More fun in Beijing

So, sorry I've been gone so long again. I really lose track of time in China. Everything happens so fast that I can't tell how long it's been. And this post won't make up for it.

Day 5- /10/08- (Boxing)
So, first my camera died. After I took this photo. This is the arena for boxing.
I hadn't planned on going to this event but some friends I have in Beijing called and offered me a ticket. It was interesting. I got to see and meet the American fighter who is expected to take gold and I understood the rules better than judo so I could judge fighters better. Unfortunately the tickets were scalped, so we had to pay much more than they were worth. That's a problem here. The Chinese got tickets before anyone else and they bought hundreds for each even and are now selling them at 10 times the original price. So, large parts of the arena are empty but people still buy these tickets. I'm glad I got my legally, it saves me a lot of money.
So, after boxing I went to my first karaoke bar. In a really nice hotel with a buffet. We ended up staying there singing till 6:00am. I had no voice the next day but it was so much fun.

Day 6- (8/11/08)
Didn't do much that day but go and try to find a train station. I got lost for about 3 hours but learned a lot about the bus system.

Day 7- (8/12/08) - (Judo)
So, today my friend Luke's Aunt's friend took me, him, his brother and his cousin to go see the Great Wall. It's amazing. It doesn't really feel real to be somewhere that you've always seen pictures of. But I got to climb all over it and then take a toboggan ride back down the mountain. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera. (sorry) Then in the evening I went to judo again and met a Canadian girl and an Israeli boy and we went to go see Hancock. Good movie.

Day 8 (8/13/08)
Today I leave at 7:00pm on my first sleeper train to go to Xi'an a city about 9 hours south west of Beijing home to the terracotta soldiers.

So, I have pictures of all of this on my phone but my phone can't upload photos to my computer with out using a CD but my computer doesn't have a CD drive. so when I get photos either from my phone or friends I will post them. In the mean time her is a picture of my hostel lobby with Sue, the proprietors daughter who works as a waitress here and is very friendly. She speaks the best english I've heard so far but her accent is a mix of American, British and Australian depending on who taught her which words.