The Essence of China

Trip Start Aug 08, 2008

Trip End Aug 31, 2008

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Flag of China Beijing, China
Saturday, June 6, 2009

SUNDAY 17 May 2009 - Reluctantly we checked out of the YWCA and made our way across the river to the West Hotel in Kowloon (Hong Kong). Once there we discovered that Mark Jackson affectionately known as "Spark" was to be our tour leader for our "Essence of China" trip. We have known Spark for over 20 years and haven't seen him for two years, so it was very good to see him and spend some time with him. We were also accquainted with our new travelling companions (seven of us in total). We celebrated the occasion with a curry in downtown Kowloon.

MONDAY 18 MAY 2009 - DESTINATION - MAINLAND CHINA - Laden with bags, we took the clean and efficient Metro to Shenzhen where we said "goodbye" to Hong Kong and "hello" to mainland China. In no time at all we found ourselves on the overnight train to Guilin. It was very comfortable and we were tucked up in bed by 10pm (when the lights went out).

We arrived in Guilin at 6.42am the following morning. We stayed in our berths whilst the locals alighted the train. We were such a novelty to them. They smiled and stared at us as they walked by - some even came back for a second look! We piled into a waiting minibus. We headed south to Yangshou and en route passed a funeral procession. The mourners wore red armbands and walked in unison behind the coffin. Fire-crackers were let off at regular intervals.

YANGSHOU ANTICS - Yangshou is a beautiful place and the first country in China to be appointed as a national tourism area. It has a population of 300,000 and is located in the Guanxi Autonomous Region on the Li River. For centuries, Chinese poets and painters have immortalised the region's strange beauty. Since opening up to the Guanxi Autonomous Region on the Li River. For centuries, Chinese poets and painters have immortalised the region's strange beauty. Since opening up to the West in 1978, foreigners are finding reason to do likewise as they explore the areas stunning scenery and natural beauty. In this county alone there are over 20,000 limestone karsts (steep, tree covered mounds). There is lots to see and do, so we wasted no time:

First on the agenda was COOKING SCHOOL. Before being let loose with a meat cleaver and wok, we went on a tour of the market. It was fascinating, a huge array of vegetables, tofu stalls (no photos because the tofu lady goes crazy), butchers selling beef and pork, a livestock section selling chickens, rabbits, cats and dogs! Cute and fluffy dogs were huddled together in cages ready to be sold, butchered, cooked and eaten! The unlucky ones were already cooked and strung up in front of our eyes. Not for the faint-hearted! Onwards to the kitchen. Aprons on, we stood to attention by our workstations. Some time later we had concocted: steamed chicken with mushroom; egg wrapped dumplings; eggplant Yangshou style; green vegetables with garlic; and stir-fried pork with vegetables and oyster sauce. It was "hands-on" and great fun and even better when we tucked into our creations.

Yangshou Cooking School

We rounded off the day in Bar98 where Spark taught us some Chinese. We then won the pub quiz. The prize of 8 bottles of beer went down a treat!

A GUIDED TOUR OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTRYSIDE BY BIKE woke us up and cured our hangovers! Farmer Tang was an excellent guide. He is famous round these parts - he guided the chef, Gary Rhodes for his TV programme, "Rhodes around China". We cycled through some stunning scenery. The limestone karsts fall into the fast-flowing Li River, buffalos work the fields and fishermen cast their nets. We cycled to Moon Hill, so called because of the an arched shaped rock at the top resembling a half moon. We climbed to the top - a little precariously in our flip-flops! We ate a tremendous lunch at a villager's house. We sat on small stools round a low-set table. It was like a scene from The Borrowers or Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs! We cycled off-road through tiny villages, dodging the odd cow here and there. It was a great tour.

Cycling in Yangshou

Moon Hill

Farmer Tang with the cyclists

KUNG FU - Gluttons for punishment. Straight after the bike ride we had a Kung Fu lesson. After working up a sweat during a tiring warm-up routine we punched, snap-kicked and tiger clawed. We practised the moves over and over. Our teacher said that if we practised every day for a year we would get fit and be masters!

Kung Fu Fighting

SHOPPING - Judith has lived in two pairs of flip-flops for the past 9 months, so bought some converse pumps, necessary to trek the Great Wall!

