Hello Beijing

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Aloha everyone, reporting from Beijing! M and I decided to head here since the Panda project is done. I was expecting something better than Shanghai and similar to Hong Kong but Beijing is exceeding all our expectations. What a FANTASTIC place! Amazing building-design (lots of hotels!), spaces as wide as you can imagine (today we were walking down a main road with 10 lanes, excluding bus and bicycle lane!), everything is clean, spacious, bright, majestic! And to make things better, it’s SUNNY! Yes my friends, finally enjoying some sun again after more than a month under cloudy skies. Yesterday we decided to just take a walk (not after finding a much needed laundry!) and with our map, headed towards something called the ‘Palace Museum’ (according to map) – once there, it’s obvious it’s a massive place; there are lots of queues and foreigners around. This must be important, thought I! IGNORANT ME! We were just entering the uber-famous Forbidden City!!!! This has to be the largest ancient Asian building I have seen (possibly world-wide). It is gigantic, colourful and magnificent from beginning to end; the place seems to go on for ever! The outer court, consisting of several HALLS (look like ‘gates’ to me, similar to those preceding the Japanese palaces) is where the emperors attended public ceremonies. I am sure some films have been made here. You can just imagine the Chinese army extending all over this vast esplanade. Each hall has a marble base, ‘golden bricks’ (called this way because of their quality) and up to 4 wooden double roofs (decorated in the most wonderful colours: golden, green, red...). I fall especially in love with an enormous stone (17 m long x 3 m wide x 1.7 m thick), on which 9 dragons amongst clouds, mountains and waves have been beautifully carved. Amazing! Walking through 3 halls (on one of them an emperor was kept in his coffin to prove he died ‘naturally’ and on another a box with the name of the successor was kept to avoid confusion) we get to the inner court. The inner court comprises of a group of palaces and gardens; where the emperor, empress and concubines enjoyed ‘private’ life. We don’t get to see much of this as people are literally pushing us to take a glimpse of the insides. But just walking around is worth it. 27 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties inhabited this ‘city’. Our guide from the Panda base, Isabella, told us how during the holiday week they had to let in around 150.000 people (allowed in are usually 80.000 per day) – there were so many visitors they could not be contained, and the authorities thought it best to just let everyone in. No wonder once you’re here you want to see it, it is truly a vision. A once-in-a-lifetime vision. Thankfully, we get to see inside one of the buildings: the one displaying the rulers’ jewels. Unbelievable beautiful ornaments (crowns, earrings, snuff bottles, hair accessories) in gold, silver, pearl, coral, tourmaline, jadeite, quartz and others.
Today we had to visit the doctor due to some stomach problems (nothing serious, all ok) and had the chance to take a Beijing taxi. A 20 minute ride cost 1.80 pounds. That is around 3 times less than a single ride in the London tube. We also visited Tiananmen gate and square. There was an exhibition on Mao (his mausoleum is also on the square but it was closed today, as well as the National Museum) and quite a lot of visitors. Tomorrow we’ll be trying again.
Mental notes for TRAVELLERS – whenever you get to a new place, locate the nearest supermarket. Buy some water and fruit, and tissues. The latter are always handy, water is not always drinkable and you may be hungry at times. Oh! And DUCK TAPE has to be the best invention ever, always take it with you, especially if you’re carrying any liquid such as shampoo.
Mental note for HATERS – we have been getting some angry comments from people (KW) who got offended by M’s post on our first impression of China. All I have to say to this is that we are entitled to our opinions and views, we consider China a place with both bad and good things (as London, as any other place) and this blog was created for our friends and families. It is nothing personal and this is a free world! So haters, abstain yourselves from insulting us.
Thanks for reading us!
B & M

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