Here are some photos taken in Beijing. Feel free to adjust the speed of the slideshow. Click on a photo to see a short description.
These photographs were taken in various places:
Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, Ming Tombs, a small city called Tianjin about 2 hours from Beijing city, and in a village in Beijing called Hutong.
Warning: Long post ahead. So feel free to skip it before you zzz...
Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, Ming Tombs, a small city called Tianjin about 2 hours from Beijing city, and in a village in Beijing called Hutong.
Warning: Long post ahead. So feel free to skip it before you zzz...
Day 1
When we landed, we were brought straight for breakfast. After filling the stomach, we were ready to set out to Tianamen Square and Forbidden City. We spent quite a lot of time there as the palace is huge. But in all that time we were there, we only covered a portion of the palace, walking from the North Gate towards the South Gate exit. After the long walk, we visited the Temple of Heaven where the Emperor used to worship. There is a sense of tranquility as you walk through that vast, green land.
By the time we were finished with the touristy thing for the day, we were "treated" to "free" foot massages. Nothing comes for free, of course. We had to endure some "health experts" telling us that we have all sorts of health problems and they were generous with recommendations of their medication. Anyway, I didn't get my free foot massage because they made me soak my feet and waited for God knows how long before I decided I've had enough of their sickly talk. I asked for a towel, cleaned up and walked out.
When we landed, we were brought straight for breakfast. After filling the stomach, we were ready to set out to Tianamen Square and Forbidden City. We spent quite a lot of time there as the palace is huge. But in all that time we were there, we only covered a portion of the palace, walking from the North Gate towards the South Gate exit. After the long walk, we visited the Temple of Heaven where the Emperor used to worship. There is a sense of tranquility as you walk through that vast, green land.
By the time we were finished with the touristy thing for the day, we were "treated" to "free" foot massages. Nothing comes for free, of course. We had to endure some "health experts" telling us that we have all sorts of health problems and they were generous with recommendations of their medication. Anyway, I didn't get my free foot massage because they made me soak my feet and waited for God knows how long before I decided I've had enough of their sickly talk. I asked for a towel, cleaned up and walked out.
Day 2
The next day we visited The Great Wall of China. It was quite a long drive from Beijing city. It was a cold morning and the winds were chilling. We attempted the climb and found that it's not easy at all. The steps are big and steep. By the time we climbed up a little, the air was quite thin and I was panting away. So we took a break to snap a few photos. Our mistake was that we turned to look down and it was quite a frightening sight. I didn’t want to continue climbing, so we descended.
After lunch we went on to see the Ming Tombs which is the burial ground of the Emperor. Apparently, eight years before his death, he ordered his people to build his would-be resting place and that the Empress and chosen Concubine would be buried (alive!) with him along with many other treasures. It was many flights of stairs down to the Underground Palace and it sent me the shivers to think how the Empress and the Concubine felt to be buried alive when the Emperor passed on.
The next day we visited The Great Wall of China. It was quite a long drive from Beijing city. It was a cold morning and the winds were chilling. We attempted the climb and found that it's not easy at all. The steps are big and steep. By the time we climbed up a little, the air was quite thin and I was panting away. So we took a break to snap a few photos. Our mistake was that we turned to look down and it was quite a frightening sight. I didn’t want to continue climbing, so we descended.
After lunch we went on to see the Ming Tombs which is the burial ground of the Emperor. Apparently, eight years before his death, he ordered his people to build his would-be resting place and that the Empress and chosen Concubine would be buried (alive!) with him along with many other treasures. It was many flights of stairs down to the Underground Palace and it sent me the shivers to think how the Empress and the Concubine felt to be buried alive when the Emperor passed on.
Day 3
On our third day, we went to Summer Palace. It is yet another huge palace that the Empress Dowager Cixi ordered to be built using misappropriated funds. This was her vacation palace during the summer. I personally find this place more pleasing than Forbidden City. It has a lake and plenty of trees and flowers. I believe during the peak of spring season, it would be even more beautiful with all the flowers blooming. A lot of the pictures of flowers seen in the slideshow came from this place.
That afternoon, we went to a small village called Hutong. It is a charming little place. It is well known for its trishaw ride around the village. We took up the ride and went about the village in a “convoy”. Our trishaw puller, however, is a young and enthusiastic fellow who took the ride as an F1 race!
