• Travels inside China
  • Travels outside China
  • Travels USA
  • Sightseeing and eating around Canberra and rest of Australia

Sue's Fabulous Travels

~ around China and other countries

Sue's Fabulous Travels

Tag Archives: People’s Republic of China

Tian’anmen Square & the Forbidden City – Beijing – PRC – September 2018

08 Saturday Sep 2018

Posted by SueT唐 梦 琇 in Travels inside China

≈ 31 Comments

Tags

beijing, Chinese cuisine, Eggplant, Forbidden City, GuGong, Lavender Gardens, People's Republic of China, prc, Tian'anmen Square

A great way to start my return to China

fullsizeoutput_33bI start off leaving from Canberra and arrive at Sydney Airport from Canberra for five weeks in the ‘Middle Kingdom’ and because this year [and last] I achieved Qantas Platinum Frequent Flyer Status I take my friend Jon and I into the First Class Lounge.  On our last occasion we saw a famous movie star so that was pretty cool and on previous occasions I really look forward to ordering scrambled eggs, hash browns and sourdough toast but since becoming a vegan, eggs are out so it was delicious sourdough, hash browns and avocado and…a glass of champagne!IMG_2456Before I leave for any overseas holiday, I do a lot of research about where I want to go and then type out a full itinerary which includes details of places to visit/who I will see/my driver [if there is one]/costs and accomodation details.  My friends who travel with me love it because all details are in one document and it might include a map and a link to the place we intend to visit.  However, I do always leave time for resting as that is just as important to me as sightseeing.  This time was no different…a complete itinerary.IMG_2510We arrive in Beijing nearing midnight and I had booked an Airbnb in Sanlitun [area that is know for the location of many embassies and lots of restaurants and bars].  Our accommodation was great and the weather was amazing the next day; skies were blue [surprisingly]…but so welcome as we had great views from our apartment.fullsizeoutput_33eOur first day and evening we went for a walk around the local area and saw some great buildings; some I had not seen before in the two years since I had been to Beijing.fullsizeoutput_33ffullsizeoutput_343fullsizeoutput_340IMG_2505Our second day, I had arranged a private driver, one I used when I lived in Beijing, to pick us up to take us to the Forbidden City.  Both Jon and I had been to there separately before, but I really wanted to go back and walk slowly through and see things I had not seen before.  It was worth it as we arrived early and our fabulous driver Mr Mike had already booked us tickets so there was no need to line up; just arrive show our passports and in we went and as can be seen from my photo so did thousands of other visitors.fullsizeoutput_354But before we arrived, cars are not allowed to stop on Chang ‘an Jie [street] alongside the Forbidden City or Tian’anmen Square so we parked some distance and after going through security screening (and seeing the long line of Chinese to visit the body of Chairman Mao at his Mausoleum) we entered Tian’anmen.

Looking across Chang’an towards the Forbidden City is the iconic painting of Chairman Mao and also the People’s Liberation Army guarding the Chinese national flag (the former paramilitary flag guards transferred to the PLA in January this year, having guarded the flag since 1982).fullsizeoutput_347fullsizeoutput_350So as I said, we entered the Forbidden City and walked about a couple of hours.  It is a former imperial palace; so impressive and really you could spend days there looking at the individual rooms containing jade, jewellery, wooden structures etc.  Or like me, just loving walking around the ancient buildings because it has such an incredible history having taken fourteen-years to complete by over fourteen-million workers and the fact ordinary people were not allowed to enter without permission! I love hearing the provincial Chinese talking when it is their first visit to such an amazing place they thought they would never access.fullsizeoutput_348fullsizeoutput_349And one of my favourite sites is the rooftops..fullsizeoutput_34aAfterwards we enjoyed a delicious Chinese lunch of eggplant [of course], sautéed cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, a tofu dish [that didn’t look all that good but was absolutely delicious], string beans and mushrooms and duck pancakes for Jon.  And a bottle of New Zealand white wine brought by a dear Chinese friend.fullsizeoutput_353

fullsizeoutput_34b
fullsizeoutput_34c
fullsizeoutput_34f
fullsizeoutput_34d

fullsizeoutput_34eWhat a great way to start a five week holiday in the Middle Kingdom…so until next time!!fullsizeoutput_345

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recent Posts

  • Coolangatta – Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia – December 2020
  • Main Beach – Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia – October 2020
  • Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve – Canberra – ACT – Australia – October 2020
  • Canola Fields – New South Wales – Australia – September 2020
  • Centennial Vineyards Restaurant – Bowral – Southern Highlands – New South Wales – Australia – June 2020

Recent Comments

vinneve on Coolangatta – Gold Coast…
Pisicuta Briciola Te… on Coolangatta – Gold Coast…
Sunshiny SA, Kavitha on Coolangatta – Gold Coast…
SueT唐 梦 琇 on Main Beach – Gold Coast…
SueT唐 梦 琇 on Main Beach – Gold Coast…

Archives

  • December 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015

Categories

  • Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney
  • Travels inside China
  • Travels outside China
  • Travels USA

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com
Follow Sue's Fabulous Travels on WordPress.com

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,250 other followers

Recent Posts

  • Coolangatta – Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia – December 2020
  • Main Beach – Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia – October 2020
  • Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve – Canberra – ACT – Australia – October 2020
  • Canola Fields – New South Wales – Australia – September 2020
  • Centennial Vineyards Restaurant – Bowral – Southern Highlands – New South Wales – Australia – June 2020

Recent Comments

vinneve on Coolangatta – Gold Coast…
Pisicuta Briciola Te… on Coolangatta – Gold Coast…
Sunshiny SA, Kavitha on Coolangatta – Gold Coast…
SueT唐 梦 琇 on Main Beach – Gold Coast…
SueT唐 梦 琇 on Main Beach – Gold Coast…

Archives

  • December 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015

Categories

  • Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney
  • Travels inside China
  • Travels outside China
  • Travels USA

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Recent Posts

  • Coolangatta – Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia – December 2020
  • Main Beach – Gold Coast – Queensland – Australia – October 2020
  • Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve – Canberra – ACT – Australia – October 2020
  • Canola Fields – New South Wales – Australia – September 2020
  • Centennial Vineyards Restaurant – Bowral – Southern Highlands – New South Wales – Australia – June 2020

Recent Comments

vinneve on Coolangatta – Gold Coast…
Pisicuta Briciola Te… on Coolangatta – Gold Coast…
Sunshiny SA, Kavitha on Coolangatta – Gold Coast…
SueT唐 梦 琇 on Main Beach – Gold Coast…
SueT唐 梦 琇 on Main Beach – Gold Coast…

Archives

  • December 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015

Categories

  • Sightseeing and eating around Canberra/Sydney
  • Travels inside China
  • Travels outside China
  • Travels USA

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel