Playing Tourist in Beijing

So today was the first chance i've had to go into central Beijing to see some of the tourist spots - purely because I spent last Sunday sleeping off jet-lag (some would say it was a waste of a day but it definitely set me up for the week). Today was also the first time we've seen bright blue sky since we arrived - so it's been a hot day.

So navigating the Beijing subway was much easier than expected - but like the city the network is huge. The city is a bit obsessed with security checks so before you can get on the subway, they scan you, your back and colourmetrically check the contents of your water bottle! So 1 and a half hours later we arrived in Downtown (central) Beijing. Even though the station was geographically very close to Tienanmen Square due to all the security checks and the many underpasses to cross under the hectic roads, it took a little while to get there. So after walking through Tienanmen Square and taking the obligatory tourist photos we made our way to the Forbidden Palace - the place, like the rest of Beijing is enormous.

Some Tienanmen Square Pictures...

 I just liked this picture because is China close friends tend to walk holding hands or linking arms.

 The tourist group for the day

 Accidentally left the vivid setting on, but I still like the picture 

So I hadn't realised how big the Forbidden Palace was - but its an amazingly ornate place and very, very busy. We still haven't got used to the fact that the proportion of western tourists you see is minuscule in comparison to the sheer number of Chinese tourists everywhere - I suppose its not usually so obvious to see which nationality everyone is.

Sadly you don't really get to go into the buildings in the forbidden city (i'm clearly just too used to National Trust properties!) so as spectacular as the Forbidden city is I felt it got a bit same-y after a while (what a spoilt thing to say). However there were rooms that showed lots of artifacts from the various dynasties. The most interestingly named place in the whole city is the 'Hall of Mental Cultivation' (I think a sign saying 'you are now entering the room of mental cultivation' would make a great office door sign). Its really interesting because this part wasn't so shiny, pristine and well kept as the rest of the palace and you could see how time was wearing down the building. They also had a very old, untouched bedroom open to look into which was amazing - you could smell the age!

 Inside the forbidden City

 I think my favourite photo from the day.

The oldest looking room I have ever seen - you could smell the must and the age.

 The hall of mental cultivation - I liked how you can see the degradation in the building (I don't think it's a deliberate display!)

 Charlie and our amazing ice lollies

 The view of the pagodas in Jingshan park from the Forbidden City

The corner of the forbidden city and the surrounding moat

After the Forbidden city (and what tasted like the best ice lolly ever) we walked through Jingshan park (I think I spelt it right). This park was the highlight of my day. The tranquility despite being in the middle of the city was fantastic. The Pagodas are beautiful to look at from the bottom of the hill and even nicer to look at close up. The 360 degree view around Beijing is breathtaking when you get up there - I could have stood there all day just taking in the contrast between old and new.





I discovered my phone can do panoramas - I think I need more practice though!

Me at the top of Jingshan Park                                          The view from the main pagoda

I loved this day but i've never been so happy to drink water in my life, as I was when I got back!

G xxx