Forbidden City Beijing

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I decided to visit Beijing again to explore a little more. Mostly to visit the Forbidden City. And it was a good opportunity to have a break before the onset of Summer Holidays and full time work at our school. 6 days a week for 6 weeks. Gee, I was getting used to 3 days a week work.

I stayed at a different place this time, southwest of Tian'anmen called The Emperor's Guest House. Difficult to find as the street was under repair. Not just resurfacing but a 10 foot ditch that runs for 200 metres and the only way along it is by bridges and makeshift sidewalks under scaffolding. So I'm carrying my suitcase trying hard not to fall in the ditch, and against the flow of people traffic until I find relatively flat ground to walk on. Only another 50 metre walk around machinery and piles of gravel and I find my home for 2 days. Despite the roadworks, being inside the guest house was quiet and peaceful. Rumour has it that there is a tunnel that runs from the Forbidden City to this courtyard style house. This building is over 100 years old and was reputedly used as a safe house for the emperor.

Having been in Beijing before gives me the advantage that I don't really need to consult a map to get to where I want to go. And that is, go shopping. I hit the main street and take in the sights, sounds and people watch at the same time. It's very hot so exploring the shopping malls is more comfortable. I find my fave bookshop, Foreign language bookshop, and spend little time finding what I need...a Mandarin phrase book (I gave my other one to the restaurant owner in Qingdao), DVD for one of my classes and I replaced my spanish phrase book that I left behind in Costa Rica. (Off to Spain next year and wanting to refresh the little I spanish I know).

Early start at the FC but there are thousands of people already pushing their way in through the front gate. I consider my options and fall for the first guide that spoke english well enough and was funny in his actions. So we went in to the complex together shortly after. The Forbidden City is massive. You'll need some hours to check all out. I saw the important decision making rooms, the royal bedchamber, the private office etc. The buildings are many and varied. There are lanes and alleyways which take you to different museums for pottery, brass, and other art. You can sit and watch the tourist go by. Everyone of them with a pocket digital camera in hand. My guide took me through some of the alleyways and into a small building we found a man sitting at a desk. He is a famous calligraphy artist. AND he just happens to be Pu Yi's nephew. You know, the Last Emperor Pu Yi. Or so they say. I shook his hand and asked if I may take a photo. Through an interpreter I was told that I'd have to buy one of his calligraphy art. The cheapest going for 800rmb (AUD$150) I thanked him and said goodbye. But I did manage to take a snap of his wife outside in the courtyard.

So I say goodbye to my guide. Am working my way north towards the north gate, obviously, so that I may climb Jingshan Park and view the FC from high. It was impressive sight to see the roofline from there with the distant buildings of Beijing, including the concert 'egg'.

I then wandered over to Beihai Lake and look around the gardens and temples. After all that, I'm stuffed. So I head over to the main street and look for the hotel where I had a massage on my previous visit. After miles of walking for the day I find them and oh, what a wonderful way to end the day. I slept like a baby that night. Back to Tai'an the next day.

Funny people I met.

The waiter, Michael, at the 365 hostel, whose ambition is to be a movie star. He hangs out at the studios hoping to be 'discovered'.
My FC Guide. Only because he had an unusual way of speaking english that I hadn't heard before. And he made me laugh.
The San Lun Che driver who drove me from Beihai Lake to the city mall. He was a daredevil around corners and the back door of the car would swing open everytime. Each time around a corner would encourage peels of laughter from him, too, which got me going.

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Photos

The roof line of the Forbidden City
The concert hall 'Egg' in the distance

The old dowager empress
sat behind the yellow curtain giving instructions to Pu Yi

All that's remaining of this building are the metal parts
destroyed by fire

Comments

[Sergio]

I got tricked by Puyi's nephew today!
I also went to the Forbidden city and bought the calligraphy from 'Puyi's nephew'. Now when i come home and check the internet, it turns out Puyi's only nephew died in 1997. And lots of people have posted their picture with 'Puyi's nephew' and it's a different guy every time! Be careful people!