The Temple Of Heaven

Someone asked me did we see the Tian Tan i.e. the Temple of Heaven. Yes, sure we did, on our second day in Beijing, and here are over 30 pics. I didn't enjoy that tour very much, though.

First, it was a terrible blazing hot afternoon - must be 40 degrees or something, and Uncle Robert laughed at me and said I had turned as red as a boiled crab. Hah, that fellow's always looking for food/thinking about food. We had actually been told the previous day (which was foggy) that it would rain, and so I shot off messages to the home brethren to 'pray for no rain'. Didn't realise all your prayers were so 'powderful'!

Secondly, Vivien and I, if you had read the previous post, had been wandering like two lost sheep the whole morning, looking for the Forbidden City, and then looking for a cab, and I would rather preferred a sit-down tour than to walk again in one of the biggest parks in Beijing.

And thirdly, I had seen the Tian Tan before, three years ago on my first visit to Beijing with PP and Dr K.

After the cab took Vivien and I to the Hong Qiao Pearl Market, we popped into KFC (as previously arranged with PP), but they were not there. The whole gang must be still busy buying up plenty more ties, silks, pearls, antiques and souvenirs, I thought. If 1) you're into those kind of stuff, 2) have lots of time to bargain, 3) not going to any other city in China, and 4) do not mind if you bring home fake goods, then by all means come to Pearl Market and you'll have a great time. Otherwise you would, like the two of us, go in one door and come out another door a minute later. We didn't want lunch at KFC, and found a Chinese restaurant nearby which looked very high-class, but we didn't know how to order. Started to miss Uncle R and his food-ordering skills. Little did we know he was suffering over his KFC. (Poor thing, Pizza Hut dinner last night, than KFC lunch!) Later, when he heard where we went, he jumped up and down... Ah yah, why didn't you call me?? Ah yoh, Uncle, we didn't know lah!

We finally trooped off to Tian Tan, just opposite the Pearl Market, with the sun beating down on our backs.

A couple of fellows had bought cheap new luggage
during their shopping, and we didn't like to ask
how many thousands of ties were in the luggage.

Hey, wait for me!!!!

free music in the park

Close up!

You have been looking at the restored buildings
above, all freshly painted in bright colours. Here is
a pic I took 3 years ago during my first visit.

See the difference between late spring and the middle
of summer! 3 years ago and now (pre-Olympic season!)

The following were pics taken during the last

week of March 2004.