We had two very long days and nights of travelling by bus and train from Guilin to Liuzhou and Yichang. The train journeys were a great experience. They were ram-jam full and we were the only Westerners. During one journey, salesmen came down the aisles demonstrating and selling their wares, including a gyroscope, a torch, a rubik-cube style puzzle and indestructible socks! In between trains we had a quick look around Liuzhou. It was hectic getting off the train. People started piling on as we were getting off, so Judith used her bag as a battering ram to get on to the platform - it worked a treat. Liuzhou is the real China and has little tourism. People shouted "hello" to us and one man counted in English and exclaimed, "there are seven of them!"

We arrived in Yichang on 22 May and Fay, our local guide, took us to a park where we headed towards a childrens playground, but on closer inspection we discovered it to be an outside gym. Afterwards we had our first taste of a chinese banquet and learned about dining etiquette, e.g.

Don't order individually - everyone shares the food
The rice is served last as a filler
You must not stick your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice because it resembles incense burning in a bowl of sand, as in ceremonies to the dead
You must not wave chopsticks or use them to point at people
Always leave some food - it is a sign that you've had enough

After our banquet we boarded a SLOW BOAT DOWN THE YANGZI RIVER, our home for the next three nights.

22 MAY - 24 MAY 2009 - YANGZI RIVER + THE THREE GORGES + THE LESSER THREE GORGES + THE THREE GORGES DAM PROJECT
The Yangzi River is the third longest river in the world after the Amazon and the Nile. It cuts through the heart of China and is regarded by the Chinese as marking the division of their country into North and South, both geographically and culturally. The river originates in the far western part of China and flows through eight provinces before emptying its waters into the Yellow Sea.

We had a great adventure on the Yangzi. ON BOARD ANTICS INCLUDED:

Spark teaching us how to play mah-jong, which is played with domino-like tiles and is a mixture of dominoes and cards.
Early morning wake-up calls, i.e. tunes blasting out over the tannoy system, e.g. "Don't Cry For Me Argentina"!
Sailing through shiplocks. It was both impressive and eerie as we got sandwiched between the 850 tonnes metal gates with the water level rising higher and higher. On one occasion we ate dinner encased in a brick tomb filling with water. At one lock we winced as our boat and another squeezed through side-by-side. When the gates opened to reveal blue sky and mountains it was like being released from a prison.
Fraternising with the Chinese tourists who welcomed us with beer and snacks. They took lots of photographs. One man said that Judith looked like a Bond Girl - don't think he meant "M"!
The Penguin Dance - jumping round in a circle like a penguin to a catchy tune!

The Penguin Dance
Karaoke nights where we blasted out songs by the CARPENTERS, THE EAGLES, BOB DYLAN. Afterwards the Chinese tourists presented us with plastic bunches of flowers!
Performing two acts at the talent show - a balancing act and a rendition of "Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" in English and Chinese. The crowd went wild - they really did.
Judith representing "Intrepid" in a game of musical chairs. In the second round Judith was in a play-off with a Chinese lady. She won despite the dirty tactics of her opponent who pulled the chair from underneath Judith just as she was about to sit down. Luckily Judith was too quick for her and got seated. Unfortunately, she didn't make the final, but it's the taking part that counts.

THE GORGES ANTICS INCLUDED:

