So, we need to go somewhere at half term, we thought. Someone suggested Beijing, so we thought, Why Not! We'd bought relatively cheap tickets, and then found a hotel (recommend Hotels.com!) which, for a reasonable sized apartment, right in the centre of Beijing, set us back only £41 per night (with breakfast for an additional £1.50!)
We arrived safely (if somewhat late!) on Pakistan Air, and were collected by our Beijing office's driver (which was great) except that he didn't know where our hotel was, and our directions were poor and only in English, not Kanji! However, we eventually found our hotel, then went out for a refreshingly cheap meal!
We found Beijing to be really dirty, and rather smelly, with lots of spit (as people cough up then phlob on the ground - nice!). However, the people cross the road when the lights are red (as do the cars!), they barge onto trains, and do as they please - which is a little different to Japan!
So, on the first day, we walked to Tiannenemen Square, then the forbidden city. Both most impressive (although rather 'templed out' by the end!), then we went to this market, which sold scorpions (still wriggling), tortoises, and tarantulas (amongst other things!) on sticks - it stank! We bargained for a few very cheap watches and trinkets, then, having rejected duck-head and raw donkey meat restaurants, we found one which sold Korean rice and chicken with seaweedy stuff on, and Kimchee which was just about do-able, and very cheap!
Tiananmen square - very big! (largest public square in the world - although we had to have our bags checked, and there are, allegedly, lots of under-cover police!
There were these bizarre and rather incongrous giant plasma screens in the middle? and some kind of flower festival, we surmised
This is the place from which you see the Chinese leaders give their speeches, and from where all the tanks paraded.
Chairman Mao!
This is the view from the speaker's balcony
The Chinese kept wanting to be photographed with Felix and Neve, and this random woman got in our photo!
Next, we went to the Forbidden City - this was the place where the Emporers used to live, in total isolation, until about 1900 - they had hundreds of wives and concubines with bound feet, and approx 70,000 eunuchs (about which Felix was most intrigued!)
I think Neve must have taken this one!
There were lots of animals on the appexes of the buildings, which meant something or other (the importance of the building -Ed)
The Emperor's chair
There was this beautiful imperial garden at the Northern end of the city
These were rocks imported from miles away, and this 'tree-house' on top was built for the Emperor and Empress to sit in on 9th of the 9th each year (!??)
A strange lion-type creature!
A turtle into which they put incense and then smoke comes out of his mouth - cool heh!
There were 3 main pavillions, each had several entrances, but only the Emperor was allowed to use the central one - here's a picture of it - all carved, very beautiful. They moved thes 200T blocks of stones from quarry to palace by waiting until the winter, then spreading water on the floor so it froze and then sliding the block of stone along. The whole city had hundreds of buildings and 9,000 rooms.
Lamb's kidneys, bugs, and tenticles - tasty!
Snakes, centipedes and various bugs...!
...scorpions (these ones were dead - Ross took a video of some live ones which we'll try to upload)
A random guy dressed as a guard marching up and down whilst we sat and drunk TsingTao beer (for about 30p a litre) (Actually £1.50 for 500ml. You can tell who was paying the bills - Ed)
