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My
friend Mike, (whom I have known for years and years) had some
vacation time, I had some vacation time, and sadly Teresa
had College Finals...so we decided to go to China on vacation.
I flew to Korea to meet Mike, and we flew from Seoul to Beijing.
Here Mike and I are in Tianamen Square.
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Mike and I got a really good deal on
a package tour thru Asiana Airways. We got a really nice place
at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, our own car, driver and tour guide
for a very low price! Here is the entrance to the Forbidden
City, across from Tienamen Square. The painting of Chairman
Mao is changed every year with a fresh new one.
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Here we are in the first courtyard. The
City has 999 rooms, and if you count the city as one big room,
it has 1000 rooms.
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It was very hot when we visited, and
we stayed in the shade as much as possible. There were soldier
here and there, but no weapons were seen. There were lots
of foreigners, so we did not feel to conspicious.
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Here we are looking at a painting, and
reading the history signs. The signs were in many languages.
Our driver dropped us off right at the front door to the Forbidden
City, so no walking a mile like the poor folks on buses!
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Here is the main courtyard, where the
Emperor would review visitors and troops. It was made famous
in the movie "The Last Emperor". It was very cool
to walk on tiles that were 2000 years old. Only the emperor
could walk on the middle paths.
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The scale of everything was huge. There
was restoration going everywhere.
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The emperor had many different palace
and throne rooms. Each throne room was used for a different
purpose.
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Here is a large bronze crane. The many
different bronze statues around were actually incense burners.
There were also large barrels and vats around, which were
always filled with water, and used to help put out fires.
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Here is one of the many thrones in the
Forbidden City. I don't remember which event or occasions
this throne was used for.
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