On the bus trip to the Great Wall, we stopped at a Jade Museum and factory. Jade is used rather extensively in China for statues, jewellery and keepsakes.
The colours of jade vary with an
orange, reddish brown Jade being the most prized, however, if I needed two lion
statues outside the front door, I’d prefer the traditional green jade.
As we approached the Great Wall
of China, the landscape became rugged and hilly.
The car park and entrance
included the obligatory lion statues.
Words are inadequate to describe
this truly spectacular and awe-inspiring World Heritage site. There are various
access points but we went to Juyongguan Pass, about an hour NW of Beijing.
The Wall was started about 230 BCE by the same Emperor who commissioned the Terracotta Warriors. It was a defensive strategy to keep Mongolians out of China. (Was Trump a student of history or did one of his advisors read about this wall and make a suggestion?)
The Wall was started about 230 BCE by the same Emperor who commissioned the Terracotta Warriors. It was a defensive strategy to keep Mongolians out of China. (Was Trump a student of history or did one of his advisors read about this wall and make a suggestion?)
Very hard work going up and down the steps because the treads and risers are all different. Some risers (the height) would be 350-400mm high, then some at 100mm or less.
Mongolia to the right, China to
the left.
Views are spectacular but that is
not enough in itself to bring you to such a remarkable spot. Perhaps it is that
sense of history that you are standing on an artefact started many thousands of
years ago.
Beijing off in the distance.
It was quite a buzz to stand on
one of the truly remarkable Wonders of the World.
The girl in the souvenir shop
must have been tired, but we did wake her to pay for an item.
Back to the hotel, which had a large, impressive foyer.
The first stop next morning was at a Pearl business - a shop and museum/factory. Of course, the obligatory lions guarded the entrance.
The Tour Guide did explain, in answer to a question from one of the group, that businesses such as this one (plus the silk factory, plus the green tea factory etc) sponsored the tour with the prospect of sales flowing from the visit. This keeps the costs down for tours like ours. So, the hidden text is 'Put up with it, if you want to go on low-cost tours!'
Then we headed for Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
In quiet discussion with the guide before we left the hotel earlier in the morning, it became obvious that mention of the 30th anniversary of what we call the Tiananmen Square massacre was off-limits. Any mention of 'anniversary' was re-directed to pride in the upcoming 70th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949 by Mao.
The first stop next morning was at a Pearl business - a shop and museum/factory. Of course, the obligatory lions guarded the entrance.
The Tour Guide did explain, in answer to a question from one of the group, that businesses such as this one (plus the silk factory, plus the green tea factory etc) sponsored the tour with the prospect of sales flowing from the visit. This keeps the costs down for tours like ours. So, the hidden text is 'Put up with it, if you want to go on low-cost tours!'
Then we headed for Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
In quiet discussion with the guide before we left the hotel earlier in the morning, it became obvious that mention of the 30th anniversary of what we call the Tiananmen Square massacre was off-limits. Any mention of 'anniversary' was re-directed to pride in the upcoming 70th anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949 by Mao.
The white, British-looking building is the railway station.
Below are the two remaining towers from the old city walls.
The sketch map of the area (below) might help. We walked in
from the lower left on the map. So the two towers in the photo above (the Jian
Lou and the Qian Men towers) are remnant gates from the old city walls and are labelled in the image below. But before we got to them, we turned right and walked towards the Forbidden City (top right corner of map, but not labelled),
so Mao's Mausoleum was on our left, as was the Monument to the People's Heroes
and the Great Hall of the People.
Mao's Mausoleum, below, now largely obscured by vegetation.
The central part of Tiananmen Square, with the Monument to the
People's Heroes in the foreground and the Great Hall in the background.
The Great Hall of the People, below, (but not my photo - borrowed it from Wikipedia) is the main legislature and ceremonial building.
... and then further to the right of the monument and Great Hall is the entrance to the
Forbidden City.
