the one with the forbidden city

today we went to the forbidden city.  it as actually a short walk from our hotel.  a couple of blocks.  have you ever tried walking across a street in china?  well, let me tell you...it is taking your life into your hands and hurling it across the street in hopes nothing hits you before you make it to the other side!!  not kidding! stop lights in china are merely a suggestion...and the only thing that stops them is more then 8 people in a crowd...if you are on the edge, even a step behind, they have no patience for you and will most definitely run you down!.

and so, we finally make it alive a few blocks down and enter what is Tienanmen square.  there are lots of fences and security because I guess in the spring they had some one drive a burning car into the square.  but it is wide and open and there is the picture of chairman Mao of course.

you go down these long tunnelways and there are series of courtyards with a large palace at the end leading to the next.  we found out that over a 500 year period during the chen and ming dynasties 24 emperors lived here.  each had his own palace built inside the walls.  there are 999 rooms. 9 is a symbol of royalty and only emperors can have anything with 9.

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so we learned a lot about emperors and the ancient customs here in beijing. after wards we went to a local tea house and watched the tea ceremony and got to sample many teas. we bought a few gifts and then went back to the hotel.  we tried to find a hot pot restaurant but it was closed. so we settled for a dumpling place.  they had stir fry and we sampled several dishes.  we napped a bit and then megan and brendan went out looking for the book store.  repacking bags tonight in preparation of flying to Changsha, Hunan tomorrow