BEIJING DAY 1 - 16 JUNE 2010

Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden City

Our next iterinary was a visit to the Forbidden City followed by the Tian’anmen Square. I have gone through the Forbidden City before, and thought would skip that. But as luck would have it, the visit was to the Tian’anmen Square first followed by a visit to the Forbidden City. Being contiguous to each other, it was a ‘one’ visit on foot. I thought walking through Forbidden City was long enough. This time it was a combination of the two. Phew. And what a walk that was.

I have to compliment the ladies for their perseverance in going through it. 

At our age it was very taxing. One who I thought was like the Dowager of Beijing had a mobile stool brought for her to rest when needed. An attempt to procure a wheelchair for her proved futile. She just had to There were many stops for rests. Our Presidente asked Jessica whether there was a short cut but was reminded to be careful by Billy Gooi as ‘ Chinese short cut can be very Long’. Even though tired and perspiring, it was quite fun with a lot of jokes. In between we could hear Jessica’s shrill ‘ Mayfrower, Mayfrower’ to gather her charges (us) around her. And she had this steel pole with some decorative item hanging from the top. A kind of ‘Colours’ during battles.

As I wrote in my earlier postings, ‘ The Forbidden City is another sight to behold. I can only describe it as walk, climb steps, see buildings, walk down steps, walk, walk up steps, see buldings and walk down steps. Continuously for about 1.5 kilometres. Tiring but interesting. The buildings as described by the Tour Guide are the Emperor’s Bedroom, the Emperor’s Office, the Emperor’s Court, the Queen’s Chamber, the Queen’s Court, the Concubines Buildings, the Childrens Rooms, the Library and the living quarters of the City’s residence. Even as I went through the motion of visiting the City, I also wonder at the management and structure of such a huge complex. And we are talking about a periods of a few hundred years duration’.

And we saw all these. A magnificent and intriguing complex.
After all these we were ready to get to our residence, refresh and prepare for the next iterinary.