The wide road between Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City - often seen in news coverage of ceremonial displays and parades - is crossed via a tunnel under the road which is heavily guarded of course.
Approaching the gates of the Forbidden City in the photo below. The walkway in front is quite wide. (The roadway and Tiananmen Square is to the left)
The large frontage, with the image of Mao, is quite iconic and often seen in news footage.
There are several very thick walls and gates to pass through, and I lost track of how many there were.
Pedestrian traffic, in the managed way we have come to expect, all heads in the one direction, which makes for orderly movement. No 'swimming upstream'.
Another wall, another gate.
In Chinese culture, it is significant that there are nine studs/rivets/bolts across each row in the gate. Can't remember why though.
A military training ground and parade ground ...
... and another gate or two...
Then we emerged into more courtyards with buildings and images reminiscent of the movie 'The Last Emperor', which was filmed on this location, back in the 1980s.
... then another gate and courtyard.
This photo below of one of the signs might give some idea of how many courtyards, gates and walls we passed through.
.. and below is a photo of the old with the new! (Editor's note: just to clarify that! The old buildings of the Forbidden City with the new high-rise buildings of Beijing in the background!)
We could not go into any of these buildings,so long-range photos from outside were the best we could do. Will have to watch that movie again!
The names of the buildings and rooms were fascinating; names such as
- Hall of Martial Valour
- Hall of Supreme Harmony
- Hall of Central Harmony
- Palace of Heavenly Purity
- Palace of Compassion and Tranquility
- Palace of Longevity and Health
- Hall of Mental Cultivation
- Grand Council of State
We emerged, eventually, through the last few gates and portals into the Palace Gardens, which were also extensive and well maintained.
... and then, one of several exit gates.
The Forbidden City is truly a remarkable place. Wish I had done some homework before getting there so I could have understood it better.
The afternoon saw us heading for one of the Hutongs, which are districts of traditional houses which are still lived in and preserved. There are narrow alleyways and lanes throughout. They are 'inner city' so the land is worth a fortune but the locals are somehow protected from encroachment of the land developers. We went to the 'Bell and Drum Tower' hutong for a rickshaw tour and a meal.
The 'bell tower' part...
... and the 'drum tower' bit
The 'village square' where locals gather was shady and relaxed..
... except for those playing 'hacky-sack'.
Some instant art-work on the pavement but it was done with water, so disappeared quickly.
The rickshaw riders/drivers were waiting for tourists prepared to pay a fare....
The narrow lanes were mostly tidy and well-kept - but very narrow. Not at all suitable for the Beijing Grand Prix.
Lunch was at a house said to be 500 years old.
Then it was a short walk out of the hutong (notice the traffic lights telling everyone how long they've got... why can't we have these?)
Then, it was strolling through a market area, where some green tea was purchased.
The trip back to the hotel was a chance to see more very wide streets - and many, many electric scooters.
Next morning, it was a visit to a Traditional Chinese Medicine centre, (TCM), where some lowly students were tasked with providing a foot bath and massage for each of the group. Then, in swept the TCM specialists, all 'professors', to check our pulse, our tongue, our palms and then provide an instant diagnosis of our ills and complaints. And how lucky were we... they could provide some herbs and TCM medicine to correct these ills. Mary wouldn't participate but I got 'sucked in' and opted for the bargain-basement choice of just $150 worth of medicines. This was the only blatant 'rip-off' on the trip. No doubt, there is value in TCM, but not in this context. Grrr!
Anyway, things improved after that - we went to the Beijing Zoo to check out the pandas.
The pandas were sensational. The zoo-keepers won't wash the pandas daily - not good for the pandas' health - so the black and white pandas are black and white and brown - but it does make them look far more authentic. Most of them were quite active while we were there and were feeding and moving around. They are solitary animals so don't associate with others unless it is breeding season. In the wild, they don't form 'packs' or groups.
Then it was off to the Beijing airport for the flight home. Great trip!
