Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Beijing Lightning Trip April 2014 (Day 4 & 5)
Today is the main event! We go to 白云观 (Baiyun Temple)！
But first, we go to the Temple of Heaven. The last time we were there on the group tour, we did not go to the echo wall or the round mound where the Emperor stands when praying to the Heavens. So I wanted to bring my parents there.
We checked out of the hotel and left our luggage in the hotel. We walked around the Temple of Heaven park and my mum saw more Peonies! She said that these were really lovely :D I also wanted to bring her into the Forbidden Palace to see the Peonies there if possible but I don't think we can make the time.
When we reached the Echo Wall, people were shouting left and right. You really don't have to shout to get it to work, but I didn't manage to get my mum to hear the echo.. such a shame. Maybe we were a bit far from the wall (there was a fence, and on my first trip there, there didn't seem to be a fence, or we were just doing it all wrong.
After the echo wall, we went to the round mound where there was actually a queue formed up for photos! Amazing! My mum took a shot there lol.
After the Temple of heaven, it's time for 白云观 (Baiyun Temple). On the way to the subway from the Temple of heaven, my mum bought a honeydew slice.. and I realised that Singapore Honeydew is the one that is lousy tasting... cos the one we had in China was tasty like the one in Hokkaido. So it is not the case that the Hokkaido honeydew were extremely tasty (ok lah probably tastier than the China one) but rather the ones we get in SG are just............
The temple is not directly accessible by subway. You have to walk a few KM from the subway to the temple, but well. a little exercise can't hurt! We alighted at 木樨地 (muxidi) station and started walking towards the temple. You get to see so many things along the way really. You also get assaulted by the flying fluff that goes flying all over the place. Feels like a furball is building up in the throat.
We got to the temple and I was amazed at howmuch different it looks as compared to what I remembered of it. I remembered the entrance as a little dingy but I believe that must have been my mistaken memory. There is now a shopping centre of sorts opposite the temple. You can buy a ticket for RMB 10 and you slot it into the automated gantry at the gates. Wow. back when I came here years ago, there was no automated gantry. No guards at the gate. Times have indeed changed.
We spent quite some time in the temple and I am pleased that my mum is pleased. She is happy that after so many years, she has finally arrived at this temple. She is ordained by a Taoist priest of this temple. 白云观 (Baiyun Temple) is of the 全真派 (Quanzhen branch) of Taoism. Sounds really like something that came out of a Chinese Martial Arts novel eh?
After the visit, we went to 王府井步行街 （Wangfujing shopping street) to walk around and have dinner. I, of course had to go and take a photo of the well. I feel obliged to take a photo of the well every time that I ma there and I believe that if I were to go Beijing again and I ended up in Wangfujing again, I would still do that!
After dinner, we went back to the hotel collect our luggage. On the way, we manage dto see the flag lowering ceremony at Tiananmen. The security is crazy. Really. It's fun though! SInce I can't wake for Flag raising.. this is the next best alternative.
After collecting out luggage, we headed to the airport. On the subway, we took the wrong direction (it's a circle line. REAL circle line) but we still managed to get to the airport on time. Checked in, and then went to have a hot drink for my parents... now this is where stuff started to suck. By the time we went to move through customs and all that, we got into a bad jam at the security check. It was really bad. My parents got through before me and I was still stuck. I admit that I should have bulldozed my way through.. but I didn't really wanna do that with customs!! I should have done it though! Anyway it's too late for regrets because in the end, we missed the flight. SUPER SUCKY.
My airfare could be changed with a small fee but I had to buy new tickets fro my parents. BAH.
We flew home the following day on the afternoon flight and we check in and went through customs as soon as we could and there was no jam!! There should logically be more people in the afternoon than at night but... well. I think it's just the way things were meant to be I guess.
Annoyed. Ticked. Spent more than I expected but the good thing was.... I had already taken leave on Thursday so I didn't have to extend my leave. :D The little good things that happen.
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But first, we go to the Temple of Heaven. The last time we were there on the group tour, we did not go to the echo wall or the round mound where the Emperor stands when praying to the Heavens. So I wanted to bring my parents there.
We checked out of the hotel and left our luggage in the hotel. We walked around the Temple of Heaven park and my mum saw more Peonies! She said that these were really lovely :D I also wanted to bring her into the Forbidden Palace to see the Peonies there if possible but I don't think we can make the time.
After the echo wall, we went to the round mound where there was actually a queue formed up for photos! Amazing! My mum took a shot there lol.
After the Temple of heaven, it's time for 白云观 (Baiyun Temple). On the way to the subway from the Temple of heaven, my mum bought a honeydew slice.. and I realised that Singapore Honeydew is the one that is lousy tasting... cos the one we had in China was tasty like the one in Hokkaido. So it is not the case that the Hokkaido honeydew were extremely tasty (ok lah probably tastier than the China one) but rather the ones we get in SG are just............
The temple is not directly accessible by subway. You have to walk a few KM from the subway to the temple, but well. a little exercise can't hurt! We alighted at 木樨地 (muxidi) station and started walking towards the temple. You get to see so many things along the way really. You also get assaulted by the flying fluff that goes flying all over the place. Feels like a furball is building up in the throat.
We got to the temple and I was amazed at howmuch different it looks as compared to what I remembered of it. I remembered the entrance as a little dingy but I believe that must have been my mistaken memory. There is now a shopping centre of sorts opposite the temple. You can buy a ticket for RMB 10 and you slot it into the automated gantry at the gates. Wow. back when I came here years ago, there was no automated gantry. No guards at the gate. Times have indeed changed.
We spent quite some time in the temple and I am pleased that my mum is pleased. She is happy that after so many years, she has finally arrived at this temple. She is ordained by a Taoist priest of this temple. 白云观 (Baiyun Temple) is of the 全真派 (Quanzhen branch) of Taoism. Sounds really like something that came out of a Chinese Martial Arts novel eh?
After the visit, we went to 王府井步行街 （Wangfujing shopping street) to walk around and have dinner. I, of course had to go and take a photo of the well. I feel obliged to take a photo of the well every time that I ma there and I believe that if I were to go Beijing again and I ended up in Wangfujing again, I would still do that!
After dinner, we went back to the hotel collect our luggage. On the way, we manage dto see the flag lowering ceremony at Tiananmen. The security is crazy. Really. It's fun though! SInce I can't wake for Flag raising.. this is the next best alternative.
After collecting out luggage, we headed to the airport. On the subway, we took the wrong direction (it's a circle line. REAL circle line) but we still managed to get to the airport on time. Checked in, and then went to have a hot drink for my parents... now this is where stuff started to suck. By the time we went to move through customs and all that, we got into a bad jam at the security check. It was really bad. My parents got through before me and I was still stuck. I admit that I should have bulldozed my way through.. but I didn't really wanna do that with customs!! I should have done it though! Anyway it's too late for regrets because in the end, we missed the flight. SUPER SUCKY.
My airfare could be changed with a small fee but I had to buy new tickets fro my parents. BAH.
We flew home the following day on the afternoon flight and we check in and went through customs as soon as we could and there was no jam!! There should logically be more people in the afternoon than at night but... well. I think it's just the way things were meant to be I guess.
Annoyed. Ticked. Spent more than I expected but the good thing was.... I had already taken leave on Thursday so I didn't have to extend my leave. :D The little good things that happen.
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