We reached Beijing, our final destination of the World Tour ( part 1) and it feels very strange to be here as a week today we fly home to England.
We were absolutely shattered from our last overnight train journey from Xi'an to Beijing. Luckily the hotel allowed us to check-in straight away so we could have a shower and little rest before heading out to Tiananman Square and the Forbidden City.
There were alot of people/tourists in the square and lots of clourful flower displays celebrating and promoting the forthcoming Beijing Olympics. It was hard to believe that 17yrs ago, in 1989, Tiananmen Square was the site of a huge massacre, in which 1000's of people are still missing including the famous fella carrying the shopping bags right up to a tank.
Whilst we stood in the square listening to the historical information Vicky was giving us, she was constantly looking over her shoulder. Tiananmen square has a heavy police/guard presence and Vicky could have been arrested for inciting polical hatred.
After we left the Square we walked over the road to the Forbidden City.
Its's called the Forbidden City because for 500yrs it was off limits to the ordinary chinese people. It was home to the Ming and Qing emperor dynasties and they didn't like to leave their santuary unless they really had too.
We found the Forbidden city very unimpressive, it wasn't very colourful and there was still alot of scaffolding up around some of the inner temples. It was also very hot in the grounds with little or no shade. The Imperial gardens at the far end of the Forbidden City were far nicer.
We spent the rest of the day recovering from the overnight train and taking it easy as we had a big day tomorrow.
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