Peeking Around Peking
Trip Start
Oct 12, 2010
1
46
84
Trip End
Mar 24, 2011
Where I stayed
Beijing, China
Monday, January 10, 2011
The Tiananmen Gate is located in the north section of the square and it is the entry to the Forbidden City which was the Chinese Imperial Palace for many emperors and dynasties. It was built in the 1400's and was the political centre of China from that time until the early 1920's. The Forbidden City is a walled city that contains almost a thousand buildings and has an inner and outer court. The outer court was used for ceremonial purposes but the inner city was the home of the emperor and his family, including his many concubines. The movie The Last Emperor was the first movie that was authorized to be filmed inside the Forbidden City and we walked through the area that was used to show where the young emperor learned to ride a bike - quite a bumpy, cobblestoned court! It was known as the Forbidden City because commoners were not allowed to enter the city but after it ceased being used as a centre of government, it was opened to the public in about 1925.
It was really interesting to walk through the outer courtyards and to see the various entry gates inthe Forbidden City. We had the chance to tour through the many buildings and alleyways of the inner court with it's residences of the concubines, various museums and collections but it was a cold day and after an hour or so of walking around the large outer courtyards, most of us opted to head back to the hotel and warm up.
This day ended with an overnight train ride from Beijing to Xi'an. The train station in Beijing was a scene of incredibly densely packed people waiting in large waiting rooms to board their trains. I've never seen so many people in one room - ever! We were advised to make sure we stuck together as a group 'like sticky rice' and to be assertive and push our way through to get on the train through the crowds.
The train itself was very basic but clean and orderly. On this train, we had 'hard sleepers' which were sleeping compartments housing 6 bunks in each. Once we boarded and were assigned our bunks, these were our seating and sleeping areas for the next 12 hours. There were no lounge areas or chairs other than a few fold down seats in the aisles. To pass the time, people chatted, read, played Uno (which had dire consequences for those who lost and had to approach and say ridiculous things to local Chinese people on the train :). Train staff went up and down the compartment aisles all evening with carts of food and sundries but most people brought instant noodles and used the boiling water located at the end of the compartment to heat up their suppers. The only western bathroom was 6 train cars away and was unheated and rudimentary. The compartments didn't have curtains on each bunk or between the compartment and the aisle but it was relatively dark at night, just not private in any way. I must admit, I am not a fan of night trains and didn't sleep much on this one. We had a chance to see how Chinese people typically travel around the country, but for me, I have to admit that I prefer flying, buses or day trains with lounge chairs. I do have one or two more night trains to go on this journey when I arrive in Egypt so I am steeling myself now!
Bye bye Beijing - we are off to further adventures in China!
Comments
Dear Albertine, I have just read your blog on Peking and i have to say that once again you have outdone yourself, your comments and pictures are first class and the views of the great wall are awesome as you stated it is aonce in a lifetime event and i have no doubt that like the rest of your trip it will be something that be an everlasting memory. i will close by saying enjoy the rest of your trip and take of youself L.O.L. Jean & John XXX.
II