"Beijing Day 1 Part 3"

We leave behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony...

to move to the remaining two halls:


Hall of Complete Harmony

where the Emperor prepares himself before going into the Hall of Supreme Harmony

and the Hall of Preserving Harmony.


This hall has many purposes, to hold banquets, exams...


Both these halls are also seated on these marvellous 3-tier marble terraces.


This is also where you can find the largest stone carving in the palace..


And finally we reached the end of the Outer Courtyard...


Guarded by a pair of these lions


Ornate red wall separating the courtyards

By this time we were starving, so we grabbed a quick (and pricey) bite in one of the shops inside, before continuing our journey further!

"Beijing 2010: Day 2 Part 2"

Ok, we've paid the entrance fee and crossed the massive Meridian Gate...



... to reach the First Courtyard and the Inner Golden River.

There are 5 bridges crossing the Inner Golden River. The Gate of Supreme Harmony can be seen.

And they provide such stunning vistas... the reflections on the river, the curves.. everything is just perfectly aligned!

Crossing the bridge



We then reach the Outer Courtyard. Vast and spacious.



We've reached the Gate of Supreme Harmony



Massive lion statues guard the gate.




Looking back at the Meridian Gate from the Gate of Supreme Harmony

And from here, we can catch a glimpse of the most iconic structure of the Forbidden City...

The Hall of Supreme Harmony; the main hall where the Emperor receives his officials amid cries of "Long Live Your Majesty!" This Hall is the symbol of power for the nation and not surprisingly, its most magnificent and luxurious structure.

It is seated on a 3-tier marble terrace



Perfect symmetry



And this is what everyone wants to see: The Throne Room!

We can't go in, but even from outside, can see the amount of intricate details that adorn this room.

I look small... :P



Sundial



Crane




Tortoise




Copper and iron vats

Next: Moving deeper!

"Beijing 2010: Day 2 Part 1"

Our first adventure in Beijing would be the visit to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and Beihai Park. After hotel's free breakfast, we took the subway to Tiananmen East stop.

We came out of the underground tunnel and reached Tiananmen Square. Opposite the road was our first glimpse of the Tiananmen Gate.

There are 2 guards standing still in these platforms.



Chairman Mao's portrait hangs over the gate.

The square is huge and holds the crowd easily. One thing though, you can't miss the heavy presence of police officers everywhere. Not surprising, considering this was the venue of a few uprisings in China's past.

Monument of the People's Heroes



Very large projector screen!



Not much to the place, so we went across the street.



Long stream of people going in. And it's a Monday :P



Beyond the Tiananmen Gate is the massive Meridian Gate.




Practice marching...

This is the last point where it's free. Beyond this gate, we need to get the tickets to the Palace Museum.

Next: Inside the Forbidden City!