The Xiling Gorge - the longest and historically the most dangerous of the Yangzi gorges.
The Wu Gorge - a 40km long gorge, which traverses Sichuan and Hubei Provinces. The "Gorge of Witches" is generally considered to be the most enchanting of the Three Gorges. So sheer are the 200m cliffs that it is said that the sun rarely penetrates.
The Qutang Gorge also known as the Box Gorge, is the shortest, but grandest of them all. Its widest point is only 150m. The river rushes through the narrow entrance pounding the perpendicular cliff face on either side of the gorge. Many honeycombed caves, which once housed suspended coffins, adorn the cliff face. The 10 Yuan note depicts the view of the Qutang Gorge.
The Lesser Three Gorges - Emerald Gorge; Misty Gorge and Dragongate Gorge. We sailed down the river on a smaller boat and saw the new towns built to relocate people following flooding from the dam. Steps carved into the steep forested slopes lead from the river to the towns. Steep ladders cling to the cliffs and are used for navigation purposes. Using our imagination and being prompted by our guide, we looked up at the rock formations and saw: an upside-down sleeping beauty (her hair being the green trees sloping down the cliffs); a wedding cake decorated with green icing; an elephant's head; a lion's head with a bushy green mane; a mushroom that also looked like a martian. We also saw "suspended coffins" resting on ledges in caves way up high in the cliffs. They are up so high so that the deceased are closer to heaven. It is a mystery as to how the coffins got to their resting places. Some say that persons scaled the cliffs and winched them up with ropes. Others say that the coffins were hauled up ladders made from chopped down trees. Others say that natural forces (ground movement) positioned the coffins where they lay now. Rhesus monkeys and goats scampered mischieviously up and down the rocks. Some children were making their way down the cliff to a waiting boat. They were going back to school (Mon-Fri) after a weekend at home.
The Three Gorges Dam Project - still under construction. It was thought that this hydro-electric dam would provide at least 10 per cent of China's power needs, but due to the increasing population, it only provides one per cent. Proponents of the dam envisage rapid regional developments, safer navigation, flood control and better living conditions for the millions forced to relocate. There is still much work to be done before the dam's completion in 2015.

Yangtze River

25 MAY 2009 - BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY - DESTINATION CHENGDU - In traditional Bank Holiday style we spent the day travelling (by road and train). We made our way from Fengdu Port to the train station in Chongqing (apparently the largest capital city in the world). We had four hours until our train to Chengdu, so we ate pot noodles and entertained the locals! They peered over our shoulders as we read books. One lady combed Judith's hair and offered her a mirror and a packet of cigarettes! We had a pleasant journey to Chengdu and left the train to the tune of "Auld Langs Ayne"!

PANDEMONIUM IN CHENGDU - Built in 316BC during the late Warring State Period, Chengdu boasts a 2300 year history. It is the capital of Sichuan Province in Southwest China. Over thousands of years it has been known for its history of silk brocade manufacturing. It is also renowned for its history in lacquer ware making, woodblock printing, irrigation techniques and tea drinking culture. Now Chengdu is the centre of science and technology, commerce, finance, as well as a leading hub of transportation and communications in Southwest China.

Over the next few days we fully "embraced" Chengdu and mingled with the locals, some a bit cuddlier than others!

We visited the PANDA BREEDING CENTRE - it was PANDAMONIUM!

PANDA FACTS

Giant Pandas are found only in the mountains of central China.
Only about 1,100 giant pandas still survive in the wild.
Pandas (especially those in captivity) have such low sexual desires that it is threatening their future, prompting workers to turn to artificial insemination. There is also Panda Porn. Steady doses of lurid panda porn is shown to the pandas on their den walls to rouse the dreary desires of captive male giant pandas who are famously indifferent to female panda overtures.
The giant panda is a member of the bear family and is most closely related to the spectacled bear of South America.
The panda is a national treasure in China and is the symbol of peace.
The panda's digestive system is that of a carnivore, so it is unable to digest cellulose (main constituent of bamboo). Therefore, the panda must consume enormous quantities to get enough nourishment. The average panda eats between 33-66 pounds of bamboo leaves, stems and shoots a day, spending as many as 10 - 12 hours feeding.
The panda has 5 fingers and a false thumb.
A newborn Panda is about the size of a stick of butter. Much of its development occurs after birth. At about 45 days it will open its eyes; at about 75 days it begins to crawl and starts to grow rapidly; at 5 months it begins to eat bamboo; at 18 months it adopts a solitary lifestyle; sexual maturity occurs at 7 years; at 18 years the panda becomes old and sluggish; its average life expectancy is around 21 years.

Strolling through the Centre we saw giant pandas slumped over wooden decking, paws hanging limply over the edge, sleeping off their breakfast. Others were chomping on bamboo. Some of them looked like they had black cardigans on back to front. We also saw some boisterous baby pandas who were wrestling, pushing and shoving each other against the door to their den and fighting over a swing. We spotted red pandas, sometimes called the lesser panda. It is a racoon-sized mammal that lives in the same kind of habitat as the giant panda, but over a larger area in Asia. Its fur is reddish brown and most of them have scars and bits missing because they are always scrapping.

