5th March 2011 – Beijing

5th March 2011 – Beijing

After yesterday's early start we managed an extra hour in bed as today's start was 8.30am. We had booked a private tour and a driver and a guide turned up promptly. She was called Laura – they all take English names as they know we can't get our tongue around their Chinese name. Her English was impeccable and she soon put us at our ease.

Our first stop was the Summer Palace. This covers 700 acres and is dominated by Kunming Lake which itself is subdivided into the West Lake and the South Lake by several causeways. The 'New' Summer Palace, the first was destroyed in 1860 at the end of the Second Opium War, was built at the end of the 19th Century by the Empress Dowager Cixi. The main strolling area is along the north shore of the Lake where the pavillions and courtyards are linked by the Long Corridor which stretches 2,550 ft from the Eastern Halls west to the Marble Boat. This boat is properly known by the name Boat of Purity and Ease and is built of stone and stained glass. There is simply too much to describe and our heads hurt from information overload and the sheer opulence of what we have seen – the temple gateways are lined with 24-carat gold leaf; mind boggling. From here we went to the Lama Temple which was built in 1694 for a prince who became the Qing Emperor Yongzheng and converted into a temple in 1744. It is large and ornate with about 200 monks in residence. Again I'm afraid I'm going to give up describing what we saw because there is simply too much.

After lunch we went to the Temple of Heaven (we are templed out!) which was constructed in 1420 as a site for sacred rites. Again the sheer size took our breath away and I have decided any description would be inadequate. From here we went to a Tea House where we were shown a tea ceremony. Slightly complicated to explain they use a clay teapot and pour hot water over the outside of the pot as well as inside. We tried 5 different teas, very little cups which hold only about 3 gulps in case you want to know and decided we prefered the lst cup.

On the way back to the hotel Laura explained the explosion in cars started about 20 years ago which would, I suppose, coincide with the start of China's growth. There is no doubt in our mind that the West has underestimated China hugely. We met up with John and Faye again for something to eat and we discussed China in today's world. We have all come to the same conclusion -China is a future world leader.

I could go on at length at what we have seen and heard but at the risk of repeating myself, this place is simply overwhelming. No matter how long I write this blog there is no way I can convey to you what we have seen; quite simply you need to see it for yourself.

This is our last day and once we have sorted out our pictures (1100 at the last count) we will publish a few and also try to summarise things.