These four pictures are from the Forbidden City. All of them taken inside with the exception of the first. Just a pretty cool massive place. Tiananmen Square is just outside/ the entrance to the Forbidden City. The size of the city is hard to explain, you would need a helicopter to get a good picture of the whole thing. There were about 8-10 large squares inside that were all surrounded by these cool building. Every square had a large temple I guess at the center/ middle.The last picture was one of the largest if I remember correctly, everything was just HUGE. And there was gardens in the middle of this maze somewhere, unfortunately all the pictures I got do it no justice.
Amazing, simply amazing. But I'm surprised there are not more people. In any case I've seen this depicted so many times in films and now to see the actual site, with you in the picture!, is, well to be repetitive, amazing (I'm got to find another word). Don't you just love the Lion-dog statues! I think one would look great on my porch.
ReplyDeleteIn the third picture the cobbles look very uneven. Do you think they've worn that way and can you imagine the hundreds of thousands of feet that have passed over them. It has quite the history and quite the symbology. Anyway quite the visit.
So how were things outside the Forbidden City. Where did you stay, what did you eat and how was the food? Any night life or (and) any cute girls? Since you are getting used to listening to Korean, did you hear the difference from Chinese?
And on another note, both Breaking Benjamin and Linkin Park have new albums out. I've only heard the radio singles of BB but they were good, if predictable. Linkin Park, on the other had is still experimenting and growing. I like the album a lot but it is different from their others. And a wider mixture than before.
Well, as always, love the posts, the pictures and the commentary. Keep 'em coming and thanks much.
The Lion-Dog statues were actually some of favorite. So old and still very impressive, and I would highly recommend getting one for the porch. Actual size of course no reason to scale it down.
ReplyDeleteWell I purposely took that picture on the ground so you could see the wear and tear the place had been through. Many of the things inside are pure perfection so I imagine that they were originally very smooth, and hundreds of years have roughed them up.
We stayed in a hostel, best hostel ever actually. Way better than any of the ones I experienced before in Europe, and way better than the one in Shanghai. We ate a bunch of local food and lots of it was very very good. Maybe some of the most unhealthy food but who cares when it tastes that good. I will post some food pictures soon. We actually just started new cycle at school so I am busy this week but I will share soon enough. The language is way different and like I think you said before kind of a sing-song feel to it. And Koreans speak angrily, not mean things, they just sound angry even when giving compliments. It is pretty funny to imagine what they are saying as it looks like they about to slit someones throat.
The night life in Shanghai was terrible, but Beijing did not disappoint. We stayed about 3 blocks from the biggest night life area that had about 10-15 Chinese bars, NEVER go there. Worth a good laugh, some of the weirdest places I have ever bought drink, but its a total rip-off for foreigners. Luckily however there is 3 big clubs and several other bars all on the same block where everyone went to party. Super cheap drinks, about $1,25 for redbull and vodkas, screwdrivers and most mixers were under $2.00. We partied with people ages 16-20 mostly. It was super weird when three 13yr olds came up next to me at the bar and ordered some shots, and a beer. It was an example of culture shock for sure when the bartender did not miss a beat and got these fine young, young lads their drinks. No drinking age obviously.
I will be sure to check out the new music, I am slowly but surely becoming totally disconnected with the western world and finding myself getting lost in the Korean culture. And I have zero complaints about that, with the exception of some new tunes once and a while so thanks for the heads up.