Hutong has a little river running by and we saw people taking boat rides too. We didn’t have time for that though. It would have been nice to do that during sunset.
In the night, we spent just an hour in the famous shopping street of Wanfujing. Got ourselves a few China jade items for a steal.
On our third day, we went to Summer Palace. It is yet another huge palace that the Empress Dowager Cixi ordered to be built using misappropriated funds. This was her vacation palace during the summer. I personally find this place more pleasing than Forbidden City. It has a lake and plenty of trees and flowers. I believe during the peak of spring season, it would be even more beautiful with all the flowers blooming. A lot of the pictures of flowers seen in the slideshow came from this place.
That afternoon, we went to a small village called Hutong. It is a charming little place. It is well known for its trishaw ride around the village. We took up the ride and went about the village in a “convoy”. Our trishaw puller, however, is a young and enthusiastic fellow who took the ride as an F1 race!
Hutong has a little river running by and we saw people taking boat rides too. We didn’t have time for that though. It would have been nice to do that during sunset.
In the night, we spent just an hour in the famous shopping street of Wanfujing. Got ourselves a few China jade items for a steal.
Day 4
We were first brought to the Museum of Feng Shui where a feng shui master was explaining the good feng shui of Beijing and how everything in China is done according to feng shui. He is very knowledgeable about the feng shui in KL too. He explained the feng shui of KLCC and Genting Highlands to us and we were amazed that he knew more about our own places than we Malaysians.
Then we took a 2-hour drive to a city called Tianjin. It is a very colourful place with buildings in the theme of the Forbidden City palace colours – red, blue, green, yellow. We walked along the Cultural Street to shop for souvenirs.
We got back into Beijing after dinner and continued to do some shopping in a place called Yue Show complex. When the stores closed, we went back to the hotel. That’s when I got my birthday surprise. I had a cake along with birthday songs in 4 languages – English, Mandarin, Cantonese and BM. What a variety! =)
We were first brought to the Museum of Feng Shui where a feng shui master was explaining the good feng shui of Beijing and how everything in China is done according to feng shui. He is very knowledgeable about the feng shui in KL too. He explained the feng shui of KLCC and Genting Highlands to us and we were amazed that he knew more about our own places than we Malaysians.
Then we took a 2-hour drive to a city called Tianjin. It is a very colourful place with buildings in the theme of the Forbidden City palace colours – red, blue, green, yellow. We walked along the Cultural Street to shop for souvenirs.
We got back into Beijing after dinner and continued to do some shopping in a place called Yue Show complex. When the stores closed, we went back to the hotel. That’s when I got my birthday surprise. I had a cake along with birthday songs in 4 languages – English, Mandarin, Cantonese and BM. What a variety! =)
Day 5
On our last day, we went to a tea shop where we were served several types of tea. They were all very good and we bought quite a bit. However, I never thought that what we had bought was of a totally different quality than what we were given to try. So a word of caution to those who may visit similar outfits, don’t expect the real thing in your purchases.
That was all we had time for on the final day as we had a plane to catch in the afternoon. And then, it was home sweet home.
During the 5-day tour, we were also brought to many factories selling crystals, jade, pearls, silk and Chinese medicines. Things there are never cheap so we didn’t buy anything. After all, it would be more fun to bargain it out at smaller shops.
On our last day, we went to a tea shop where we were served several types of tea. They were all very good and we bought quite a bit. However, I never thought that what we had bought was of a totally different quality than what we were given to try. So a word of caution to those who may visit similar outfits, don’t expect the real thing in your purchases.
That was all we had time for on the final day as we had a plane to catch in the afternoon. And then, it was home sweet home.
During the 5-day tour, we were also brought to many factories selling crystals, jade, pearls, silk and Chinese medicines. Things there are never cheap so we didn’t buy anything. After all, it would be more fun to bargain it out at smaller shops.
4 comments:
nice collection, but was expecting more of pics with u & ray in it ...
see scenery enough la...you'll be bored seeing too many pictures with our faces on them :P
Nice photos :)
Nice pics. The oyster and the pearls r da best. TGIF. Cheers!
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