Brandon O'Brien

Tuesday, December 9, 2014 @ 7:16 AM in 2014 Asia

We both slept pretty well last night, probably due to the overnight flight. We were planning on going to the Great Wall today but when we woke up we looked outside and saw that the smog levels were ridiculously high (3x what they were yesterday). Rather than go to the Great Wall where we'd like to be able to see into the distance we decided to explore Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace.

After breakfast we headed over to Tiananmen Square with the hopes of seeing Mao's mausoleum but we got there just after it closed down for the day (it's only open from 8-12). The smog levels were ridiculous. The visibility was so low that it was hard to see the Forbidden City from Tiananmen Square which is only across the street.

We took some photos then went over to the Forbidden City. I didn't realize how expansive the Forbidden City actually was. It wasn't too crowded which was nice and we were able to walk around and see most of what we wanted to. Aside from the smog it was a good time walking around.

Next up was the Summer Palace which is where the emperors would go during the summer to relax. It would have been a beautiful area if not for the overwhelming smog again. We spent some time there before it closed down and we had to leave. It was getting pretty cold so we found the nearest metro station and went down to the big food street. We didn't really know what we were in the mood for but eventually stumbled into a pretty busy hot pot place called Supreme Hotpot. We ordered a meat combo plate, some cabbage and noodles. They bring out a big steaming stove filled with charcoal which is surrounded by a soup of choice. You dip your meats and veggies in the soup to cook them, almost like a fondu. We had that and some beers and it really hit the spot for not much money.

Once we finished eating we picked up a few things and a gallon of water from 7-11 since we can't actually drink the tap water here. Hopefully the weather tomorrow is better for our visit to the Great Wall. All the walking around mixed with the smog has made us really tired so we're going to relax for a bit then head to bed.

Teaser photos:

Forbidden City entrance from Tiananmen Square

Forbidden City

At Summer Palace

Supreme Hotpot

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Tags: travels2014, china, smog, beijing

Posted from: China

Monday, December 9, 2013 @ 6:15 PM in 2013 Europe

Day 166

Never one to turn down a way to save money, I got up early this morning so I could make it to the Mezquita by 8:30am when they open the doors for an hour for free admission. Otherwise, It's 8 euros to enter and walk around the mosque-turned-cathedral.

Getting out early was definitely worth it. First, I went and got a few shots of the tower at sunrise from a few spots and then entered the Mezquita. The original mosque was started in 784 and then in 1236 it was converted into a cathedral. Elements of the original mosque are still present and mixed with the christian cathedral. It's a really cool mix of architecture and design.

The entire cathedral is covered in these really cool brickwork arches that make for some really cool views when you see a bunch of them in the distance. I walked around for about 45 minutes taking photos and admiring the views before heading back to the hostel to eat breakfast and get some coffee.

I hung out at the hostel for a couple hours and then set out to look for a few places I was recommended to see. The first was a local artists coop that sells prints from artists all over Andalucia. I didn't buy anything but I think I'll go back later tonight when it's open again (crazy Spanish hours) and pick up a piece of artwork for home.

I was getting pretty hungry and the map I've been using mentioned a place to get some really good hotdogs. Hotdogs seem to be pretty popular down here and most places sell tiny ones as tapas. This place, Lucas bar, supposedly has the best. I went and ordered the perrito completo (mustard, mayo, ketchup and onions) and a cana (25cl beer). The bun isn't a normal bun, but more like a baguette cut in half and then a hole drilled in the middle and it's jammed on these heating rods. All of the toppings are put in there with the hotdog. It makes for a pretty compact and easy to eat meal. I'm not a fan of mayo or mustard but figured "when in Rome". It ended up being pretty good.

After that I went to a local winery called Bodegas Guzman that sells €1 glasses of their local Montilla Moriles wine. I had a glass then decided to get a small tapa with my second glass. I wasn't really sure what to get so I randomly picked chorizo al vino (spicy sausage cooked in wine). It was really tasty. After those two glasses I left to go back to the hostel. Along the way I made one more detour into another place giving away free tapas with each drink and got a "tubo" (33cl) of beer with some patatas bravas.

Being sufficiently stuffed and a bit tipsy I came back to the hostel for a mini siesta. I showered, answered some emails and watched some shows on my computer. I'll probably head out again in an hour or so to check out the art store again and then get something light for dinner.

I was originally planning on heading to Granada tomorrow but after doing more research yesterday, it's a huge pain in the butt to get everything done in one day. The bus would get me into Granada around noon, but the tickets to the Alhambra are only morning or afternoon, so I'd have to either rush to the Alhambra for the morning admission or feel rushed at the end of the day to get through it and to the bus if I chose the afternoon admission. I'd rather go there when I can spend a few days to explore the city and not feel rushed the whole time.

Now that I have an extra day here, I'm not sure what I'll do. There are still more things to check out so I'll probably just wander around town tomorrow sampling tapas and more wine and drinks. Not a bad way to spend the end of my trip!

Teaser photos:

Arches in the Mezquita

The bell tower at sunrise

Part of the old mosque in the Mezquita

Barrels of Montilla Moriles wine at Bodegas Guzman

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Tags: daily journal, spain, cordoba

Posted from: Spain