China 2
Wednesday
Had an interesting breakfast - I had dim sum, a hard boiled egg, a yoghurt and some melon. Also on offer were cereals, noodles, bread products, and assorted stuff. I accidentally discovered that green tea does not taste great with milk.
We were picked up by Allen and the driver and taken first of all to Tienamen Square, where there were some very stationery guards, who watched the passersby a bit like eagle -eyed actionman, but with a very controlled head swivel. We saw the famous picture of Chairman Mao, who looks a bit like a beatific Hector!
The Forbidden City was a rather odd mix of feelings - the scale is hugely impressive, but the whole thing left me slightly underwhelmed. I think it was slightly sad, as there are some hugely run down areas with grass growing out of the roof, paint peeling and wood cracking. I guess it's a building made of wood in a humid climate and needs constant upkeep. Bits of it are gorgeous, the details are superb and the fact that there are details everywhere is amazing, but it needs a bit of TLC. I think also because there are very few internal details, it's hard to imagine people actually being there.
What else have we learned? Toilets are often in the french style and require squatting.
Driving is terrifying even if you are a passenger. Pedestrian crossings designate an area where cars might like to run you over for preference, rather than anything else.
After lunch we went to a government run pearl factory, which was actually fairly interesting. Freshwater oysters make many pearl, not just the one that slt water oysters make. They come in white; pink and black which you only get from chinese oysters and another colour. I bought some things - it was annoying sell, with a saleslady who followed you around constantly, but I'm quite pleased with my purchases.
The Temple of Heaven is from the same period as the Forbidden City and the emperor went there twice a year to pray for crops and fertility. It is a lovely building, but again rather empty. The surrounding park is full of locals playing poker, keepie-uppies with a shuttlecock sort of hackiesac and people playing chinese chess, which I must investigate further.
Feeling somewhat sleepy, we were a bit worried about the Kung Fu show, but it turned out to be really good. Traditional story, but very visual, great lighting and stage show. People balanced on spear points, beds of nails and broke metal bars on their heads.
Finished the day with Peking Duck, which was not a patch on crispy shredded duck!
Had an interesting breakfast - I had dim sum, a hard boiled egg, a yoghurt and some melon. Also on offer were cereals, noodles, bread products, and assorted stuff. I accidentally discovered that green tea does not taste great with milk.
We were picked up by Allen and the driver and taken first of all to Tienamen Square, where there were some very stationery guards, who watched the passersby a bit like eagle -eyed actionman, but with a very controlled head swivel. We saw the famous picture of Chairman Mao, who looks a bit like a beatific Hector!
The Forbidden City was a rather odd mix of feelings - the scale is hugely impressive, but the whole thing left me slightly underwhelmed. I think it was slightly sad, as there are some hugely run down areas with grass growing out of the roof, paint peeling and wood cracking. I guess it's a building made of wood in a humid climate and needs constant upkeep. Bits of it are gorgeous, the details are superb and the fact that there are details everywhere is amazing, but it needs a bit of TLC. I think also because there are very few internal details, it's hard to imagine people actually being there.
What else have we learned? Toilets are often in the french style and require squatting.
Driving is terrifying even if you are a passenger. Pedestrian crossings designate an area where cars might like to run you over for preference, rather than anything else.
After lunch we went to a government run pearl factory, which was actually fairly interesting. Freshwater oysters make many pearl, not just the one that slt water oysters make. They come in white; pink and black which you only get from chinese oysters and another colour. I bought some things - it was annoying sell, with a saleslady who followed you around constantly, but I'm quite pleased with my purchases.
The Temple of Heaven is from the same period as the Forbidden City and the emperor went there twice a year to pray for crops and fertility. It is a lovely building, but again rather empty. The surrounding park is full of locals playing poker, keepie-uppies with a shuttlecock sort of hackiesac and people playing chinese chess, which I must investigate further.
Feeling somewhat sleepy, we were a bit worried about the Kung Fu show, but it turned out to be really good. Traditional story, but very visual, great lighting and stage show. People balanced on spear points, beds of nails and broke metal bars on their heads.
Finished the day with Peking Duck, which was not a patch on crispy shredded duck!