Beijing in the potlight

Saturday, July 9, 2011

REY, my hubby, Walter and Dieter, our 15-year-old 'apos' and I, flew to Beijing from Shanghai to join with other members of my family and the Rural Bank of Itogon (RBI) officers and staff.

Beijing, which means "northern capital," is the second largest city in China, after Shanghai. It is the country's capital, as well as its political, educational and cultural center. Our first day in Beijing was a hasty visit to the Beijing Panda Zoo. Next was the Forbidden City, former residence of the emperor - home to more than a million artifacts that define China's civilization. It was built by more than 200,000 workers, and is the best preserved and most complete example of imperial architecture in China. There are about 800 buildings and more than 8,000 rooms! It is so huge that it's impossible for tourists to explore the entire complex in one day. Our long walk from the Forbidden City complex to Tian-anmen Square left most of us gasping for breath.

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Tian-anmen Square is the heart of Beijing and the largest public square in the world. According to the Chinese, the square can contain one million people at a time! Chairman Mao's Mausoleum stands on the southern end of Tian-anmen Square, the National Grand Theatre in the west, the Chinese National Museum in the east, and the Forbidden City in the North.

The Great Wall of China is a true wonder of the world and an absolute must-see for any visitor to this country. It snakes more than 6,700 kilometers along the whole northern frontier of the ancient Chinese empire. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Juyongguan section was where our group climbed. Only a few of us dared climb the uneven and undulating surface to enjoy the scenery.

Going to China is not complete without going to the Jade Museum. Jade souvenirs added more weight to our already bulging luggage. Our next stop was to the Bird's Nest (Beijing's National Olympic Stadium) and the Water Cube (the National Swimming Center). Both structures were the sites of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Everyone enjoyed taking a zillion photographs!

A great day out was our visit to the Summer Palace, a former royal and Chinese classical garden with more than 200 years of history. Our group leisurely strolled through temples, lakes and walkways.

The Temple of Heaven is a wonderful example of Ming architecture in a walled 267 hectare park. This is where Chinese emperors offered sacrifices and prayers for good harvests and peace.

We left Beijing with all the wonderful memories tucked in our minds, recalling all the fun things we did and food items we savored. Thank goodness, I travelled with my family to enjoy the sights and sounds of Beijing.