So, today I woke up too early to mentalist, screaming cleaners so went back to sleep til gone 10am. I took it really steady and decided to have a cup of my expensive black tea for breakfast. I undid the box and guess what the woman had packed up the wrong tea for me. The one I didn't like. I was put out and angry. I instantly thought it was a con and that I had been had. But I wasn't going to have it. I phoned up Kevin Li. He told me there must have been a misunderstanding and he text me the instructions of how to get back to the tea house via the exit of the Forbidden Palace. It involved reading a Chinese bus timetable but he text me the characters to look out for. Anyway I made it!!! I was dead chuffed. In I wandered. The women were all apologetic and changed the tea and gave me some free jasmine as well. Kevin phoned me back to make sure I had made it and told me that the girl was new and was very embarrassed. ( he had phoned ahead to tell them i ws coming.) I have to admit the two packages were exactly the same. But was it a con? I m not sure. The price difference wasn't that significant.
Anyway, keeping on the tea theme..this black tea is wrapped up individually in little black compacted cubes. To be honest they look like cannabis resin. Of course they don't smell like cannabis resin but it is making me laugh! I wonder if I will be able to clear customs OK with it? It sure looks a bit suspect. Oh well, let's see!!! This blog can be my insurance. I totally believe that I bought black pu'eer tea from China and I have my MasterCard receipt to prove it!
After my little detour I went off to the Temple of Heaven. I loved it here especially the Long Corridor and 'divine kitchen areas 'where all the old locals were out playing cards in groups of 4 and other games which I didn't know at all. ( not Mah Jong, they don't play that up North I have heard.)
Other old folk were all dancing and singing operas and ballads. ( all individually in their own little operatic worlds!). Totally MAD and I loved it. it was like like an OAP party where expression and exuberance was expected. Looks like the old folks have the most fun here. I wandered through the massive and beautiful complex to the hall of prayer for good harvests. The building ratios and the strict adherence to Confucian numerology were great and really fascinating but for me the whole place was let down by just far too many swathes of concrete everywhere. now it might not be concrete and might be some Ming dynasty stone, but I don't care. It looks like concrete to me!
The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests.
Some facts about the Heavenly Centre Stone.
After this I went and watched people worship around the nine-dragon juniper tree. One of the most revered ancient trees in China. it was impressive. Then through the Circular Mound Alter and the Dressing Terrace and I left via the South gate. I then had a long trudge by road back round to the subway. But I like less touristy parts of town and I got lots of interesting photos on my long walk back round. (Most visitors are in groups and lots of tour buses were waiting at this end to ship people back to their hotels.) Again not too many westerners , most tourists at the moment are massive groups of old people. I don't know how they have the stamina to walk around these massive complexes. Chinese culture is not really into sitting down and taking a breather. There is no out door cafe culture ,not even tea drinking. It is just a kind of formal ceremony done inside for you alone. People don't just order cups of tea. Everyone carries a thermos flask full of tea or just hot water and that seems to suffice. Hard core! The only rest I have had all day was my evening meal, otherwise it has been a full 7 hours of walking or standing on the subway. People in Beijing must walk MILES.
I then took the subway to the park. It was beautiful. ( I was lucky enough to miss rush hour too. The guys who push you onto the train were just taking up position at all the entrance doors when I got off the last train at 16.58. V. Lucky.). The park was lovely. A calm and beautiful oasis right in the centre of Beijing. Totally magical. I loved it. I walked and walked through it from South to North. The bus information Kevin had given me earlier came in handy for this adventure. I then went up even further onto other lakes,ending up in a Lonely Planet recommended restaurant for spicy Beijing food. A lovely place with a view over the lake. I had a scrumptious meal and I totally deserved it. The only downer was that wine was served in bottles and I didn't want to navigate my way home from a strange part of town on the subway with a bottle of wine inside me.
Anyway, I made it home. The last 10 minutes up the Hutong to my hostel were tough but I did it. What a great day and thnk you plasters and thick socks for keeping my blisters safely wrapped up and away from further harm. Right, time to sleep and plan my last day adventure to the Summer Palace , which is quite a trek out of town. Night .
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