Let me share with you a few photos of my two weeks’ holiday trip to Beijing and Xi’an (12-23 March 2013). Work is in progress to process the photo albums.
Beijing – Yours truly (KC) At Tiananmen Square; background is Forbidden City. It is clear sky, sunny but cold.
When we touched-down at 8:00 a.m., the temperature was at 0 degree Celsius.
Tour guide: Siow Wang (small Wong). Frequently accompany tourists from China to visit Kuala Lumpur, his famous quote: Genting Highlands in Mandarin: ken ting hai len … sure destroy people’s life.
The next few days, Beijing was engulfed in haze, contributed by air-pollution and sand blew from China's arid northwest.
The Palace for staging very important functions during olden days
The Great Wall of China.
The famous quote by Mao Zedong on Great Wall (in Chinese) - He who does not reach the Great Wall is not a true man!
A group photo at The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests – the tour group of 35 members.
At the Olympic Boulevard … Background is Beijing's Olympic Stadium - Bird's Nest
Dangdang Tram at Qianmen Avenue … branded and designer goods are sold here.
Emperor’s Summer Palace … When it is hot in summer, they would stay here for a few months to enjoy the cooler weather.
Beijing – A visit to Prince Kung's Mansion. This garden is even bigger than the garden in Forbidden City.
Savouring the famous Peking Roasted Duck ... a waiter showing the correct way of eating.
Photos below are from Xi’an, a 1 hr 45 min flight journey from Beijing.
Xi’an City Wall – old and new. A 10 meters high wall with a perimeter of 14km, good for a round-trip running event. For a simpler method, rent a modern-time iron horse.
Tour guide (freelance): Lisa Wang, a certified tour guide and a very hardworking lady who explained in great length all the historical sites that we visited.
This pagoda houses all the Buddhist sutra/scriptures brought back by Xuan Zang from India. The pagoda is actually tilted one side due to the weight and the height.
The story of a monk accompanied by his three protectors in the form of disciples is commonly shown in movies and videos – Journey to the West.
The flowers are blooming here in Xi’an. In another week’s time, the flowers should be full bloom by then.
Winter Retreat … Emperor and concubines would spend their winter here (about 4 months) in this hot spring area, complete with all the bathing pool.
What a way to enjoy life!
The Terracotta Army or the "Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses", is a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. It is a form of funerary art buried with the emperor in 210–209 BC and whose purpose was to protect the emperor in his afterlife. (extract from internet)
Famen Temple 法门寺 - keeps the finger bone of Sakyamuni Buddha.
Famen Temple becomes a Buddhist place of pilgrimage due to the discovery of what is claimed as a true relic of Buddha.
The Tang Dynasty Court Music and Dances … The emperor and concubine
Comfortable stay in 4- or 5-star hotels
Every meal comes with 10 variety of dishes complete with two bottles of beer. What a way to live life. But the style of cooking in Bejing and Xian is very oily.
Enchanting night scene at Xi’an
Enchanting night scene at Xi’an
To be continued ... stay tuned for more photos.
Posted by KC Leong
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