Beijing 2002 – Day 5: The Temple of Heaven, China Resources Building Lunch, Llama Temple (Yonghe Gong), & Peking Duck Restaurant
Entrance to the Temple of Heaven
The main gate to the Temple of Heaven
Drawing Chinese characters in water is a popular form of exercise for the elderly.
The Round Altar, where the Ming and Qing emperors prayed for good harvests
Looking back at the main gate
View from on top of the round altar
A view of the gates and buildings ahead
The temple grounds are popular places to practise Tai Chi
A wooden cabinet inside one of the buildings
A building beside the round echo-wall, so-called because a person talking loudly behind one building can be heard on the other side of the complex
Detail of a roof corner
View of the long walk to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests
A large pot of flowers along the way
The well-kept lawns to the side along the way
Detail of the gate leading to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests
The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests
Close-up of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests
Me in front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests
A bronze pot outside the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests
A long walkway where locals enjoy knitting, making music, and talking with friends
Lunch in a traditional restaurant at the China Resources Building
The waitresses wear traditional dress
… and traditional high-heels!
A build at the Llama Temple (Yonghe Gong)
A pleasant view inside the Llama Temple
A bronze sculpture at the Llama Temple
Detail of a building off to the side
The hall that houses the 18 metre tall Maitreya Buddha carved from a single sandalwood tree (no photographs were allowed)
A cloud of incense with a roof-top view in the background
Block of marble with inscriptions outside the main hall
View of the street & sky outside the Llama Temple
A discussion about a traffic accident on the way back to the hotel
Chefs preparing ducks at the Qianmen Quanjude Roast Duck restaurant (built in 1864)
The number of roast ducks served since 1864
Decorative dragons hanging in the centre of the restaurant
Our chef getting ready to carve the duck for our table
Slicing the duck
Our table
The restaurant has seen some important visitors: George Bush Snr and Helmut Kohl
Yasser Arafat and Fidel Castro enjoying the best Peking Duck on the planet!
Another view of the dragons in the centre
The duck-counter isn’t an up-to-the-minute record, apparently
Two Chefs having a chat whilst cooking roast duck
Entrance to the Forbidden City at night
The centre of Tiananmen Square at night
Wangfujing Subway Station
Subway station billboards. The Dulux dog is a familiar sight in Beijing, too!
A subway train approaching the platform
The subway train coming to a stop
The view at the end of Wangfujing Street (I think)
Looking in the opposite direction