Q: How do you tell difference between a male and femal panda? A: Easy. A male panda is black and white, a female panda is white and black! (Judith's Jokes Again)

Panda

Pandas

We visited PEOPLE'S PARK and relaxed at a local teahouse. Teahouses are a central feature of Sichuanese social life. Judith had a Chinese massage sitting in a chair and whilst sipping her tea. She declined to have her ears cleaned. The huge silver prongs and the long earbuds didn't look clean! We walked through the park and witnessed the locals at play enjoying the simple pleasures in life. People were playing chess, others were ballroom dancing dressed in their finery, and some people were doing tai-chai and aerobics.

Chengdu People's Park

Tianfu Square marks Chengdu's centre and is overlooked by a huge white statue of Chairman Mao. The Tibetan Quarter just off the Square is a myriad of colourful shops stocked to their roofs with clothes, amber, tourquoise jewellery, knives, prayer wheels and other temple accessories. The aroma of the foodstalls in the quaint Jinli Road wafted our way. There was some weird stuff, but we walked on by and sampled Sichuanese cooking with a speciality "hotpot". This is a social dish eaten everywhere from streetside canteens to specialist restaurants. Yoy get plates of meat, boiled eggs and vegetables, which you then cook at the table in a bubbling pot of stock liberally laced with chillies and cardamon pods. The people on the next table were very raucous due to having consumed copius amounts of rice wine and beer.

We had the pleasure of going to the Sichuan Opera where we saw a variety of stunts including: a clown sketch (the rolling lamp); table balancing; a hand-shadow show; a stick-puppet show; a musical Erhu solo and spitting fire and changing faces. In the spitting fire and changing faces the performers turn around or wave their arms and somehow change their faces with masks. It is very colourful and cleverly executed.

Chengdu Show

WEDNESDAY 27th MAY 2009 - DESTINATION LESHAN GIANT BUDDHA and EMEI SHAN - The Leshan Giant Buddah (known to locals as Dafo, Grand Buddha) is the biggest carved Buddha in the world. It took over 90 years to carve and was built to calm the spirits in the tempestuous waters around the confluence of the Min River, Qingyi River and Dadu River. The impassive and gargantuan Buddha is carved deep into a niche in the sandstone cliffs. He peers out from under half-lidded eyes and is comfortably seated with his hands resting on his knees. BUDDHA FACTS: 71m high, fingers 3m long, ears 7m long, toes 8.5m, instep 8m long, shoulder 28m and his coiled hair contains 1,021 buns!

Giant Buddha, Dafo

Behind the Buddha is Lingyun Temple, which houses gold-plated statues of Sakaymuni, the 5 bodhisattvas and 18 arhats. Legend has it that you walk round the temple and stop at the arhat that corresponds with your chinese age (the number of birthdays that you've had plus the year in which you were born), and he is your guardian angel for the year. Our trouble was that we didn't know whether to walk in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction, so we have got two guardian angels!

MONASTERIES, MONKEYS and PANCAKES - Emei Shan is a magical kingdom - lush mountain scenery, tea plantations, temples and monasteries. Daoists began erecting temples on Mount Emei in the 2nd Century AD. As Buddhism gained popularity, in the 6th Century AD it became one of China's four holy Buddhist mountains. Over the centuries most of the temples have been destroyed by fire, war or revolution, but they have always been rebuilt. Patrick, our local guide, took us to our accommodation, the Baguo Monastery. It is the largest monastery on the mountain and is one of the best examples of classic Buddhist architecture. To get to our bedrooms, we had to walk through a temple with our rucksacks and later, with our dirty washing! The rooms were spartan, but full of character -ours overlooked a courtyard where monks were playing table-tennis. The showers were coal-fired and a little rustic, but very hot.

