Beijing

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Hello everyone,



Beijing is everything I have read—crowded and busy. They admit that air quality is a huge problem, in fact the first day we were able to look directly at the sun because the haze was so thick. They plant poplar trees everywhere to help the situation. As well, every workday, 20% of the cars are off the road—it is based on the last number of their license plate. Public transportation is inexpensive—15 cents for a bus without air conditioning and 30 cents with A/C, and they are adding a layer of subway line. Our guide refers to this 3,000 year-old city as a medium-sized city of only 15 million people. Some cities have over 30 million—just about the same as our entire Canadian population. There are incentives—tax breaks and higher salaries for people to leave the big cities and move to poorer villages in the west. Winters are dry and cold, while summers are hot and humid—110C with 700 ml of rain that falls in the summer months.



There is construction everywhere, but some older neighbourhoods still use public, centrally located toilets. They say that it is easy to find KFC, but hard to find a toilet.



Visited Tian’anmen Square, The Great Wall and the Forbidden City.



Enjoy the pictures.



再见



Donna

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Photos

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Opera Singer at Beijing Opera Theatre. He did makeup and costume on stage before show began.

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Chairman Mao's Mausoleum at Tian'anmen Square. People were lined up four deep around the block to view his body in a glass case.

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Tian'anmen Square is size of ten soccer fields. One million people could stand in it at one time. In 1989, students were protesting and government sent in tanks and fired on students. The number killed that day has never been revealed.

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The haze is so thick, it is hard to get good pictures. I expected to see more people wearing face masks like this one.

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Called the Forbidden City because it was forbidden for commoners to enter. Sits on 150 acres and has 9999 rooms.

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All these ramps and levels were for soldiers to stand guard.

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There are 306 water vats around the Forbidden City. They were filled with water to fight fires.

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This is not a lion, but a happiness dog. Put one in front of your home or restaurant to ward off evil and guard your wealth.

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Cherry blossoms are in bloom everywhere.

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You don't walk the Great Wall of China, you climb up many steep stairs. It was built 2,000 years ago and is wide enough for ten soldiers or five horses side by side.

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It was very cold at the Great Wall. There was snow on the ground.

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Beijing is a contrast of the old and the new. This modern high rise put and old fashioned pavillion on top.

Comments

[John H]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Thanks Donna! Looking forward with much relish to this blog.

[michael yu]

nice pictures
Hi Donna: I was there is late May, it was getting warm, lots of good pictures! Did you visit the Ming tombs ?

[Lyn McCauley]

a medium sized city!!
Great pictures. can't imagine what it is like to be in such a crowded place. do you have the opportunity to meet people. Can you get a sense of their world view?

[Rowena]

Pics
Hi Donna ...great pictures. I'm enjoying your trip through your pictures and blog. Keep up the good work.

[Leslie Jolliffe]

Hello
These pictures are good and seeing you in all these incredible places makes me so happy for you.

[Dawn]

Envious
Wish I were there! Great job on the writing and pictures - I look forward to more. Keep warm.

[Gretchen]

Enjoying your blog
Hi Donna, It looks like an amazing place to visit and I just love the cherry blossoms! Enjoy your holiday.

[Sharon]

Enjoy!
Please stay safe! Enjoy every minute!

[Marion Hewitt]

China
It is a great trip and you sense of humor makes it fun

[Claire Villeneuve]

Hi Donna
Great to be able to revisit China through you. Hope it warms and clears a bit.