Day 6 - Beijing and The Great Wall!

Several years ago, I had a business trip to China planned. Unfortunately, that trip got cancelled, but the draw kept hold of me. Of all the things to see and do in the country, walking on The Great Wall of China held such fascination for me. It is a combination of history and perseverance and strength. So it was fitting that I capped off our last day in the country with a visit to The Wall. 

The Great Wall more than met my expectations. We chose a tour location that was outside the city and less frequented by tourists. This particular location was actually in a ski area, so it was fitting that we took a ski lift to the top. From there, we climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed for two hours. It was so steep and long, that even our guide Wendy couldn't keep up. But we explored all the guard buildings and stairways for half a mile or so, until we were sweat-ee. I didn't want to leave. It was a perfect ending to a fabulous vacation.

Day 6 - Beijing and The Ming Tombs

Day 6 saw us driving outside the center city into a countryside that favored Northern California. The Ming Tombs is the resting place for 13 of the 16 Ming Emperors. There is a 4-mile approach to the tombs, part of which is 'guarded' by stone statues. It is quiet and peaceful, with views of the mountains in the distance, and the grounds surrounded by groves of fruit trees. When we parked to enter the tombs area, we were swarmed by local farmers selling gorgous fresh peaches bigger than my fist. I bought one and ate it straightaway as we made our way across the parking lot. With such luscious fruit, it made me wonder how they prepare and preserve it. I was longing for a peach pie, but our guide said they generally just dried the fruit instead of preparing it into dishes. Too bad.

Day 5 - Beijing and the Temple of Heaven

The Temple of Heaven is where the Emperors went to worship. Usually they went a couple of times a year to make sacrifices and pray;  more if current events warranted it. Interestingly, there is a long road to the main temple area. Along the way you pass a structure that is a dressing room, allowing the emperor to change into appropriate dress before he reached the temple. But it made us chuckle. 

Day 5 - cont Tian'an Men Square and Forbidden City

Scale. It is the most impressive feature of Beijing. And it is nowhere on better display than Tian'an Men Square and The Forbidden City in central Beijing. 

Tian'an Men Square was gussied up for the Olympic Games, with enormous and intricate topiarys lining the square. The boulevard between The Forbidden City and Tian'an Men Square was massive - perhaps 8 lanes of traffic - in the middle of the city.

The Forbidden City's mass of structures largely served to support this city within the city where 24 emperors ruled for more than 500 years.

As was the case with each of the historic sites we visited, we were blown away by how well these structures have been preserved. No one lives here anymore and no events are held here beyond visiting tourists, but it looks prepared to take on its historic role - up to and including the troops doing exercises in one of the courtyards.

Day 5 - Hutongs

Many Beijingers live in courtyard houses or hutongs. They are bordered by alleyways created by their courtyard walls. Many of these traditional homes have been destroyed over the years, but we were lucky that several hutong districts were within walking distance to our hotel. So after my traditional breakfast of congee, we went exploring the hutong district.

Day 4 - Bejing and The Summer Palace

On Day 4, we left the southern part of China, and headed north to Beijing. Our guide Wendy and driver Choo Foo met us at the airport. From there we headed to the Summer Palace. This was where the emperor and the royal family spent the long hot summers. This joint was HUGE, as were all of the great sites in Beijing, we were to learn. 

Day 3 - Shanghai Gardens 2 - Silk Museum

After the garden, we visited the Silk Museum, where they harvest the silk from silk worms to make comforters, clothing, purses, etc. They have all these items for sale (which, of course, we had to take advantage of. A couple of times.)

Each of the pieces of silk we are pulling on began as one cocoon inhabited by two silkworm twins. The workers are making comforters. Each comforter has multiple layers, so thousands of silk worms give their lives for each comforter.