Rain in Emei Shan

Emei Shan Baguo Monastery

The following morning we awoke at 5am to the sound of chanting monks and gongs. Soothing, but not that early! At 7am we congregated on the verandah outside the rooms and ate fried egg doorstopper sandwiches. Just the job for our forthcoming ascent of Emei Shan. Laden with overnight bags and monkey sticks we embarked on yet another great adventure. The monkey sticks were to ward off the gangs of aggressive monkeys who threaten you for food with teeth bared! We took a bus and then a cable car to the Golden Summit Temple (aka Jinding Peak). We found ourselves in monkey territory, so had to hide our food and water bottles and remember not to fiddle in our pockets. We were somewhat fortunate because the monkeys were in hiding. It was a liitle misty at the temple, but then the wind came and dispersed the clouds to reveal the magical and mystical scenery. It was stunning and reminded us so much of Macchu Pichu (Peru). The thousands of padlocks engraved with names and motifs (e.g. hearts) affixed to the handrails outside the temple rattled in the wind. They symbolise love, security and wealth. On rare occasions you can see the phenomena known as Buddha's Light when rainbow rings produced by refraction of water particles attach themselves to a person's shadow in the cloud bank below the summit. Devout Buddhists, thinking this was a call from yonder, used to jump off the cliff of self-sacrifice in ecstasy!

Golden SUmmit Temple

Monkeys at the monastries

We trekked along a river bed, through monkey territory and through a series of steep gorges. The monkeys had just been fed, so didn't bother us. The sting in the tail was the climb up the thousand or so steps to reach the Hong Chun Ping Monastery. Hong Chun Ping is an 18th Century temple named after surrounding hongchun (toona) trees. It commands a great position on the mountain nestled amid the forests and tree plantations. We stepped over the threshold and fell under its spell almost immediately. It is old, enchanting and so atmospheric. It reminded Judith of her convent schooldays! We climbed an old wooden staircase to the second floor and walked along the creaky floorboards to our rooms, which oozed character. The communal showers and toilets are primitive, but the view from the loo is out of this world. You have to go there to see what we mean! A word of warning though - watch out for wandering monks! We had no trouble sleeping, the beds had warmed up nicely - each one is equipped with an electric blanket!

Once again we were awoken by chanting monks. We had breakfast at the Hard Wok Cafe, which is perched on the mountainside and run by Betty and Harry (an ex-army cook). Betty's "sandwich" pancakes filled with chocolate, honey, apple and banana are simply devine - CHINA WOKS! With our bellies full we made the three hour long descent to Baguo Monastery. On the way we encountered some menacing looking monkeys, but we adhered to the monkey code and they kept their distance. A a scalding hot coal-fired shower was just the tonic, followed by a night on the town. We had to be back in the monastery by 9.30pm otherwise we would have to scale the walls. We only just made it!

SATURDAY/SUNDAY 30th and 31st MAY 2009 - DESTINATION XI'AN HOME OF THE TERRACOTTA WARRIORS - It was a long and unpleasant train journey to Xi'an (10.15 am 30.05.09 to 5.30am 31.05.09). The open-plan berths provided little privacy and the stench from the toilets was overpowering. A lady mopped the floor in our carriage, but in her wake left a vile, pungent odour. She had used the same mop to mop out the toilets!

Xi'an (western peace) has a population of around 6.8 million. It is the starting point of the Silk Road where the great trade caravans made their way to Central Asia and Europe. As one of the six ancient capitals in China, it served as the seat of 12 imperial dynasties. It is one of the few Chinese cities where ancient walls are still visible (14kms of Ming wall surround the city).

XI'AN HIGHLIGHTS

The Muslim Quarter comprises of backstreets and has been home to the city's Hui community for centuries. We embraced its charm and original character as we strolled past the many market stalls selling souvenirs, bags, clothes, dried fruits and nuts. Many of the shops have hidden backrooms. We were ushered into one of these -an Aladdin's cave full of fake designer bags and watches!
The Great Mosque located in the Muslim Quarter is one of the largest and most fascinating mosques in China. It has been heavily restored and is still an active place of worship. It is a blend of traditional chinese and islamic architecture. It is built in the shape of a rectangle and is divided into four courtyards. We saw some impressive buildings, platforms, pavilions and halls many with upturned eaves and decorated with ornate carvings and glazed rooftiles.
The Bell Tower - 36m high and dating fro 1384 marks the centre of the city. In the past a large iron bell would be sounded to mark the time. Now you can pay to ring it at any time of the day!
The Drum Tower - similar to the Bell Tower is a smaller building which marks the boundary of Xi'ans Muslim Quarter. It was first erected during the Ming Dynasty in 1380.
Cycling round the City walls - We had 100 minutes in which to complete a lap of the city walls (14km). On rickety bikes with no gears it was a bone-shaking ride. It was very scenic - the path is littered with bins keeping in character with Xi'an, i.e. bulbous shaped torsos of terracotta warriors atopped with dragons and serpents. Pretty red lanterns also hang from the lamposts lining the path. The only other traffic was rickshaws and golf buggies. We made it back with time to spare.

