The Mighty Beijing

CHINA

23.1.2005

Train to infinity

I boarded the Train to Beijing not having a clue about what I was getting myself into. Not just with the train journey, but the whole China thing. The unknown. I wisely bought myself a copy of the the China Lonely Planet for a few dollars, $6 I think. After chatting to a nice Canadian couple on the train I at least had a good tip on where to stay. The majority of the journey was spent talking to a 16yr North Korean chap about the war in Iraq, War and the Army. I arrived in Beijing disoriented and looking like a caveman. I had seen nothing but the interior of my train for nearly two whole days. It was -10 Degrees Centigrade outside and I was quite unprepared for the chill. Little did I know about the challenges that lay ahead.

Travelling in my luxurious soft-sleeper cabin

I made it to the recommended hostel and got a bed in a four bed dormitory. After chatting to a bunch of fellow Swedish backpackers I booked myself a ticket to the Great Wall for the following morning. Up early for the 2 hours minibus to the Jinshanling stretch for a 10km trek from Jinshanling to Simatai .

A Mongolian girl selling postcards to us en route

The walk was moderately strenuous but fascinatingly beautiful. Everywhere you look you could see the wall stretching off to the horizon.

The day on the wall instantly got me into the China thing. I was excited about being there and had a sneaky suspicion I could learn plenty from this experience.

The following day I was alone. The Swedes moved on, I was going solo again. Decided to carry on the sight-seeing and head off to The Summer Palace, home of past Emperors during the hot summer months.

Misty Grandeur

A Welcoming Lion

The Summer Palace was, like the Great Wall, massive, absolutely massive. The Chinese have a thing in common with the Americans, and that is that they don't do things without them being massive. A huge frozen (seasonal) lake surrounds an island with a temple. Grand ornate bridges. Buildings filled with history and hoards of memorabilia from past empires.

This picture above is the Mausoleum of the once 'great' (debateable) Mao. This gigantic building houses the not-so-massive corpse of Mao, and not very much else. I wasn't allowed to take my camera or any type of bag. The queue was 5 wide and 50 long. We shuffled up the steps and inside, under strict supervision of the numerous millitary guards. I the centre of the first hall was a huge Mao statue, we're talking 20ft high. Followers laid bunches of flowers at his feet. The next hall had a giant glass v-shape barrier between the centred coffin draped in the Chinese flag and the spectators, still shuffling along slowly. You aren't allowed to stop and stare. Mao's body lays atop the coffin with a bright light illuminating his face, giving it an eerie flow. The rest of the room is in darkness. 30 seconds later you are walking through the outer door back down the steps onto Tiananmen square.

A giant Mao potriat sits above the entrance to the outer gate of The Forbidden City. Facing onto the north end of Tiananmen square , The Forbidden City is surrounded by huge red walls and is loaded with history. Temples, ceremonial halls, prized relics of previous empires.

Beijing was a real eye-opener for me. Not only a fact and sightseeing packed introduction to China, but a culture shock like no other I'd experinced yet. It was -10 Degrees Centigrade and a distinct smell of communism in the air.