Walking the Wall

Posted on September 30, 2013 by timetoflyfree

So it wasn’t the best day for awe-inspiring expansive views.

Beijing was covered – as it so often is – by a thick white sky, a toxic blanket of pollution and fog.

Two hours, heading north west out of town we passed the most touristy section of The Great Wall, at Badaling. It could easily be renamed The Great Carpark – line upon line of coaches, mini-buses and cars.

But look up and even through the mist you could just make out of the difference between the feathery,treelined -unprotected – horizon along the mountains and the long sections of angular, turreted wall stretching deep into the haze.

The wall here has been reconstructed, to resemble the paved expanse of high brickwork and endless towers that curved its way across China, begun by the Qin dynasty around 200 BC but rebuilt and fortified by the Ming emperors from the C15th onwards.

Travelling with a group of mainly foreigners – we drove on another few kilometers and parked in a small village, to collect a local guide. “He’s community relations”, explained one of the hiking-company staff, “The locals don’t allow anyone onto this section of the wall without their permission”.

Up and up and up – a muddy scramble zig-zagging along a hillside path – and after about forty minutes there was The Great Wall. This section is a mix of broken, jumbled slabs, ruined watch-towers and steep, slippery flights of steps.

Occasionally the mist lifted enough to get a sense of the astonishing scale of The Wall. It also gave the whole day an extra magical, unreal quality.

Worth the aching legs, sweaty back and the occasional stomach-lurching slip.

About 90- minutes of extremely careful foot-watching walking along the top, then another 40 minutes or so to descend and lunch was waiting – a wonderful spread of about a dozen veggie dishes, rice and soup. And a very curious mulled brew – hot coca-cola with ginger and other spices -that was the perfect drink to round off the 3 hour walk.

Fish on wheels

Posted on September 30, 2013 by timetoflyfree

Can fish get sea-sick? If so then the small shoal of goldfish and black guppies being violently slopped from side to side of their tank, must have been seriously ill.

They were part of a cargo of small animals, including two fluffy, black and white baby rabbits, a couple of kittens and several songbirds, on a two-wheel cart, attached to a bike, being peddled manically along the pavement.

Pavements in Beijing are a lot better than many others I’ve fallen over across China but still a risky ride of uneven slabs and unexpected potholes. The little menagerie was being shaken and thrown around the cart.

Maybe the pet-seller was late for market or heading home for lunch but I wouldn’t fancy the chances of any of his “wares” surviving long after purchase.

Rippling roofs and mega tat

Posted on September 30, 2013 by timetoflyfree

Acid blue sky shining on sweeping waves of golden roofs, supported by turquoise, gilded eaves, above green and yellow tiles decorating vermilion walls.

The colours of The Forbidden City.

Half a millennium of absolute power and internecine bloodshed created an astonishing collection of vast squares, halls, palaces and temples with names that in no way reflect the relationship of their owners to the masses they ruled over – or each other.

The Hall of Preserving Harmony, Earthly Tranquility Palace, Hall of Joyful Longevity are among dozens of ornate structures, some a little faded, others garishly restored.

From the C15th start of the Ming dynasty until the unhappy, unwilling boy Emperor, Puyi, was expelled from it’s gates in 1924 – this was the Imperial home.

The whole place is so enormous that despite the huge crowds of Chinese tourists,mostly following flag waving, mic-bellowing guides, large numbers of foreigners, mostly looking impressed but exhausted, endless souvenir and drinks stands – it’s a fantastic experience – one of The Great Sights of the World – a privilege to wander through such astonishing history and architecture

After three weeks in Beijing I’ve “done” just a few of The Sights. I didn’t mean to tackle Tiananmen Square until another day but found myself so close it was silly not to have a quick peek.

The Square is more of a rectangle, ringed by monolithic public buildings and heroic statues.

It was oddly empty – nowhere in China is empty – until I realised crowds were massing at the far end, near the flag-pole.

Waiting for sunset over Beijing’ s western hills

They were waiting for sunset and the lowering of the flag.

There’s something gloriously inappropriate about a goose-stepping military posse emerging from The Gate of Heavenly Peace.

But they do it in great style, marching over the road and into the square to escort the giant flag home for the night.

There was no music, no drums and what was really astonishing – no mass babble. People were not talking on their phones or even to each other. When a child began complaining loudly, several people turned to glare at the parents.

Gathering in the flag

A few minutes after six, the golden glow disappearing behind The Fragrant Hills to the West, in almost complete silence the flag was gathered in.

A few yards from this reverential scene was one of the most wonderfully monstrous pieces of tat I have ever seen. As a decoration for the coming National Day holiday, workers were putting the finishing touches to a 40 foot or more basket of fruit and flowers.

Tomorrow – October 1st – tens of thousands will descend on The Square to celebrate Mao’s 1949 announcement of the founding of The People’s Republic. He stood on top of The Gate of Heavenly Peace, still adorned with a portrait of him.

North of the Square is the Tibetan Buddhist Lama Temple. I was there on the day of the mid-Autumn Moon Festival so the forecourt was crowded with worshippers offering prayers and lighting incense. More gorgeous roofs, decorated halls and impressive statues.

There’s a very real danger of being roofed out in Beijing.

Away from downtown, I explored The Summer Palace – those poor Emperors needed an escape from the city’s suffocating heat – so in the western suburbs is another glorious expanse of highly decorated turquoise and green eaves supporting golden rippling roofs, set atop a hill and overlooking a lake.