Thursday, April 26, 2012

BEIJING - TIANJIN, CHINA.

        April 18 - 21  2012, my spouse and I joined a group of 35 on an excursion to Beijing and Tianjin, China.  I visited Beijing for the second time formerly in 2005. We enjoyed visiting  interesting historical places, compulsory government economic centres,  had our meals at halal Muslim restaurants and of course shopping at the local public market. It is spring time, the temperature is cold and soothing, misty in the morning and sometimes raining. Trees are leafless but blossoming gorgeously, soothed our eyes.


TIANJIN: Also known as Port of Heavenly Capital is the sixth largest city in China. Formerly a garrison town enclosed by walls, currently is one of the China's leading manufacturing and commercial centre.

BEIJING: The current capital city of China, with  population exceeds 20 million, the second largest next to Shanghai. One of the four great ancient capitals of China, a political and cultural centre and the heart of China's history for centuries, renowned for its opulent palaces, mosques, temples and huge stone wall and gates



                                                     THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA

A series of fortifications made of stones, bricks, earth and woods. It stretches 8851 km along east to west border line to protect the Empire against the intrusion of nomadic forces from the north. First built by Qin Shi Huang between 220 - 206 BC merely of rammed earth and woods and rebuilt by the Ming Emperors in the 14th century with improved technique and materials such as stones and bricks. The visited part was the South Gate, near Beijing constructed during the Ming Dynasty.


Modified part of the Great Wall, especially for
 visitors, one of the fortresses in the background

My spouse on one of the walls and the 
extent of the Great Wall in the background



Special pose by the Great Wall

Slowly ascending the sloping steps to the next station.


Take a short rest after descending 
the sloping steps before terminating the visit.






SUMMER PALACE:


Known as "The Garden of Nurtured Harmony" and  it is a palace in Beijing dominated by Longevity Hill(60m) and the Kunming Lake. It covers an expanse of 2.9 sq. km, 2.2 sq km  of which is lake. It is a man made lake and the excavated soil was used to build Longetivity Hill. The construction began in 1749 by Emperor Qianlong of The Qing Dynasty and completed in 1752.  


At the main entrance


Aerobic exercise, one of the activities
 at  the Summer Palace,
 I love to join in as at home.

Some of the group members in memory with the
Muslim Chinese from Xinjiang

Myself and our local Malay speaking tourist guide, 
Mr Terry.

All women in, on the bridge over the Kunming lake
connecting the Longevity Island 


TIENANMEN SQUARE

A large city square in the centre of  Beijing. Named after the Tienanmen Gate, separating  from the Forbidden City. It is the third largest in the world and measured 440,000 sq metre. Firstly built in 1415 during the Ming Dynasty. Due to heavy fighting the gate was damaged. Designed and built again in 1651 and has since enlarged four times its original size in 1950s.

Tienanmen Square in the background. 
The pagoda like building is a  muoseleum 
lies the preserved body of Mao Zedong 
embedded in a glass cube

Special pose, the main entrance to the
 Forbidden City in the background

 June 4 1989,  at this very place,
 a thousand of pro democratic
protesters mainly students were massacred
 by the armed military force.



THE FORBIDDEN CITY

A Chinese Imperial Palace from Ming Dynasty and the end of Qing Dynasty. Located in the middle of Beijing and almost 500 years served as the  home of Emperors. It took 15 years       (1406 - 1420) of construction and required a million workers. It consists of 980 surviving buildings with 9999 bays of rooms. It covers 720,000 sq metre and in 1987 was declared World Heritage Site


Special pose in the midst  of  the Forbidden City


In the heart of the imperial ancient palace,
 the floor is original.



The Garden of Harmony,
the rock is naturally carved
Another part of the Garden of Harmony.

Travelling by bullet train from Beijing to Tianjin was unforgettable. In only 30 minutes we reached Tianjin about 160 km away with a cruising speed of 250 km/hour. 


At the Beijing railway station. Patiently wait
 for the schedule to Tianjing

My spouse at the Tianjin railway station 
after arriving from Beijing

Arrived in Tianjin about 160 km from Beijing
in only 30 minutes!

At the Food and Cultural Street, Tianjin
There are differences between the four seasons area and the tropical area. 
The cold and soothing temperature that we feel 
and captivating blossoming trees that we witness.



At the Great Wall, trees with only stem
and branches, few leaves begin to appear

A flower tree with only trunk, branches and  
blossom.


The close up Sakura



Peony, some regard that it is a China's
 national flowerand some said cherry blossom 

An ancient dead tree stump preserved
due to its uniqueness,
 historical and sentimental values







Visiting Beijing in spring time is interesting and unforgettable. One could feel the soothing temperature and witness the unique surrounding that could not be felt and found in our tropical locality as well as ancient buildings and spots

感谢,并看到
(Xie Xie,  zai jian)
Thank you and see you again