Forbidden City

May 16

Today we have decided to venture off to the Forbidden City to see one of the most amazing architectural feats that remains in Beijing.  We walk through Tiananmen Square and arrive outside the gates.  We are amazed at how many people are out and about today and wonder whether it is a holiday here in the city.  It turns out that the Mao Mausoleum is only open two days a week and this is one of them.  The line to get inside winds around the building and the square is full of people.  We get inside and read intermittently about the history of this amazing palace.  This structure served as the home of the emperor and his wife.  Only eunuchs were allowed inside and the dwellings include some 980 buildings that house over 9,999 rooms.  The concubines, wives and servants lived here and the complex is comprised of several layers of inner and outer walls that form the Forbidden City and the Imperial City.  This was home to over 24 emperors spanning the Ming and the Qing Dynasties from 1404 to 1644.  Many of the buildings were destroyed during the time that Chairman Mao was at the reins of leadership, however, the inner complex of the Forbidden City remains.  We walk through the hallowed halls and are forced to jostle for position with the hordes and masses to see even the smallest of details.  The throne rooms and the inner chambers are very difficult to see under any circumstances as they are roped off from quite a distance.  We walk around for several hours before calling it a day and returning to our neighborhood for lunch.  Annie and Hudson return to the hotel and Sam, Paulie and I go to the restaurant around the corner and way over order a lunch menu.  We go back to the hotel for a late afternoon nap and plan to meet up with Chris later to have a hot pot dinner.  We get to the lobby around 7:30 and  head out to the “rice” lady who is very pleased to see us coming back to her restaurant for dinner.  This is an amazing meal and much like our version of fondue.  We have shaved meats, spinach, cabbage, shrimp, dumplings and a whole array of rice and sauces.  After we have stuffed ourselves, we walk around a little before going home and to an early bed.