Xian City Wall
Nightlife - We witnessed an amazing nightime spectacle. The river, illuminated by the red lanterns on the city walls, provided the perfect backdrop. A small band burst forth and locals armed with coloured fans danced spontaneously on a raised square. They were joined by a lady dressed as a boat complete with oarsmen dancing and waving shovels. Another lady was dressed as a donkey! The chinese people have no inhibitions and knowhow to enjoy themselves. A choir across the road was also in full voice. It was great. We also experienced the LOCO CLUB. It was very male dominated and we were hit upon almost immediately. We had to stifle our laughter as (sweaty) chinese men gyrated awkwardly in front of us. Robotic dancing was all the rage, as well as rapping - two girls dressed in basketball vests and baseball caps rapped "kevin and Perry" like!

Xian South Gate
Great food - We sampled lovely food, especially the street food in the atmospheric Musim Quarter.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST.....
The Terracotta Warriors. In 1974, in the course of digging a well not far from Xi'an, some farmers made an astonishing discovery - the buried terracotta warriors of Emperor Qin Shi Huagdi (259-210BC), the first emperor who unified China's divided territories into one nation and standardised its written language. In 246BC King Zheng became ruler of the state of Qin and shortly afterwards work began on the construction of his tomb. As the conqueror of all other states of the period, the man who took the title of First Emperor wanted an exceptionally splendid burial. Chinese records speak of a tomb chamber made in the image of the world, as it was known, with a vaulted ceiling encrusted with jewels to represent the stars and a floor with rivers and seas of mercury. The site of the tomb has always been known, but even today the tomb chamber has not been opened because of the high content of mercury in and around it. The discovery of the Terracotta Army (about a mile from the tomb) was startling because there is no mention of the army in historical accounts of the tomb. Since 1979, when the first pit was first opened to the public, two further pits have been opened and work is still in progress. We watched a short video depicting the unification of China's divided territories, the making of the Terracotta Warriors and the uprising and subsequent destruction of the warriors after the emperor's death. Two of the farmers who made the startling discovery in 1974 were at the museum signing books.

We visited three vaults. VAULT 1 is the largest. About one-fifth of the area has been excavated revealing around 5000 figures. The sight of the warriors standing guard is quite staggering. Their bodies and limbs are cast, but their heads and faces are each individually crafted. Facial features are truly representative of the real men. Originally the warriors carried real bows, swords, spears and crossbows, more than ten thousand of which have been found. They were originally painted in bright colours - red for luck and blue to ward off evil spirits - however, over the years that they have silently stood guard, the colour has faded and worn off.

TUNIC INFANTRYMEN wore knee-length tunics, short trousers, carried crossbows and their hair was wound in topknots and some had beards.

ARMOURED SOLDIERS 189cm in height, a sword in left hand, heavily armoured with a brown cape and a red cap and green shin guards.

ARMOURED GENERALS 197cm in height, 2 layers of robes covered by coloured plated armour.

KNEELING ARCHERS held a crossbow against the right hip to keep it steady prior to firing.

STANDING ARCHERS in a position for an assault on the enemy.

CAVALRYMEN 180cm in height hold horses reins in the right hand and a crossbow in the left. Thought to serve as messengers during battle.

The HORSES each have sixth teeth, an indication that they are in their prime.

Amid the restored warriors lie a large number of smashed and broken figures resembling the aftermath of battle than the preparation for one.

Spark told us an anecdote - a German tourist dressed up as a Terracotta Warrior and stood in the pit with his stoney-faced companions. He went unnoticed for some time, but eventually was picked out by the cameras. He was arrested and deported, but what a claim to fame!

