Travels in the 2nd half

Soul Tower There are many things to see in Beijing that your tour might not take you to. I found that it really pays to get away from the biggest tourist attractions and get to places that are much more frequented by locals. This post (and my next one) will cover some of these places. The Dingling Tomb The Dingling Tomb is the mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Yijun (1563-1620) and his two Empresses - Xiaoduan and Xiaojing. It is one of 13 Ming Dynasty tombs in the mountains outside of Beijing. These underground tombs were built into the sides of mountains and their entrances were hidden. The entrance to this tomb was discovered in 1954 when a stone carved map gave the exact location of the entrance and the chambers underground. This is the only of the tombs that is open to public.  The area around the tombs is a beautiful area of mountains, valleys and small towns. As you approach the tomb you will pass through several gates and alters.This area was a place to venera...

Looking down on the JuYong Pass Yes, there is all of the hype of The Great Wall being one of the Seven Wonders of the World. But The Great Wall out does the hype. It is awe inspiring. Built between 1360 and 1650 AD it was never effective at keeping out invaders, it serves as a reminder of what the power of a system that is built on slavery can wield. The section of the Great Wall at JuYong Pass is a somewhat circular portion of the wall that is about a 5 hour walk to complete. It travels up and down the ridges of of one of the steepest passes along the wall, leading to some breath-taking views. https://fareastfling.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/juyongguan_map.jpg  Coming from Beijing you will most likely approach The Great Wall from the south. As you do, the wall will start to peek out along the ridge top:  The thing is, even from the road, it is hard to get a feel for just how big the Great Wall is. This part of the Wall is about 20 m tall and 10 m wi...

One of the places that I felt most comfortable during my trip to Beijing was at the Temple Of Heaven and its surrounding park. The Park sits just north of the 2nd Ring Road and the city canal and is about 4.5 km south of Tiananmen Square. http://www.tour-beijing.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Temple-of-Heaven-Map.jpg  Originally built in 1420 it is the place where emperors went to pray to the gods of heaven and earth for a good harvest. The connection is represented by the shape of the park - square at the south end representing earth, and domed at the north end representing heaven. The most important building at the temple is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. It is 38 m tall and 36 m in diameter. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests Your author in front of the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests This building is impressive. It sits on three square tiers of carved stone. These represent the earth. The hall itself is beautifully decorated and is round to represen...