace, Bei Hai Park, Hutong, The Ming Tomb and of course the Great Wall. 不到长城不是好汉(Bu Dao Chang Chen Bu Shi Hao Han) which means you are not a hero unless you have been to the Great Wall of China!

Thought it will be cold so we packed plenty of winter clothing but the weather played trick on us and the weather was not cold but warm! It ranged from 20 deg to 14 deg maximum daily temp! the locals told us usually by this time of the year it would snow!

Food, food, food and more glorious food and it was so cheap! Once I had RMB 1.50 for a bowl of Won Ton soup for lunch!

Clockwise from top left: Making xiao lung pao; Lotus root cold dish; bai cai with fishballs; Beef for Korean BBQ