Beijing: Smog City Day 2

Another group day in Beijing, and we had the luxury of a “lie-in” as we were set to meet up at 0930AM to go on our Tiananmen and Forbidden city tour before embarking on the Trans-Tibetan railroad to Lhasa. Of course, we needed to check out and get our bags into a day-room (our group “leader’s” room) and check-out of the not-so-efficient hotel by that time. Even with a bit more sleep, we were still a bit hurried getting things done and grabbing a bite at a nice bakery next door, and hence failed get our caffeine fix. This set ourselves up to view the day’s events with somewhat jaded eyes. Rule #593: Plan ahead and don’t miss your caffeine fix in the morning.

I think we have really gotten very accustomed to independent travel, as it does seem to drag a bit always needing to meet up with the group and wait (usually) for the same late people. We’re sure none of them ever served in the military with their timeliness . . . or lack thereof! In any event, we attributed our general irratibility to caffeine deprivation, and moved on with our day.

Setting off to Tiananmen Square (our hotel – the ChongWenMen Hotel – was only one metro stop away) our guide gave us a bit of information, but not really to the level we may have enjoyed. Amongst many hundreds (if not thousands) of tourists wandering about on the world’s largest central city square (at 440,000 square meters per the latest published propaganda) we really found little to enjoy or view through the hazy yellow smog that hung in the air. The large portrait of Mao hanging over Heaven’s Gate really is the only truly iconic image you can see in the area surrounded by a number of (currently closed) museums and Mao’s(currently closed) mausoleum. It may be a big square, but it’s certainly not very scenic. Seems the Chinese caught the Russian bug some decades ago that quantity, not quality is the best path. Not in our view!

Statue on Tiananmen square by Mao's final resting place . . . not much else to look at!

Jacquie and me (with Mao just about visible over my shoulder through the smog)

Jacquie about to enter the Forbidden City!

And so we entered the Forbidden City. Its 9,999 rooms (9 as a number considered the "yangest of the yang", aka: really good!) give only a minor indication as to the actual scale of the city itself. Larger yet than the total area of Tiananmen Square just outside, it is a (externally) beautiful series of ceramic tile roofed buildings with the traditional pagoda style we have grown accustomed to in our travels in China.

Jacquie by the canals just inside the gates to the Forbidden City

The Emperor’s throne building and gardens, the Queen’s quarters, servants’ rooms, eunuchs’ areas, and concubines’ chambers-the Forbidden City is divided into inner and outer courts and housed upwards of 20,000 people in the inner court alone!


A passageway in the inner court area of the Forbidden City

In all its surface splendor, one finds its relative state of disrepair and empty room after empty room beside minor rooms filled with (very dusty and un-maintained) relics of ages passed and openly disdained (at least by our tour guide). With the help of legions of tourist groups one can imagine what it would have been with 20,000 occupants in its heyday. Though somewhat neglected overall, there are ongoing renovations to smarten the main buildings for the Olympics and longer term to be completed by 2020 . . . . update to follow in 2021!

As with other places we have been, efficient knowledgeable guidance would have brought the surroundings somewhat to life. Rather we got some very topical anecdotes and views of ancillary areas, instead of the most heavily trafficked area. While it’s nice to escape crowds, it would have been nice to get a bit more of a feel for imperial China and the way the Forbidden City is viewed today (icon, relic, historically important or not?) Another tour ended, we felt as though we had looked at a lot more trees, yet missed the forest. Hot and sweaty, we lucked into a room off the beaten path that did manage to excite us as it had . . .

Rule # 647 When AC is available, ENJOY IT!

Later that day, we headed to infamous Silk Market for a spot of pre-train shopping. “Hey mista, yu wann Jackee??!!” A thousand times I was offered the only thing I walked into the store with! Ok – so they were offering jackets, but every time I heard them say it, I would turn and look for Jacquie. What a place! 5 above ground floors and 3 below, the Silk Market reminded us of Hong Kong’s street markets, but were packed floor upon floor more like a Department Store, endless row after endless row of pretty much the same clothes, electronics, authentic fake watches and jewelry. The thing I found most interesting is that the entire market seems to be under single ownership and management (as opposed to competing booths). The “shop-keepers’ are actually store employees vying for the top sales-clerk spot, and given a lengthy list of recommended phrases to use with the shoppers

Rules posted for the STAFF at the Silk Market (not for Lloyd!)

And they really go for the kill. No soft-selling here – they grab, block push and try anything they can to get you in, negotiate a price (they usually start about 10-100X what you can actually settle at) and only go low when you literally walk away. So – be prepared, wear a thick skin, and be ready to walk, walk, walk to get your price. In the end you’ll get what you pay for, if you’re lucky! Jacquie got the skirt she's been searching for since her birthday finally, and I a replacement pair of trousers (for my battle wearied gray north-face trouser scorched by and angry coal iron in Africa). Mission accomplished, and a couple more things to stuff into our (previously) slimmed kit, we returned to the hotel happy to be leaving Beijing. On to Tibet!