The Forbidden City
Now we're walking to the Forbidden City, and it seems like we're walking for miles and we're practically exhausted before we get started on the main tour.
There are tour groups everywhere in the large courtyard outside the gate, most likely getting a lecture on the last of the Chinese emperors about that time Sun Yat Sen proclaimed the new China around 1912. It was a tale of intrigue, interwoven with a 3-year-old emperor, and a scheming concubine who becomes the Emperor's favourite, enough to bear him a son and successor.
Bribery and corruption at its best.
But, back in the courtyard, we are ready to go in and follow the tour guide who has switched from her amplified microphone to a whisper device we all wear in our ears. She talks and we listen.
We all make it through and regroup on the other side. This is where the fun begins because we are about to meet a large percentage of the 80,000, they let for the day.
It seems to me they have all arrived at the same time, although by the time we get to the entrance gate, it is very well organised, bags are scanned, people are scanned, and you're in.
From here, we have to cross one of the seven bridges leading to the outer courtyard.
From here, we have to cross one of the seven bridges leading to the outer courtyard.
From there it is one pagoda after another with buildings that surround the edge of the whole Forbidden City, as does the moat.
By the time we get to the second courtyard, it was time to have ice cream as a refresher. Others head up to another exhibit, and it's just too many stairs for us.
After this, it's a walk through another courtyard, heading up and down some more stairs, we go and see the museum, with priceless relics from past emperors.
There are areas like the outer courtyard, the inner courtyard, yet another courtyard, and the gardens where the concubines walked and spent their leisure time. It is not far from the emperor's wives living quarters, though there's precious little left of the furniture, other than a settee and two rather priceless so-called Ming dynasty vases.
We get into the bad habit of calling all of the vases Ming dynasties. Above is one of the inner courtyards there were living quarters, and that tree is over 300 years old.
We get into the bad habit of calling all of the vases Ming dynasties. Above is one of the inner courtyards there were living quarters, and that tree is over 300 years old.
Out through some more alleyways and through an entrance that led to the area where the concubines lived, very spacious, bright, and filled with trees, plants, and walkways through rocky outcrops.
The whole area was made up of living quarters and waterways, rocks and paths, all very neatly set out, and it looked to be a very good place to live.
This is an example of the living quarters, overlooking the gardens
And there were several pagodas
From there its a quick exit out the northern entrance, and another longish walk to our bus, which arrives at the meeting point shortly after we do.
That done, the Beijing tour guide has completed her section of our China experience, and we're ready to move onto the next, but not before getting onto the high-speed train and head for X'ian.
And a new tour guide by the name of Sam.
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