First thing's first - rendezvous with old friends, who are too happy to show us around. Ms Liang is a university staff, hubby a Motorola engineer who calls himself 'Tiger', a Beijing yuppy-couple. Gent to the left is our driver - will pay him 200 yuan at the end of the day - good guy, but no speaka England.
Unfortunately the main (southern) gate is under wrap - restoration work for Olympics 2008 :-(. Notice the busy flag-waving guides. Few people do independent tour like us.
