Beijing 2002 – Day 7: Prince Gong’s Palace, Coal Hill Park, Xiushui “Silk” Markets, Hutong, Silk Rug Factory
Bicycles in front of Jingshan Park (commonly referred to “Coal Hill Park” in English)
Flowers just inside the entrance to Jingshan Park
One of the pavillions at the top of the hill
View of the Forbidden City from the top
Close-up of the rear gate to the Forbidden City
An old man doing what I could never do!
View of another pavillion along the way
A view of the northern part of Beijing from the top
A circular pavillion near the top
A bird I saw scurrying about behind a bush along the way to the bottom
A wall with a tiled roof near the bottom
Leaving Jingshan Park on the way to Beihai (”North Sea”) Park
Crossing a bridge with a view of the 35 metre tall White Dagoba, containing two of Buddha’s teeth
View of a roof-top in Beihai Park
A building near the White Dagoba (which was too large for my lens when I got to the top)
More roof-tops
Elderly locals playing music in a garden at Beihai Park
Entrance to the Xuishui (”Silk Alley”) Markets, where I bought 15 fake Rolex and 3 fake Gucci watches :-)
After several hundred metres of stalls, there were yet more to be seen in another direction at the back
A pavillion in the middle of an artificial lake at Prince Gong’s Palace
A building and walkways at the edge of the lake
Friendly locals playing games in the street during our pedicab ride through the old hutongs
People getting from A to B
Another street in the hutong
A street-side hair dresser at work
Another local riding his bicycle
Locals fixing their bicycles on a street corner
A bird in a cage at an old lady’s house in the hutong
The elderly lady (I can’t remember her name) telling us about her house and the history of the hutongs
Each house in the hutong has its own central courtyard
Telling us about her house; she had at least two television sets (that I could see)
One of the bedrooms, off the main living room
The phone rang while we were there
These two squirrels were doing laps of the cage every few seconds!
The main entrance is behind the Chinese lady who is speaking
Just because you’re on the bus, doesn’t mean you won’t buy something!
Demonstration of how silk rugs are made. It would take her a year to finish this rug!
Average price for a rug this size would be at least $5,000 Australian
More silk rugs
And more silk rugs. The guide lit a flame against one and it would not burn, either.
One last trip down Wangfujing Street to catch the subway to Tiananmen Square…
Buildings along East Chang’an Avenue at the end of Wangfujing Street
The Great Hall of the People from the other side of Chang’an Avenue
Tiananmen (the “Gate of Heavenly Peace”), the entrance to the Forbidden City, where Tiananmen Square gets its name
Decorations still standing after China’s National Day
Buildings in the other direction on East Chang’an Avenue at the other side of Wangfujing Street
Fountain at the north end of Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen and decorations illuminated at night
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall (left) and the Monument to the People’s Heroes (right)
Miniature Great Wall in front of the Great Hall of the People
I didn’t know my camera could do this size, but this is how it was burnt to CD at the camera store! Picture shows decorations with the Museum of Chinese History in the background
Monument to the People’s Heroes
Old Beijing Railway station across the road at the south end of Tiananmen Square
The gate at the south end of Tiananmen Square
Close-up of the old Beijing Railway Station
Building opposite the gate at the south end of Tiananmen Square