A rollercoaster of places to visit, with Cathryn. This vast expanse, Tiananmen square , the world largest city square, and one sure can visualize a huge congregation , the student revolution ! We walk past the Zhengyangmen Gatehouse, Monument to the People's Heroes , the Mausoleum Of Chairman Mao ( interestingly , they call him the Sleeping beauty !! ) ,towards the Tiananmen Gate , to enter the Forbidden City !With this huge portrait of Chairman Mao watching all visitors , wonder if we will be allowed inside or Forbidden??? J
We enter through the Meridian Gate & keep walking & walking & walking & walking ...... from one courtyard to another , through one gate to another , from the Outer , to the Inner Court. Anyone walking this length daily shall need no exercise to remain fit , thats for sure ! The vibrant colours of the Palace , the intricate workmanship , the Majestic Imperial Guardian , the huge Copper Vats ..... each have a story to tell . The last part is the Imperial Garden, home to the Empress & the Concubine's, with its gardens and temples , is scenic , peaceful , beautiful! I would have loved to have spend some more time here , however , its time to get to the Land of Food now, through the Gate of Divine Might. From here we can see the complete layout of the Jingshan Hill, the highest point of this city.
After a not so spicy sumptuous meal at Sichuan Folk, we head towards the Temple of Heaven. However , after a heart meal , one needs to drown it with some Chai , so, it is a visit to Tea House , which also overlooks the Temple of Heaven. Tea House was a super experience , and a must do , just for some entertainment and some knowledge of the nuances of Chinese Chai !!!!!
Temple of Heaven , a place where u can spend half a day, araam se , , with parks , greenery all around, and the spacious temple complex. The Hall of Prayer of Good Harvests, reminds us of Sanchi Stupa at Bhubaneswar! Best time is from morning hours till early evening , when you will spot small groups doing various activities.. Taichi , dancing , judo, walking .. and all else, a place , where one can watch the locals at their relaxed best . Later part of the day is when the you see the senior citizens who sit along the corridors, playing cards , some even strumming typical local instruments & not to miss out the kids and adults flying kites , playing games , including some kind of football with a contraption which looks like a shuttlecock but bounces like a football, very interesting!
After this , a visit to the Summer Palace is definitely out , in our next trip , perhaps, with a visit to the Beijing Zoo, just to say hello to the Panda's . And a visit to the Jingshan Hill at dusk , the best time to be there is at Dusk , to watch the sun set over the Imperial Palace, including the rest that this hill has to offer!!! J
Dinner is with Jane, Anish's collegue at one of Beijings oldest restaurants, in one of the bylanes of Wangfuijing Street , Chongwenmen area, which serves the most authentic Peking Duck, Beijing gaye aur Peking Duck nahin khaya toh kya kiya, i say??? J. Waise , an evening visit to this place is a must , vibrant , designer labels, traditional shops , restaurants .... the works ! The Time Square of Beijing!!!
Highlights:
Inder's Afro hairstyle is a rage at every place we visit, with quite a few giving him the eye!!! At Forbidden city , 2 young girls , come up to him , and ask if they can take a photograph with him. When he asks , why? The say ," We think you are very good looking" !
Want to go Chinese and sample some of their delicacies , head for the Wangfuijing Night Market (snack street) or Donghuamen Night Market , for some deep fried insects, scorpions, cricket , centipede .... ewwwwwwwwwww
And next time , if ever there is one , the stay shall be at Novotel Beijing Xin Qiao, Chongwenmen !
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