Day 13 Beijing

It seems that Google is banned here along with Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

No Facebook posts for a while, so if we miss your birthday, apologies!

You’ll have to follow our blog and comment on it to keep in touch, you can text either of us also as we do have free texting with our T Mobile plan – yeh!

Breakfast today was a amazing array of everything you could want fresh fruit,eggs, granola, etc.

Our tour group in #Beijing is just us, our guide Effi and driver John.

We set off for #TiananmenSquare which is one of the largest public spaces in the world it contains the monuments to the heroes of the revolution, the Great Hall of People, the National Museum of China, and Chairman #Mao Zedong Memorial Hall where his embalmed body lays, it is not open to the public except on special occasions, today wasn’t one of them. Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People’s Republic in the square on Oct. 1, 1949. A  fascinating place with thousands of people tourists and vendors, truly awe inspiring.

Walked through a series of three gates to reach the inner sanctum of the #Forbidden City, which is where the Emperor resided from 1420 to 1924.

Headed to The #TempleofHeaven where the Emperor prayed for a good harvest and if there was no rain, prayed for rain!  It is one of the largest wooden structures in one of the largest public parks in #China.  Mobbed with tourists, as everywhere was because of a three day holiday weekend.

Lunch was a typical local meal of duck, spicy beef, fresh veggies and of course rice. Onward to the #SummerPalace via a brief stop at a government run silk factory.  The silk industry originated in China some 2000 years ago.  We were given the quick tour from a humorless employee and shown the process from cocoon to fabric.  Must have an abundance of mulberry trees in China.  The tour was a subtle sales pitch throughout with great emphasis placed on the organic properties, cooling nature of the fabric, health benefits and anti aging effects of silk on the skin, ending with a massive gift shop of incredible silk clothing, bedding etc.  Have to say the items were wonderful and not expensive, however we have no room in our luggage.  Note for mum – Putzi, was desperately wanting to buy you loads of things as you would have loved the styles ad fabrics.

The Summer Palace occupies a massive area of 300 hectares of which 3/4 is a man made lake that freezes completely in the winter, and is used for ice skating and cycling, this is connected by a man made canal of 15 kilometers to the Forbidden city, it was noticeably chilly there with the wind coming off the mountains.

Then back to luxury, room service and a very early night. Caroline is still feeling a bit rough. By the way we have had 2 days of clear blue skies and clear visibility in Beijing – quite amazing, although they have moved all of the factories out of the city, and depending the registration of your car, you are only allowed to drive in the city on certain days.

#Beijing