Blue Sky in Beijing!!!

It is amazing that the weather has been so cooperative. Blue sky doesn't happen all that often with all the smog that exists here. First stop was the Temple of Heaven Park (天壇) which was full of people today. The most fascinating part is the symbolism of the construction of the entire park...lot of pillars and columns were based on numerology as well as cosmotology. I have never thought that there was all these planning behind the place other than beautiful art and craft works.


Running around Temple of Heaven


Temple of Heaven


The Temple surrounded by the Echo Wall

Second stop was the Tian'anmen Square (天安門) and the Forbidden City (紫禁城). I can't believe every turn was a $10RNB fee. Many of the entry fee are places I really did not care to see, thus I skipped most of them. I just paid the main entry fee to the Forbidden City with an automatic audio guided tour. The site was magnificant, but a lot of rooms look the same and one really need an entire day to walk thru everything.


Big Pic of Mao


South Main Entrance to the Forbidden City


The Forbidden City Court Yard

One funny encounter was overhearing a Chinese tour guide trying to explain one of the Forbidden City's quarters to his travellers. Here is more or less what the conversation was like:

Tour Guide: "This quarter is where the king likes to play with his cucumbers"
Visitor: "Cucumber? What does the king do with a cucumber?"
Tour Guide: "Sex!"
Visitor: "What???"
Tour Guide: "Yes! With many, many of them!"
Visitor (laughing): "Do you mean a Concubine?"


Forbidden City's Back Gate


End of Day Guard Marching Excercise

In the evening, I went to a Wushu (武術) show: The Legend of Kungfu. At first, I thought it was an exhibition where martial artists display their wushu skills. Instead, it was actually kind of like a Cirque du Soleil. It was so stupid. Once the main character spoke, everything went downhill...the main character spoke (actually lip sync) in ENGLISH!!!! What the hell???? Then the theme song was repeated a dozen times. These Russians next to me was laughing....and so was I. Listen to me...DO NOT GO!!!!!


The Sad Legend of Kung Fu...this doesn't even look half as stupid as the actual show!