Trip to Long Qing Gorge

http://www.kinabaloo.com/lq.htmlhttp://www.chinavista.com/travel/longqingxia/main.html

http://www.chinavista.com/travel/longqingxia/main.html I arrived early morning at the long distance bus station at the base of the Drum Tower. The #919 will take me to another bus station in Yanqing where I am supposed to get a cab to the gorge. Great! I am the only Westerner on my bus!!
The weather was very misty and overcast. Visit the first link to get an idea of what the gorge looks like when it is sunny blue sky!
This is a world record size dragon (which hides 8 escalators that take you to the top of the dam).
One of my last Chinese poses!!
First the boat tour, then I will hop on the gondola to the top!

From the boat, I was very close to the top of the dam. They open up these doors and I will get swept over the edge!!


For whatever reason there was a guy riding a bicycle on a wire suspended across the gorge. Suspended from the bicycle was another guy comfortably hanging by a rope. The guy on the bike did balancing tricks.
There was a temple dating to 1035!

People dropped money into these vases that had Buddha sitting in them.
The guy on the bicycle is still at it!!

How do you like this model pose?

Why am I so attracted to seeing what these wood boats are about?
Why is the one they chose for me have water in it??? Thanks for the paddles!


Time to go to the top!!

Don't throw stones!

Time to go find a cab and head back on the bus.

National Centre for the Performing Arts

I had the chance to check out the National Theater last Friday night. I didn't have too many choices to choose from over the past 2 weeks, so I hoped for the best when I chose to see The Peony Pavilion. It was a complete night of dancing to tell the story with no speaking

http://www.chncpa.org/n457779/n457834/n516566/1125864.html

http://www.paul-andreu.com/projets_recents/pekin/galerie_pekin/galerie_pekin_gb_21.html Posing in the hallway from the entrance. You have to walk under the water that surrounds the Theater to actually get to the Opera House.

The Opera House is located in the center of the building as you can see when you look into the outer egg! To the left on the bottom you can see underwater hallway that I walked down to get into the building.

Zhengyangmen Gate, Qianmen Market, and City Wall

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qianmen

http://www.chinaheritagequarterly.org/articles.php?searchterm=012_qianmen.inc&issue=012 This is the rebuilt Arrow Tower. Archers could stand at the ready in the windows. There were rounded walls that connected this tower to the Zhengyangmen Gate, which created a courtyard.This is the restored "Front Gate" to the Inner City. Tienamen Square is directly behind the gate, which leads into the Forbidden City. The Emperors would walk through this gate on their way to the Temple of Heaven.

http://www.foreignhr.com/myclub/content.php?catalog_id=MYCLUB&news_id=1799

http://www.bjreview.com.cn/nation/txt/2008-01/04/content_94424.htm
Old school shopping in the Hutong markets of Qianmen.

The main street was completely renovated, and just opened recently. Most of the storefronts are empty, but old vendors, as well as modern vendors will return shortly. Cable cars will run up and down the street, just like they did in the 1960's. Where possible, the store fronts were restored to their prior grandeur if pictures were found.

This is the old rail station that has been restored into a railway museum.

http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/beijing/30840.htm

http://www.beijingbirdnest.com/beijingbirdnest/Beijing/TravelinBeijing/TouristAttractions/200801/1236.shtml

It is hard to imagine that over 570 years ago craftsmen made the city wall with exacting precision.
This is taken from on top of the wall facing the corner Southeast Corner Arrow Tower.

Jingshan Park and Beihai Park

On a beautiful day off I enjoyed two historic parks that the royal families used to enjoy over 550 years ago!
Jingshan Park overlooks the Forbidden City. The hill is the focal point, and was built from the dirt that was excavated from the Forbidden City moat.

http://www.beijingguide2008.com/jingshan_park_beijing/jingshan_park_beijing.html

http://www.chinaplanner.com/gardens/imperialgarden/imp_jian.htm This flat area that currently has shrubs and plants was once used for bow and arrow training for the royal sons of many emperors!

This sculpture dates back to the early 1400's.

On my way to the top, this is one of the 5 pavilion buildings.

View from the top looking North. Along the horizon you will see the first tall building to the left of the middle of the picture, this is the Pangu Hotel near the Olympic Green. The Olympic Tower is located just right of the center of the picture, but it is harder to pick out.

To the West is Beihai Park, you can see the lake and white pagoda in the picture.

The Forbidden City to the South! Check out the layout of over 900 rooms! To the right along the horizon you can pick out the National Theater by the glimmering egg shape.
Where is this made and how do I buy one???

Off to Beihai Park for a stroll around the lake and to check out the pagoda!!

http://www.kinabaloo.com/bh3.html

On my way to the island!
These four Kings of each direction oversee the entrance steps to the pagoda.
Picture of Jinshang Park pavilion on the top of the hill. Notice the modern buildings in the background. There is a huge balance between old and new in Beijing.

View from the North end of the lake back towards the pagoda.