Wednesday: Back in Beijing, setting off for the main tourist attractions: Tiananmen Square, Mao's Masoleum, and the Forbidden City. It was a smoggy day, so we bought some schnazzy masks to protect us from PM2.5 lung damage before heading out.
Observations:
The Tiananmen Square is huge, and mostly concrete.
The Chairman strikes me as an imposing man, even in his waxy, preserved state.
Starbucks is a great place to hide from the pollution and use a western-style toilet.
The Forbidden City is huge, and impressive, and full of red walls and hidden courtyards that could take hours to properly explore.
WE followed this up with rooftop drinks and a local dining experience that was delicious - lamb on a spit, amazing sides, and cold beer.
Thursday: Great Wall at Mutianyu.
Stretching off into the mist, winding and climbing, broken by square towers.
I'm tired just thinking of the effort it took to build it, snaking along the ridge line as it does.
We don't even have to walk up to it, taking advantage of the cable car.
Gazing into the distance, I'm sure these hills are filled with color at some points of the year, but right now the bleakness and haze give an impression of perpetual gloom... an impression not dispelled by our journey here, through rows of bare trees in all directions, villages in monochrome, and deserted road-side rest areas.
A thorough exploration, waiting for a break in the traffic for the best picture opportunities.
Back down via the alpine slide, wishing for greater speed.
Friday: Last day in the city.
Slow start over coffee and the best breakfast ever, some sort of egg-cilantro crunchy pancake concoction, bought for almost nothing on the street. For the second time in 3 days. (I'd fly back for that pancake).
Temple of heaven.
Sprawling, surrounded by beautiful shady park.
Pearl market: 4 floors of insistent salespeople and almost everything you could want to buy.
Last dinner, crispy duck carved at the table and folded into delicate pancakes.
It was a great trip with some great ladies. But I was happy to return to the clean and breathable Japanese air, and appreciate China's history from afar.
 |
| Glamorous, eh? |
Observations:
The Tiananmen Square is huge, and mostly concrete.
The Chairman strikes me as an imposing man, even in his waxy, preserved state.
Starbucks is a great place to hide from the pollution and use a western-style toilet.
The Forbidden City is huge, and impressive, and full of red walls and hidden courtyards that could take hours to properly explore.
WE followed this up with rooftop drinks and a local dining experience that was delicious - lamb on a spit, amazing sides, and cold beer.
Thursday: Great Wall at Mutianyu.
Stretching off into the mist, winding and climbing, broken by square towers.
I'm tired just thinking of the effort it took to build it, snaking along the ridge line as it does.
We don't even have to walk up to it, taking advantage of the cable car.
Gazing into the distance, I'm sure these hills are filled with color at some points of the year, but right now the bleakness and haze give an impression of perpetual gloom... an impression not dispelled by our journey here, through rows of bare trees in all directions, villages in monochrome, and deserted road-side rest areas.
A thorough exploration, waiting for a break in the traffic for the best picture opportunities.
Back down via the alpine slide, wishing for greater speed.
Friday: Last day in the city.
Slow start over coffee and the best breakfast ever, some sort of egg-cilantro crunchy pancake concoction, bought for almost nothing on the street. For the second time in 3 days. (I'd fly back for that pancake).
Temple of heaven.
Sprawling, surrounded by beautiful shady park.
Pearl market: 4 floors of insistent salespeople and almost everything you could want to buy.
Last dinner, crispy duck carved at the table and folded into delicate pancakes.
It was a great trip with some great ladies. But I was happy to return to the clean and breathable Japanese air, and appreciate China's history from afar.
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