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Published: August 20th 2009
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Llama Temple
The largest Buddhist temple outside of Tibet Day 1, August 15, 2009
It’s Saturday morning and I have just enough time to do final jobs around the property, such as inoculating lambs with my friend Bob Frater (thank-you Bob). Then, I'm off to Pahia to catch the bus to Auckland to start a trip to the UK via Beijing. All on a weekend that Auckland play Northland in Kerikeri. Still, I’m glad I missed the game, because Auckland decimated the Taniwha.
I arrive at Auckland International airport at around 6.30pm, queue for my Beijing flight and hope that I am early enough to bag an exit row. The gods are with me and I’m assigned 53J, on my own and leg room for days… I pop a pill and it’s 9 hours sleep while Air NZ jets me to Beijing.
Day 2, Sunday, August 16
The plane lands at 7.20am and I clear the health desk, immigration and pickup my bag before exiting customs. I search the sea of faces for a sign that says “Top China Tours” and meet Lucy, my guide for 4 days in Beijing, along with our driver Mr. Ran. My own private tour and Lucy speaks very good English, unlike Mr. Ran,
who I constantly try and have a conversation with about the habits of Beijing drivers. I’m taken to The Tailong Plaza Hotel which is about 1km from Tian'anmen Square and have the remainder of the morning to settle in. It's time to have a dim sum breakfast before finding out how things work in my 6th floor room.
"Guide Lucy" and Mr. Ran pick me up at 12.00 and take me to lunch, this is followed by a tour of the 300 year old Llama Temple, the officially approved center for Tibetan Buddhism in China. It turns out that my "Guide Lucy" is a Buddhist, as are about 80% of Chinese. Later I hear that the 80% figure is wrong and that many of the Chinese people keep an open mind about Buddhism and are not actually Buddhist. I question Lucy to see whether the Chinese Buddhist Religion still favors the Dalia Llama as the “One”, she doesn't think so, so I don't press the point. The temple is serene and houses some impressive Buddha figures including one huge one which is supposedly the largest in the world and carved out of a single tree. Unfortunately, there was no photography
allowed inside, so I couldn’t capture it on “chip”.
I was asked if I would like to see a show and thought that acrobats would be good, so "Guide Lucy" booked me a show at “Happy Valley”. This amusement park appears to be Beijing’s answer to Magic Mountain. Not quite what I had in mind, however the show in the theatre was truly spectacular with colorful costumes, a flood with rapids ( I expected to see the Olympic Kayak Team) and even a dance routine with live white peacocks on hats. I read somewhere that bird droppings are good for making hair grow. I think that I will give it a thumbs up….
After the show, it is time for dinner at a fairly average restaurant and then back to the hotel by 8.00pm.
Day 3, Monday, August 17
The inversion layer is low and thick and there are no blue skies. “Guide Lucy” and our driver pick me up at the hotel and then it’s a walk across Tian'anmen Square. People are everywhere, but being Monday, Chairman Mao’s tomb is closed, so I join the idolizing throngs that have their picture taken outside the giant building. The Chinese
White Peacock Hat
At one stage there are 8-10 dancers with white peacocks on their heads. I suppose it's good luck!!!! are warm friendly and even approach me to have their picture taken with me. I find this is a phenomenon that lasts all day and begin to feel a little like Mickey Mouse in Disneyland, however I smile for the click, click, click. Lucy and I exit the square by an underground walkway and then enter the Forbidden City. People, people and more people. Lucy informs me that the government is subsidizing travel by 30% to stimulate the economy and she thinks it’s working. I think I agree.
The Forbidden City is amazing and just seems to stretch on and on. The one fact that I do digest is that the capital was moved from Nanjing (Nanking) to Beijing around 1420. From then on, the facts about emperors and dynasties go in one ear and out the other. The colors on many of the buildings and have been restored for the Olympic games by artisans using original colors and paints. The restoration began in 2003 and is still continuing, but with slightly less vigor now that the games have past. It's time for lunch after which we will visit the Temple of Heaven.
We are back in the car
Ethnic Minority
One of the many ethnic minorities within China's borders. and Mr. Ran weaves in and out of traffic. Pedestrians take their lives in their hands and seem to dance and move across the road, rocking backwards and forwards between the cars. The Temple of Heaven was re-built in the early 1900’s after the original caught fire. This is where the emperor burnt plants and animals as sacrifices to the God’s to ensure the crops would be successful. Again, very impressive, and again lots of people with their cameras pushing and taking pictures of the temple and of course the tall white guy. The temple is surrounded by a wonderful park where locals come and exercise; I was even asked to participate in activities and in fact did try to twirl the long colorful paper belt, quite successfully to my teacher’s delight.
The inevitable “tea ceremony”. Now, those who read the 2007 blog might remember the great tea rip-off, well this one made up for it. A govt. tea shop with a free ceremony; after which, I purchased some modest ginseng tea. Teas can cost anything up to US $400 for an excellent high quality tea, however I didn't spy any Twinings….
The next stop is the “Hutongs” on a
The Square
It's a pilgrimage. bicycle rickshaw and a visit with a “Hutong Family” . The “Hutongs” are original alleyways and houses where the low class Chinese lived. Everything has been renovated and overall was a disappointment.
The final for the day is a “Peking Duck Dinner” and show. Acrobats, magic, singing and a wonderful meal of Peking Duck. Definitely worthwhile and should not be missed when in Beijing.
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Bev
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Forbidden City
Wow! the Forbidden City looks VERY inviting! What beautiful colours and smiling faces - watch that "podge" my friend - yes, I agree, you should have got a certificate of proficiency - beautiful wrist movement going on there! Thanks, Bev