Beijing
I was in Beijing for a whole good week 2 weeks ago for the APEC meeting for financial regulators on CIS/Hedge Funds. It was days of stimulating discussions on the burning issues different regulators are/were facing in their markets. I was eager to get home and share the stack of info that I got. My colleague Nik and I being the only two from the SC and representing Malaysia was tasked with quite a bit while we were there.
Listening to our counterparts from the US as well as giant China was both informative but in the case of China very overwhelming- the speed of which they’ve emerged to become a force to be reckoned with is astounding. It’s impossible not to notice the growth and development taking place while I went for evening walks on the streets of Beijing.
All the delagates stayed at the Intercontinental on Beijing Financial Street. I stayed in such a huge room..waste of space for someone so petite ;p. But it had a beautiful view of the city from both the bedroom and the bathroom..yes bathroom. Thank God the hotel served a generous spread of seafood and sushi for lunch, so I lived on Alpen Muesli + yoghurt for breakfast. raw salmon, tuna and a hint of wasabi + salad + Haagen Dazs for lunch everyday (no complaints :p)
I had my share of Beijing after the meetings were over- shopping for souvenirs mainly not so much for myself..got some pieces of Chinese art for home as well as linen and cotton tablecloths,runners, placemats for mum..mum is like the Malaysian version of Martha Stewart 
The trip to Beijing would not have been complete wihout visiting the Must-See and Must-Go places..and so I extended my stay and went around..the famous Great Wall, Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. A single post will not be enough to share how I felt to set foot at these historic places..some moments I can even imagine the Dowager strolling along the Forbidden palace,the Tiananmen protestors facing the tanks, and the lives that were involved in constructing that architectural wonder of a wall.
I left Beijing with a slight fever due to the weather..it was winter in London when I went early this year and I came back ok..but it was early spring in Beijing and I was feverish. I guess it’s not just the economic prowess of Beijing that needs to be reckoned with huh?
My trip to Beijing was an extremely fruitful one as a regulator, and as a citizen of the globe..a satisfying one..to be able to experience first hand China’s heat of progress and at the same time it’s precious and magnifficent history.
