After breakfast at the hotel, we met Angela to start our day. Today we will visit Tian'anmen Square, The Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven, The Summer Palace and end the day with the evening Acrobatics Show.
First stop of the day was the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)...a sprawling landscaped park on the edge of Beijing built by the Empress Cixi. She had it rebuilt twice. Once after it's destruction by the French and English in 1860 and again in 1902 after it was plundered during the Boxer Rebellion.
From the Garden of Virtue and Harmony, the Long Corridor zigzags along the shore of the lake. The ceiling and beams of the corridor are decorated with over 14,000 scenic paintings.
The Marble Boat....Empress Cixi paid for this extravagant folly with funds meant for the modernization of the Imperial Navy.
Longevity Hill....
Next was our visit to Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City. The crowds were enormous!!! This weekend is a National Holiday...May 1st.....
Waiting for Angela to buy our tickets to enter the Forbidden City.
Gate of Heavenly Purity
Check out the split......guess what that's for!!!!!
The Inner Court where the Emperor, Empress and the many imperial concubines actually lived.
Empress Cixi bedroom
Next it was on to the Temple of Heaven (Tiantan) where the emperor would make sacrifices and pray to heaven and his ancestors at the winter solstice.
Last on the day was the Acrobatic show...it was the best acrobatic show I have ever seen.....
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