The sites of Beijing

Mariessa, Tom and JJ in Tiananmen Square

After a delicious buffet breakfast (with really good coffee) we were picked up at the hotel by our Pacific Delights tour guide Tom. He started off our tour of Beijing with Tiananmen Square and the enormous Forbidden City, which is the largest Palace complex in the world. Although it is November, and pretty chilly, these world famous attractions were packed with visitors from China and around the world. Apparently it is like this every day as thousands of people flock to experience the incredible history and scale of the Forbidden City…

Tom not only showed us the popular tourist attractions, but we also had a chance to experience some of the best local noodles and even have lunch at the home of a local family in the old town (Hutong) neighborhood. While there, we met a cricket champion, and of course we were under the impression that the British sport was very popular in China, but to our surprise we soon discovered that they meant cricket fighting champion!

We continued on over the next few days to the Summer Palace and to the Temple of Heaven, which is very popular among senior Beijingers as they gather in the mornings to play cards, Chinese checkers, badminton, Tai Chi and dance.

Stay tuned for our videos about Beijing and next blog about our experiences at the Great Wall and the Yangtze river cruise.

Entrance to the Forbidden City

Bronze Lion statue at the Forbidden City

Forbidden City

Phoenix statue at the Summer Palace

Marble Boat at the Summer Palace

Tom and Mariessa at the Forbidden City

Temple of Heaven – morning Tai Chi

Temple of Heaven – Hall of Prayer for good Harvests

JJ and Mariessa in the Temple of Heaven

Hutong Neighborhood

Cricket fighting champion

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