My Journey to Beijing 2007 - 9/12/07

ok guys, this is my 3rd day in Beijing, and on some day, we passed through "The Nest" of the Beijing Olympic 2008 games, it is said to be one of the biggest building project in 2007. we couldn't go inside the stadium to get a closer look as it was still in the process of completing, but it looks great anyway. that area around the stadium is now the hottest area, as all the price of the buildings have elevated, more market price and stuff.

.this stadium is for the swimming competition. the roof actually looks like plastic, but it's not.

.The Nest. The Beijing Olympic Games would officially start at 08.08.08, i wonder if 8 big birds would fly there. hahahaha. XD

The first stop for the day is

1. Zheng Yang Men - 正阳门

the main gate of Beijing

.Zheng Yang Men. basically there was nothing much, just the gate, and we went inside the building to listen to some fengshui stuff. all i know is Beijing is a very good fengshui place.

.the city view of Beijing.

2. Heaven Palace - 天堂宫

this is the place where the Emperor of China comes to pray. this place is the only place that you can still see green in Beijing. it has also become a recreational place for the elderly or everybody, as they like to come here to pass time, playing cards, playing traditional instruments like pipa and erhu, or doing exercises like taichi, etc, etc.

.people playing Jian Zi (some kind of shuttlecock). see that pinky thing there? haha.

.i took this "small porcelain plate" just because it has the same name has Jay Chou's song, 青花瓷, "Qing Hua Ci". hahahaha. XD

.the drawing on the floor. the 5 mascots of the Beijing Olympic Games.

.a clearer picture.

.does this resembles the hat where the Emperor used to wear? this is where the Emperor carries out prayers and ritual stuff.

.the same building as above.

.the only green place you can find in Beijing during the winter.

.i love this picture. hahaha. XD

3. Skiing Area

i can't remember the place of this skiing area. but all those are man-made snow. =) and it was still freaking cold. haha. XD the snow is not fluffy, it's all harden up already. yeah, and me and my bro sat this sleighing down thingy, it was quite fun, but i was quite terrified at 1st, it was so super fast, that you feel like you're going to stumble over any minute. haha. XD my brother played this for a freaking lot of times though.

today, we'll be leaving Beijing, and heading off to Chengde, and what a surprise we got. =P