The Forbidden City

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Fry up for breakfast, first in a long time. We were right next to the forbidden city so went looking.
People were fighting outside to offer to be our tour guide; offering business cards, also a lot of people were asking for money, massive cultural difference to Japan. Once inside it wasnt much different either, we had to pay a much higher entrance fee than locals which was odd, and the complete lack of queing was noticed. We waited to buy tickets and everyone else just jumps to the front. Unusual, but when in Rome.....
We bought some audio tour gadgets, after another que experience, then began to wander.
The Forbidden city was neither forbidden, nor a city but was huge, with fantastic architecture, and very impressive. Inside were really groovy looking trees, and also big rocks that looked like trees, unusual. All the throwns were pretty grand, all in all very good.
On exit of the 'city' we were bombarded by homeless people missing limbs and asking for money, also women with small children implying they could not feed their children, followed us down the street for a long time all assuming that being a westerner I should throw my money in the air for all!! Otherwise great day.
Had a research night for the following days.

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