VAULT 2 contains crossbowmen, charioteers, cavalrymen and infantrymen. It was easy to let your imagination run riot and wonder how many more treasures are still buried underfoot.

VAULT 3 appears to have been the headquarters where 68 figures and a chariot have been found.

Xian Terracotta Warriors

Terracotta Warriors

03 JUNE 2009 - DESTINATION BEIJING - After an overnight train journey we descended on Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Thirty-four emperors have lived and ruled in Beijing. Over the centuries the city has been expanded, destroyed and rebuilt many times.

BEIJING HIGHLIGHTS (in no particular order)

The Great Wall Most people travelling in china now know the saying, "You are not a real person until you have climbed the Great Wall". We relished the challenge to be "real persons" and embarked on a 10km trek. We tackled the section from Jinshanling to Simatai, which is recognised as one of the most breathtaking parts of the wall. It stretches 10.5kms from Longyukou in the west to Wangjinglou in the east. The constructin of the wall began during the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC) and Warring States period (475-221 BC) during the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. States at that time built walls to defend their own territories. After the First Emperor of the Qin Dynasty crushed all rival states he founded the first centralised and unified dynasty in chinese history. To consolidate the country and ward off invasion by ethnic minority tribes in the North, he had the walls linked and extended, giving rise to the 5,000km long Qin Great Wall. Later dynasties from Han to Ming kept building and improving the Great Wall, extending it more than 1,000km. Apparently, it is NOT visible with the naked eye from space. We zig-zagged our way along the wall encountering numerous beacon passes and watchtowers. It is steep in parts and sapped our energy. In other places the stones are broken and it is like walking on mosaic. The sun was blazing and, fearful of hitting the wall too soon (sorry), we went at a steady pace. We marvelled at the surrounding countryside. It is outstanding - high mountains on all sides and so green. After lunch in one of the watchtowers we picked up the pace. Near the end we traversed a string bridge, which swayed ever so slightly under our weight. After a breathtaking 5 hours we reached Simatai - a wonderful experience -out of this world.
The Silk Market and Jose The SilkMarket has a large array of stuff displayed over 6 floors: designer clothes, shoes, sportswear, bags, silk, jewellery and souvenirs (mostly fake, but good quality). You have to bargain hard as we found out! Also, if you are lucky and keep your eyes open, you might bump into a celebrity. We spotted Jose Mourinho browsing round the stalls! Dan shook his hand and Judith had her photograph taken with him. He is very handsome (slim, fit and tanned).

The Special One
The Night Market is fascinating. Foodstalls selling scorpion kebabs and starfish kebabs. Judith opted for a fruit kebab! Souvenir stalls sell anything and everything. Impromptu opera singing resounded from a rooftop overlooking the many cafes.
The Summer Palace is a vast public park, two-thirds lake, with palace temples, gardens, pavilions and corridors. It covers an area of over 290 hectares and has been likened to a fairyland sceme. It was originally named, "Garden of Clear Ripples" and was built by Emperor Qianlong in 1750 to celebrate his mother's birthday. It was later used as a pleasure garden for emperors and empresses. In 1914 the Palace was opened to the public as a private property of the Qing imperial family and was formally opened as a park in 1924. We visited: The Hall of Benevolence and Longevity,the place where Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu held court and administered state affairs; The Garden of Virtue and Harmony, which houses a great stage; The Marble Boat built in 1755. It is 36m long with a hull made of massive stone slabs. The saying goes, "water can carry a boat, and it can also capsize a boat." By following the allusion, the Marble Boat was built to mean that the Qing Dynasty would be as solid as a rock and never fall; The Long Corridor that runs along the Kunming Lake. It is 728m long with 14,000 pictures painted on its ceiling; The Tower of Buddhist Incense which stands high on the hillside facing south, looking down at the misty and rippling water in Kunming Lake. The trek to the top of the hill was worth it. The tower 41m high, is a three storeyed octagonal structure with four tiers of eaves. It looks like a giant music box. Strolling through a picture - a real canvas of lush and tall ancient pines and cypresses. We exited the Palace via the North Gate where Emperor Qianlong's mother used to come to watch the cavalry exercises of the Vanguard Battallion stationed outside the gate.

