Beijing, China 2007, loooong awaited post

I'm part of a newsletter committee for my co. and we have this part of the newsletter which features travel stories contributed by employees. So for this month, it was my turn to contribute (no one volunteered so i was thinking, might as well contribute once so they'll not ask me again). But the write-up in the newsletter was really edited and this is the full-length version.

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When one thinks of visiting China for the first time, the most obvious choice would be to make a trip to historical yet modern Beijing, where one can see and experience the very reasons why China was a great country in the past, with all of its glorious splendour and colour and how the country is changing with modernity.

Who can honestly say that they are not curious about The Great Wall Of China, how it was built and declare to the whole world that they have climbed it? Who can not wonder how grand The Forbidden Palace is, its vastness and how the all powerful, gold and yellow clad Emperors lived in his lavish abode? Who can imagine the enormous distances that royalty, military and peasants alike have to clear when travelling between towns, cities, palaces, gardens, burial grounds etc? A journey to Beijing will open your eyes to how the Chinese lived and played from the times gone by till today.

I made a 6 day trip with my loved ones to China, visiting all the aforementioned places and more. What we saw and experienced really provided a rich experience that will last forever, etched in our minds. Sadly, I shall have to be selective in my recollection, albeit reluctantly, as there will be too much to write about, too many memories to reminisce and too abundantly colourful a tale to tell that can fit the size of this page. The complexity, beauty and historical information of each site are so overwhelming that I all I can share is my feelings and thoughts. Mr Google and Ms Wikipedia will be able to tell you so much more if you need in-depth information.

Our itinerary brought us to a special place each day. On the first day, we were brought to see the Summer Palace in the Northwest of Beijing, the imperial gardens where the hills, Kunming lake and the blue sky (I am sure it would had been blue if there was no haze present due to the massive pollution problem facing most of the Chinese cities) blend with the romantic flowers scattered around the pavilions, bridges, terraces, temples and corridors. My most vivid memories of this place belong to the Marble Boat and the Long Corridor, both of which are the results of artistic creativity. Artworks of ancient fables line the whole length of the Long Corridor that spans 2400 feet or about 730 metres. It was quite a good walk but due to time constraints, we were unable to cover the whole attraction. We then adjourned for a feast for the mind and the eyes, the Shaolin Kungfu Show.

-The tranquility of the river-


-In the morning-

The Shaolin Kungfu Show is one that no visitor to Beijing should miss, that is unless you are adverse to watching kids somersaulting on their heads, adults trying to go one up on the kids by smashing metal bars on their heads and adults trying to imitate animals by jumping, sliding and flinging themselves around (something no one should try unless you really are Shaolin trained, otherwise you may end up looking quite weird). The very same adults also take pleasure in showing us mere mortals that they have invulnerable body parts that are thicker than a crocodile’s skin. Blades? Knives? Poles? Our fears, their toys. I rest my case. The beauty about this show is that it manages to blend martial arts, ballet and a tight reasonable story together. You will not be bored!

-Inside the theatre waiting for the show to start-

The following day, we visited the infamous Tiananmen Square. Standing on the very grounds of controversy that shook the world gave us a feeling of historical significance running through our bones. We gazed upon each and every building surrounding the square, one of which even has a Beijing Olympics 2008 countdown clock attached to it, while Chairman Mao gazed upon each and every one of us from his portrait. It was told to us that this painting was repainted every September to maintain its freshness. You can imagine the number of people shooting photographs and videos all around us in this location. People were like an army of ants all over the sprawling area! But even with such a crowd, the place didn’t feel congested because of its size. Since the Forbidden Palace was already beckoning to us in the background, we headed straight for it after taking our souvenir shots.

-Walking to Tiananmen Sq-

Step by step, we entered into the most glorious part of China! Hundreds of years ago, if you even wanted to see the place, you would not even had a chance to set your eyes on it. Today, it is yours to explore and understand. Wish to cast a glimpse of how Emperors and Empresses lived? Curious as to how they managed the country from the walls of the palace? Intrigued by how the Emperor manages his harem? All your questions will be answered. Rooms after rooms, gardens after gardens, each with its own significance and purposes, the Forbidden Palace will never have an equal in the world in terms of grandiosity. A treasury room also exists where authentic precious artifacts, jewelleries, adornments and decorative items can be viewed . After strolling through the palace and learning about the imperial lifestyle, we then headed for Beihai Park for a nice short little scenic walk along a beautiful lake before we ended our tour for the day and did a little bit of shopping at night.

On the 3^rd day, after a few hours drive into the country side on the north-western part of Beijing, we were all pumped up with childlike enthusiasm on what we were to see today. Scanning our eyes left and right on the rolling landscape dotted with trees and shrubs, we were all eagerly scanning for a glimpse of an ancient marvel. At the very moment when we first cast our eyes on the grey layered bricks of one of the greatest wonders of the world, we could not take our eyes away from them. Snaking through the scenic landscape, up and down the hills and mountains, we gazed at The Great Wall with momentous emotions. After the bus has stopped, we were all going to touch, smell and climb a piece of history! That we did with fantastic energy and relish! The excitement that everyone present, including Chinese from other parts of China and many other foreign tourists from all parts of the world, was phenomenal. Perhaps the Wall was also Great in other ways because it brought all races and cultures together on a solid foundation with a common purpose peacefully. Something all world leaders should aim for!

As with other tour packages, we were also brought to various shops selling all kinds of ‘precious’ and ‘valuable’ commodities that were to be sold to us at ‘great value’ such as jade, tea, silk, ‘lucky’ figurines, Chinese medicine and so on. Although they may seem like a waste of time, these little side ‘commission-earning’ trips for the tour guide were quite informative at times too! It all depends on how you look at it. But just remember that if it’s too good to be true, its not!

Spending 6 days of my life in Beijing was a good investment. Through my experiences, I now have a better understanding of how our Chinese ancestors toiled, worked, played and lived. Having walked the very grounds that the Emperors, Empresses, Princes, Princesses, Court Officials and common people travelled on and having witnessed the marvellous scenery scattered throughout the Central Plains, I have newfound admiration and respect for the Chinese culture. There really is so much more to discover in this huge country and you can be sure that I will continue to visit China in the future. There just is no other place like China in the world!

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We did actually visit Chengde too. Its about 4-5 hours ride from Beijing. The guide told us in ancient times, the Emperor goes to Chengde for his hunting trips and to hide away from the bitter cold weather in Beijing during winter time.

There are sooo many pictures..I will post them up in my next post. I'm gonna get some sleep and its such a rare time to be at my home on a Sunday afternoon. Usually, when Kelvin is out of town, i will run back home and slack. So damm sian, tomorrow is a start of a new work week again! Urgh!!