My third and favourite trip to Beijing so far

Well it’s been a busy weekend that’s for sure. In three days I have visited:

• The Great Wall
• The Summer Palace
• The Forbidden City
• The Ming Tombs
• Tiananmen Square

I have eaten at our favourite Chinese restaurant in Beijing, the amusingly named ‘Fuku’, had two amazing breakfasts including all my Western favourites such as cheese with bread, cereal with milk and a good old fry-up. I have relaxed in a swimming pool complete with accompanying Jacuzzi, had a bath for the first time in over three months and drank beer whilst looking out over Beijing in winter. All of this has come about because Charlie’s parents are visiting for a week and very happy about it I am for sure.

Following a trip to New Zealand, his parents (Hello to Allison, I am sure you will be reading this at some point!) arranged to fly to Beijing to meet up with Charlie and I was lucky enough to be invited along for the trip. It has been getting a bit repetitive for us lately, teaching then sleeping and nothing much else. So it has been a great chance to unwind, especially in a swanky hotel in Beijing!

We took his parents to a more forgiving part of the Great Wall, not too far from Beijing and not including a 12km treck in the freezing cold. We went to the Badaling section of the Wall, slightly remodelled for tourists such as ourselves. One thing of particular interest – can you guess how the Chinese have made it easier to get up to the Wall from the roadside? A trail of donkeys for you to ride up, a cable car or even an escalator of some sort maybe? Nope! A kind of rollercoaster is their chosen mode of transportation. A slow but steep ride up the side of the Wall, followed by a quick decent once you have finished your walk. See for yourself:-

The highlight for me had to be The Forbidden City – ‘A Ming dynasty masterpiece, built as the political and cosmic centrepiece of the Celestial Empire’ is what the guide book describes it as. I’m not sure about that, mainly as I don’t understand what that means. I would describe it as a hideout in the very centre of Beijing that completely shuts out the hustle and bustle of the outside City. It is really very impressive. It is also a museum, the biggest in the world, that when you stand right in the very middle, is completely silent. We sat in chairs, on a fresh winters day, relaxing in complete silence. Considering there are some 20 million people all very happy to make lots of noise outside makes it even more incredible. It is also quite amusing to find that it has a Starbucks slap bang in the middle. Nothing like a Café Latte whilst you walk round looking at all there is to see!

The Summer Palace was very relaxing, a place to chill. It is especially so considering it was absolutely freezing! The entire lake had froze over. Where it not for Allison giving me pair of possum gloves, I think my hands may have fell off. In case your wondering, The Summer Palace ‘has served as a royal summer home since the Jin Dynasty, but it assumed its present shape in 1750, when Emperor Qianlong remodelled it for his mother’.

Video of the Summer Palace

Seeing as I am in an informative mood and I have just purchased a guide to Beijing – ‘What are The Ming Tombs?’ I hear you ask. For your information – ’13 of the 16 Ming emperors are buried in this picturesque valley of rolling hills and orchards. Adhering to fengshui principles, each tomb is backed by a hill to the north’.

Were back teaching for a few days, until we leave for Xi’an on Thursday for a chance to see the Terracotta Army. A nice hotel is awaiting us there too and we are flying to and from the City. It’s a difficult life!