Beijing, Summer Palace

Summer Palace
Tiananmen Square occupies an area of 122 acres and is big enough to hold half a million people. It has witnessed the Chinese people's struggle against foreign aggression and reactionary rule at home, most notably during pro-democracy rallies in 1989. Workers and students gathered in Tiananmen Square to press ever escalating demands for political reform on the beleagured past leadership. After imposing martial law on the capital, Deng Xiaoping sanctioned the forcible disperal of the demonstrators. Hundreds were killed in the surrounding streets as the army cleared the Square late on 03 June and in the early hours of 04 June 1989. Our guide was quite reticent in the Square. Secret policemen disguised as photographers and tour guides pound the Square and eavesdrop! The Chinese national flag flapped in the breeze under the watchful eye of Mao. His portrait hangs in front of the Gate of Heavenly Peace at the northern end of the Square. On 01.10.1949, Mao proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of China here.

Tiananmen Square
The Forbidden City, so called because it was off limits for 500 years. It is the largest and best preserved cluster of ancient buildings in China. It was home to two dynasties of emperors, the Ming and the Qing. We explored the ceremonial buildings via the Gates of Heavenly Peace, Duan Gate and the Meridian Gate. We crossed the Golden Stream shaped to resemble a tartar bow and spanned by five marble bridges. Three great halls are at the heart of the city: THE HALL OF SUPREME HARMONY - used for ceremonial occasions; THE HALL OF MIDDLE HARMONY - a transit lounge for the emperor and used to receive ministers; THE HALL OF PRESERVING HARMONY used for banquets. The halls are painted gold and red symbolising royalty and happiness respectively. Ornate statues of dragons adorn each corner of the roofs to protect the buildings from fire and to signify the importance of the place (the more dragons, the more importance). We finished our tour in the Imperial Gardens - a classical chinese garden of landscaping, rockeries, walkways and pavilions.

Forbidden City

Inside the Forbidden City
Hutongs. These charming narrow alleyways are home to nearly one quarter of Beijing's residents, but are disappearing fast as roads widen and apartment blocks are built. They are full of character. Stacks of black coal (circular in shape) are piled high in many of the hutongs.
Food and drink - we frequented the 12sqm bar and cafe, Beijing's smallest bar. There's not much room inside, so we sat outside under a tree in the moonlight and supped our drinks (so romantic). We celebrated climbing the Great Wall with a Peking Duck experience - the poor duck didn't stand a chance, we were ravenous. We had dinner at a restaurant owned by a cousin of Chairman Mao. The waitresses wear military style shirts and the walls are covered in pictures of Mao. A huge bust of Mao sits on a windowsill overseeing proceedings.
Beijing Huiling is a unique non-profit community organisation. It is tucked away in a narrow hutong and offers innovative services to youths and adults with learning disabilities. Residents range from 16 years old to 45 years old. Older residents are palced on farms. Judith would have to be "farmed out"!!! We were treated to lunch courtesy of the residents and then a musical performance. We joined in with "Jingle Bells" and "the Macarena". The residents also acted out comical sketches, "the sweet girl and the donkey", and the "matador and the bull". It was good fun and a joy to watch the residents thoroughly enjoing themsleves. One lad caught Judith's eye - he was watching from the sidelines and clung on to a football. When the music started he jumped up to dance and placed the ball under his chair. When he sat down he looked lost for a second or two because he couldn't remember where he had put the ball, but then he saw it and his face broke into a grin. We had a calligraphy lesson and were let loose with pens and ink!

Calligraphy
Karaoke. We celebrated the end of our ESSENCE OF CHINA trip in a karaoke bar. It was a huge place comprising of a maze of corridors and private rooms. It was midnight when we arrived, but what the 'eck, we hired a private room for 4 hours! Along with a karaoke machine, a big screen and microphones, the room was equipped with musical instruments and free Internet. Soft drinks were on the house. Judith had smuggled on her person a bottle of Rice Wine, which went well with the free mixers! We sang our hearts out (ABBA, BEE GEES, THE CARPENTERS and KUNG FU PANDA). We left at 4.30am and were dazzled by the daylight!