Summary: Today we visit the National Ethnic Museumpark for the second time. We wrote already before over this park of 56 nationalties in China. So this time less words and lots of pictures. See you next time. Monkey and Bear. Lieve vrienden en vriendinnen, Vanmorgen gaan wij voor de tweede keer naar het National Ethnic Museumpark. Wij bezoeken het tweede gedeelte van het park. Over dit museum hebben wij al een eerder travelblog gepubliceerd naar aanleiding van ons eerste bezoek. Nog even in herinnering brengen dat in dit museum alle 56 nationaliteiten van China zijn ver [View Full Entry]

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Summary: There is no shortage of antique stores and markets in Beijing. These shops and markets are offering opium pipes, jade, statues, pocelain, figures of Mr. Chairman Mao Zedong, Red Guard alarm clocks, Fu Machu glasses and all manner of bric-a-brac. BUT EVERYTHING HERE IS FAKE - COPY!!!!!! The jade is actually soapstone, inset jewels are glass and that magnificent painting is a print stained with tea. But if you know that all, it's realy fun strolling around these markets and shops. And as always here in China you have to bargain very hard when you want to buy something. The [View Full Entry]

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Summary: This very special small templecomplex is hardly to find. You need a local to find it. It's hidden in the eastern hutongs of Beijing. In the Temple of Drums and Bells you find the largest collection of drums and bells. See it by yourself. Enjoy the pictures and try to imagine that you hear all these bells. It give you a happy feeling and peace. See you next time on our travelblog. So stay tuned. Monkey and Bear. Lieve vrienden en vriendinnen, Een bezoek brengen aan de Tempel of Drums and Bells is een uitermate bijzondere ervaring. Deze tempel vind [View Full Entry]

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Summary: Yesterday we visit the (new) Summer Palace. This moring are we going to the Old Summer Palace, in Chinese Yuanming Gyuan. This palace also lies in the north-west part of Beijing. About 30 kilometres from downtown Beijing. The Old Summer Palace was built by the Qing Emperor Kangxi in the early eighteenth century. In the past this palace was also called by his nickname China's Versailles for its elegant European design. The palace original contains two hundred pavilions and temples set around a series of lakes and natural springs. The total surface of the park is more than 3.5 sq [View Full Entry]

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Summary: The (new) Summer Palace also called Yiheyuan in Chinese is essentially eightteen century. The Manchu Emperor Qianlong built this palace during his emperorship in 1736 - 1795. But the Yiheyuan is the most associated with the Empress Dowager Cixi. Cixi was and is the most powerfull woman China has ever known. She ruled over the fast disintegrating Chinese empire from 1861 until her death in 1908. The palace was very her playing and pleasure ground. The notorious Cixi entered the imperial palace (Forbidden City) at the age of 15 as the concubine of Emperor Xianfeng. Cixi quickly beca [View Full Entry]

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Summary: After we visit the China Central Television Tower we went to the National Musuem of the ethnic minority people. In Chine are 56 minority groups. All these groups are represented here and are original people from the homecountry who have there own business here in this parkmuseum. China is a unified multnational country. The 56 nationalities coexist, cooperate, co-develop and co-create here the splendid Chinese civilization as well as the spirit of the Chinese Nation. Different environments and history give the nationalities their own unique cultures. The China Nationalities M [View Full Entry]

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Summary: Today a very clear sky. So we decide to visit the CCTV Tower of Beijing. This is the highest building in Beijing. Total height around 300 meters. The highest point you can visit is on 238 meters above sealevel. On a beautiful and clear day as today you can see all of Beijing and the hills around Beijing. This is an unique experience. We stay here more then 2 hours, because on the lower floor - 218 meters - is a great showcase. So see you next time again. Stay tuned for the next travelblog. Lieve vrienden en vriendinnen, De [View Full Entry]

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Summary: For the first time we arrived in Beijing it was raining. So we decided to go to the Panda House and to the Beijing Aquarium - the largest in the world. Both are in the Beijing Zoo. Here you find an impression of our visit. The Beijing Zoo itself is a little bit oldfashioned, but the Panda House as well as the aquarium are realy great. Enjoy the pictures and stay tuned for our next travelblog. Monkey and Bear. Lieve vrienden en vriendinnen, Vanmorgen werden wij om 06.00 uur wakker en HET REGENDE, overigens voor het eerst. Daarom besloten wij [View Full Entry]

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Summary: After we visit the Badaling section of the Great Wall we drive high in the mountains to the Longqing Gorge. This is a waterdam creating electricity for a lot of villages. It is a protected nature surrounding. You go upstairs by entering a very big dragonmouth. Here is a escalator divided in eight sections and the longest of the world. You find this escalator in the Guiness Book of Records. After you finish your trip by escalator you arrive at the first level, about 650 meters above sealevel. Here are the mountains realy great and the lake is magnificent. We [View Full Entry]

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Summary: Today we visit Longqing Gorge in the Northwest. About 130 km from downtown Beijing. Going there we passed the Baling Great Wall section. We stopped here to have a bonus visit to the Wall. This section of the Wall was restored for the first time in 1957. And is restored, restored, restored and restored. So now this section is a little bit overrestored. But anyway this part of the Great Wall is visited most by tourists. Tons of people arrive here every day. On the photos you can see how many people already are on the Wall on 08.00 hours [View Full Entry]

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