Summer Palace 頤和園

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The second session of the class the teacher is sick. We can either switch class or make up class next week. Most people prefer get off early and make up class next week. I think is a bad idea.

I have the whole afternoon and half the morning off, I can go somewhere. However I was not prepared for it. I only have the pocket camera and low on memory. It will take too long to go back to the apartment. I just hopped on the bus 690 in front of BLCU and head to the Summer Palace for 1 rmb. It drop you right in front of the East Gate 東宮門 (the main entrance) in less than 30 minutes.

The new subway line 4 Summer Palace station is in the North Gate 北宮門, you can get off at the Xiyuan 西苑 and walk 10-15 minutes to the East Gate.

There is still a lot of tourist in this cold and hazy day after the light snow a day before. It is quiet compare the summer time, the lake is frozen and clam. All the boats are frozen and docked; so no noise or boat pollution of the lake.

Summer Palace has a history of over 800 years. At the beginning of the 12th century, the Golden Hill palace was built here in 1153. In 1860, this vast royal garden was burnt down along with the Yuanming Yuan (Garden of Perfection and Brightness) by Anglo-French allied forces. Summer Palace of today is more or less the same as the palace rebuilt in 1903. It was renovated again before the Summer Olympic last year.

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Photos

Sp2
East Gate

Sp4
East Entry 東宮門

Sp20
Chinese army ? I think is a local tour group.

Comments

[ralph lew]

it looks diff with the snow on it.