Turning in easily last night and somehow managing to get 13 hours of sleep I realized this morning that that was the last sleep in bed until I get home to Australia in two days time!
Since Elena read her book until midnight once again she is the last one out of bed. I’m showered and ready for breakfast in the communal dining room of our hostel, yet Elena has now picked up her Kindle and started reading again.
With the weather looking better than yesterday the plan is to visit the Summer Palace, 25 km away to the North East of were we are staying.
Since we managed the subway yesterday without incident, today we will have to change trains at two points to get to our destination.
With water bottles on our pockets and cameras charged and stowed in the bag we set upon the subway. Initially it wasn’t bad until you get to the main transfer points, then it gets crowded and seriously, if you don’t push your way onto a train you wont be taking it.
It’s a tight squeeze for a few stops but with an Asian lady leaning into me from the front and Elena under my arm, I only hoped that the person behind me was a lady with an umbrella otherwise the fantasy will be ruined.
After an hour of transferring trains an getting up close and personal with a few of the locals we arrived at the Summer Palace.
Covering an area 4 times larger than the Forbidden City with an area of 290 hectares its a formidable task to cover the whole complex in one day, but that was our plan.
Situated in the Haidian District northwest of Beijing City, the Summer Palace is 15km (9.3 miles) from central Beijing. Being the largest and most well-preserved royal park in China, it greatly influences Chinese horticulture and landscape with its famous natural views and cultural interests, which also has long since been recognized as ‘The Museum of Royal Gardens’.
The construction started in 1750 as a luxurious royal garden for royal families to rest and entertain. It later became the main residence of royal members in the end of the Qing Dynasty. However, like most of the gardens of Beijing, it could not elude the rampages of the Anglo-French Allied Force and was destroyed by fire. According to historical documents, with original name as ‘Qingyi Garden’ (Garden of Clear Ripples), the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) was renamed after its first reconstruction in 1888. It was also recorded that Empress Dowager Cixi embezzled navy funds to reconstruct it as a resort in which to spend the rest of her life. In 1900, the Summer Palace suffered another hit by the Eight-Power Allied Force and was repaired in the next two years. In 1924, it was open to the public. It ranked among the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1998, as well as one of the first national AAAAA tourist spots in China.
Jostling with the locals in the ques for tickets it all got a bit heated when two of the local lads decided to push unto the ques from the side just by the ticket window. People took exception to it quickly and the next moment I we pulling Elena out of harms way. This place is crazy packed and busy and it’s only 9.30 on Sunday morning.
Once inside the Gates the whole pace seemed to open up before you . Crossing a causeway like bridge I stared at the stairs ahead of me and wonder how on earth anyone in a wheel chair could visit this place. Thrust me in the heat and commotion this is no place for people with disabilities unless there is and entrance that we don’t know about and judging by the crowd at the gate it seemed that this was the only entrance.
Climbing the stairs of what seemed the be a bridge I looked down to what can only be described as a moat fortification that was wide enough to house a small array of shops and buildings on each of its banks. I knew that this palace was built on a massive scale and wondered if was would have enough time to see the while complex.
After climbing to the apex of the complex there sprawled out in front of us was a huge lake. We made our way don’t the hill toward it and found a small kiosk selling biscuits and drinks. Stocking up on supplies and noticing that the crowds were thinner around the lake we decided that we would walk around the lake. We assumed it would take us a few hours to complete but with all the willows for shade in the heat of the day this seems like a good idea.
Walking the shores of the lake gave us the best perspective on the whole complex, but be warned this trip around the lake is an all day event and shouldn’t be rushed. We seemed to be the only foreigners, as we were asked on several occasions to have our picture taken with Chinese families and children. It was so cool to see the faces of the kids light up when we obliged them. Kinda felt famous
The kids are wonderful, and as we crossed over one of the many steep humped bridges with stairs on each side we spied this small girl selling lemonade ice blocks from a box she seems so determined and we yelling in Chinese as loud as her little lungs would let her.
The lake walk was worth it bout I couldn’t help but notice that the were a lot of couple that dressed alike here in China, I’m not sure if it’s because of the crowds and the risk of getting lost, or if the clothing store had a two for one sale . It was amusing to see grown couples wearing things like bright yellow matching Mickey Mouse t-shirts.
After 3 hours of walking we made it back. Kunming Lake is massive.
There was only more obstacles for us, and that was the hill to have a look at the Tower of Buddhist Incense set 60m above the lake. Now that it was later in the day and there were not so many people.
As the symbolic structure in the Summer Palace, the Tower of Buddhist Incense was built on the mountainside during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. It is a classic work of Chinese architecture. It was a religious structure originally planned to be a nine-story tower, but ordered to be dismantled and change to a Buddhist tower for worshiping Buddha when the eighth story was under construction. Like many buildings in the Summer Palace, this largest individual structure in the park was destroyed and rebuilt later during the reign of Emperor Guangxu. On the first day and fifteenth day of each lunar month, the Empress Dowager Cixi would go there to pray and burn joss sticks. With a cost of 780,000 taels of silver, the Tower of Buddhist Incense was the biggest reconstruction project.
There was one more stop before departing and that was to wander around the small shops perched under the main entrance bridge.
Over 60 stores extend from North Palace Gate entrance into a street about 300 meters (328.1 yards) in length. Along the Back Lake, the street design imitates the ancient style of shops on the banks of rivers in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province that is, taking the running water of Back Lake as the street and its banks as a market. The area served as an entertainment place where Emperors and concubines could feel as if they were strolling on a commercial street. When the royals went there, eunuchs and maids of honor would playact as peddlers, customers and shop assistants to mimic market activities.
Built during the reign of Qianlong (1711-1799), it was burned down by Anglo-French allied force in 1860. Until 1986, it was rebuilt and in 1990 it was opened to the public. Today’s market includes stores such as dyers, souvenir shops, drugstores, banks, shoe stores, teashops and hockshops, with clerks dressed in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) costumes.
With the crowds not departing and walking our way back up the stairs we dragged ourselves to the exit of the Summer Palace. Looking up above us was a sign showing the amount of visitors through the complex today – no wonder the place was crowded!
Make sure you take plenty of water as in August this place gets real hot. This was the highlight of our trip, sure I went to the Great Wall and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, but the beauty of the Summer Palace somehow now eclipsed the ever-famous contender.
This is a must see if you are visiting Beijing.
For great information visit Travel China Guide
