The Forbidden City
Trip Start
Aug 25, 2009
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6
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Trip End
Jun 01, 2010
Beijing's Forbidden City, was started by the Mongolian invader Kublai Kahn, but the major buildings and harmonious plan were Ming. Beginning in 1403, It was the center of power in China until 1911 when the last Manchu dynasty fell. Just imagine that this place with its amazing buildings and gardens was here before Columbus even sailed the ocean blue. We entered through the Gate of Supreme Harmony, and spent about four hours following our tour guide – Murtha, who had a rented GPS powered electronic tour gizmo around her neck, around learning who did what, where, when, and to whom. We saw, among many other sights, The Hall of Supreme Harmony, The Palace of Earthly Tranquility, The Palace of Heavenly Purity, The Hall of Imperial Peace, The Mind Nature Palace, ………… after several hours of this, those of us who have short attention spans for museums started searching for the "Chamber of the Pleasing Yellow River" and wishing we could leave the “Hall of Slowly Creeping Backache”, etc. much to our tour guides frustration. All joking aside, the Forbidden City is an impressive piece of history – all the more so because it seems to be the only thing in China that hasn’t changed since Murtha and I saw it first in 1982.
Comments
Forbidden City
Now I'll have to rent The Last Emperor again. We miss you guys but you are having such an amazing trip.