Beijing continued
Ok continuing now!
As I was saying, Beijing seems a very nice city - definitely not as crowded as I'd imagined. Also, the parks present were very quiet and peaceful. I feel as though there are two different worlds in Beijng. Firstly theres the modern new Bejing which we see from the airport onwards. The second world is Old Beijing - known as the Hutong - these are narrrow alleyways which are preserved from hundreds of years ago. people still live here in the same houses from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Walking down the New Beijing is very different to the Hutong. In New Beijing you might as well be in a any western city, while in the Hutong the charm of Old China is still there. The prices for thingts also varies dramatically between the two places.
We went to a few sights around Beijing - the most important would have to be the Forbidden City. This was the office and residence of the Emperors of China for many generations. The entrance is from Tianamen Square (the world's largest square and can fit 1,000,000 people!!!). On one end of the square is the Mauseoleum of Chairman Mao - where his body is preserved for all to see. This body has laid in the crystal coffin, draped in the flag of the Hammer and Sickle, for almost 30 years now! The dawn flag raising ceremony at Tianneman Square was interesting - except for the fact that I had probably never felt colder, or my hands more frozen, ever in my life!
We enter under the giant portrait of Chairman Mao, through the bridges into the Forbidden City - so called because for centuries no common people were allowed. Another interesting thing is that only one male was allowed into the residential area of the City - and that was the Emperor! All the other people in that area (about 3000 to 4000 I think) were either concubines, or eunuchs. This is a large city, with many interesting sites to see. Many of the buildings have been preserved, and various museums exist inside. The grandeur of Emperor can be appreciated when compared to the hutong just outside - where the commoners lived. (I apologise if my English no longer flows properly - a week of Chinglish will do that to you!)
Ok - the clock tells me that I have to go now (time's up!!)
As I was saying, Beijing seems a very nice city - definitely not as crowded as I'd imagined. Also, the parks present were very quiet and peaceful. I feel as though there are two different worlds in Beijng. Firstly theres the modern new Bejing which we see from the airport onwards. The second world is Old Beijing - known as the Hutong - these are narrrow alleyways which are preserved from hundreds of years ago. people still live here in the same houses from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Walking down the New Beijing is very different to the Hutong. In New Beijing you might as well be in a any western city, while in the Hutong the charm of Old China is still there. The prices for thingts also varies dramatically between the two places.
We went to a few sights around Beijing - the most important would have to be the Forbidden City. This was the office and residence of the Emperors of China for many generations. The entrance is from Tianamen Square (the world's largest square and can fit 1,000,000 people!!!). On one end of the square is the Mauseoleum of Chairman Mao - where his body is preserved for all to see. This body has laid in the crystal coffin, draped in the flag of the Hammer and Sickle, for almost 30 years now! The dawn flag raising ceremony at Tianneman Square was interesting - except for the fact that I had probably never felt colder, or my hands more frozen, ever in my life!
We enter under the giant portrait of Chairman Mao, through the bridges into the Forbidden City - so called because for centuries no common people were allowed. Another interesting thing is that only one male was allowed into the residential area of the City - and that was the Emperor! All the other people in that area (about 3000 to 4000 I think) were either concubines, or eunuchs. This is a large city, with many interesting sites to see. Many of the buildings have been preserved, and various museums exist inside. The grandeur of Emperor can be appreciated when compared to the hutong just outside - where the commoners lived. (I apologise if my English no longer flows properly - a week of Chinglish will do that to you!)
Ok - the clock tells me that I have to go now (time's up!!)
posted by Sandeep at 1:41 AM
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