Beijing

As the Confucius-sounding saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Be thankful then that I have for you here 55 photos, not 55,000 words, beautifully written though they would have been. Of course I couldn't resist entirely. And so there are a few notes of explanation scattered throughout.

Marco Polo Bridge. 700 years ago this bridge greatly impressed Mr Polo. Said he: "It is a very fine stone bridge, so fine indeed, that it has very few equals in the world." At the end of the bridge you can see Wanping Fortress.

The 15th century Ming emperor declared that the reflection of the moon at dawn at this bridge was one of the Eight Great Sights of Beijing.


The view from the bridge today


Why does my shadow look so fat?

Wanping Fortress





Scars from Japanese gunfire. The shots that left these marks triggered the second Sino-Japanese war.







Inside the fortress is the small and awkwardly named Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Agression.

It was very uncrowded. Which I think is the norm and perhaps explains why on the bus when I told them my destination they let me ride for free.



These two chaps, posing proudly with their swords, recieved a lot of attention from the Japanese press during the war because of a little friendly competition they had going with each other. Specifically, they were racing to see who could kill the most Chinese, usually by way of beheading. You can see the score on the right.



Some Chinese being buried alive

A very unfriendly-looking device

The Hutongs - these are areas made up of traditional courtyarded houses and labyrinthine streets.

The back of my rickshaw-bike conductor's head. His name was Ryo, which sounds very Japanese to me though he assured me he was not.

Tin box cookin!

A natural in front of the camera

Ryo looking very tough and myself looking somewhat wonky-eyed

I know what you're thinking. And no, we/I did not.

Sadly, a lot of the Hutongs are being torn down in an effort to beautify the city for the Olympics.

Ryo also took me to this little restaurant which he said was famous for its Peking duck. Inside there were a lot of photos on the walls of dignitaries and ambassadors of various nations dining at the restaurant. There was even one of former US Vice President, Al Gore.

Some Peking ducks

The Temple of Heaven

Beihai Park
It was here that Kublai Khan, grandson of Ghenghis Khan, set up HQ during the height of the Mongol empire.


Nowhere near as grand as Newcastle's obelisk



A nice little restaurant I was beckoned into on my way home from Behai Park



I'm assured this is the widest road in the world



The street outside my hotel




The old and the new


Tour group photo outside the entrance to the 13th Ming emperor's tomb


The actual tomb is behind this tower buried under a large mound of earth. I was told that it has never been opened up.




Something old and important




The Wall. How'd they do it?




It's a long way to the top





Tiananmen Square - this is either a bell tower or a drum tower

A shot of the Forbidden City from across Tiananmen Square

Mao keeping watch at the entrance to the Forbidden City (which is no longer forbidden)

Have you seen the Last Emperor?

Next episode: Mongolia