CHINA 09-BEIJING-Day 03b-Summer Palace 2 (30/04/09)

CHINA 09-BEIJING-Day 03a-Summer Palace 1 (30/04/09)

Besides the Forbidden City, the Beijing Summer Palace is probably the most famous imperial buildings in China.

It was burnt down by the Anglo-French forces but rebuilt for the Empress Dowager subsequently. The reconstruction was infamous for using the navy funds, which resulted in the defeat of the Chinese navy by the Japanese subsequently.

The main hall of the summer palace.


The theater in the Summer Palace.

CHINA 09-BEIJING-Day 02e-Olympic Park (29/04/09)

The "Bird's Nest" and "Water Cube", the main venue of 2008 Beijing Olympic, is a must see for any visitor to Beijing today. It lies along the road from Beijing city and the Badaling Great Wall/Ming Tombs. Due to shortage of time, we only made a stopover to take a few photos.

A hotel beside the Olympic Park that is shaped like a dragon.

Panaromic view of the Bird's Nest" and "Water Cube".

CHINA 09-BEIJING-Day 02d-Ming Tombs (29/04/09)

The "Ming Tombs" is a cluster of 13 tombs of emperors of the Ming Dynasty in the northwest suburb of Beijing. Only one tomb,"Dingling" was excavated in the 1950s as a trial for the excavation of other imperial tombs. However, before many problems resulted from this excavation, to-date, it is the only tomb of Chinese emperors that has been excavated intact. The other 12 Ming tombs remain intact. China also has many imperial tombs that are believed to be still intact, the most famous of which is that of Emperor Qingshihuang, the first emperor of China.

The gate tower of Dingling.

The thrones of the Emperor and Empress in the burial chamber.

The coffins of the Emperor and Empress. The smaller boxes contain the treasures of the tomb.

A jade bowl excavated from the tomb.

The crown of the Emperor.

The Empress Crown.

CHINA 09-BEIJING-Day 02c-Juyong Pass (29/04/09)

The Juyong Pass is one of the three greatest passes of the Great Wall, the other two being it the eastern and western edges of the Great Wall. The main function of the Juyong Pass is to protect imperial capital of Beijing.

CHINA 09-BEIJING-Day 02b-Badaling Great Wall 2 (29/04/09)

From the Fourth North Tower looking up to Eighth North Tower.

Panoramic View of the Great Wall in the surrounding hills.

Close up to the Fifth North Tower.

Climbing up to the Sixth North Tower.

The Eighth North Tower and the entrance to the Badaling Gondola.

The Sixth North Tower.

The Sixth and Seventh North Tower.

The snaking Great Wall.

The Badaling Gondola.

CHINA 09-BEIJING-Day 02a-Badaling Great Wall 1 (29/04/09)

The Great Wall is the structure that is most closely associated with China. The Great Wall is estimated to stretch over 8,000km across northern China. Most of wall is now in disrepair. There are a few stretches near Beijing which have been refurbished for tourist. The Badaling stretch is the first section of the Great Wall that was opened to visitors in 1957. It is also the nearest to Beijing and hence overcrowded with locals.

The Badaling Great Wall is dotted with towers at regular intervals, the highest of which is the Beibalou (Eighth North Tower) at 1,015m above sea-level.

The main visitor carpark, already crowded with vehicles.

The northern part of the Badaline Great Wall from the entrance.

The First North Tower.

The southern part of the Badaling Great Wall.

The southern part with the main entrance below.

Looking up to the Fourth North Tower. The steepest and most majestic part of the Badaling Great Wall.

Looking across to Badaling South from the Fourth North Tower.