4th day. forbidden city.

Hello england.

went to forbidden temple today. Wow what a place. spent about 6hrs walking round. I got a auto guide, which is just one fo those headphones things that talks to you. was really good though, it has GPS so it can tell you wher you are and will give information when entering a new area.

Took loads and loads of pics, there are some really nice buidling. pic's don't do them justice, and i won't put them all on here. Saw some really nice old things 1000s of years old. and it amazes me how they built this thing back 1000's of years ago. The actuall

y city has 9999 and a half rooms, which is a lucky number in china. apparently, numbers 6, 8, 9 10 are all lucky and anything with number for in is unlukcy.

Would like to know where the half a room is,, but i never found that out. This is probably more impressive then the wall. at the end of the day yher wall is a wall, but the city is made up of all colours, gold, green blue, red. and some of the rooms there, are so nice. I got to see a thrown, some of the concubine rooms and the things they wear back then.

It is so breath taken. Did this one on my own, and did get lost a few times. not sure how big the actually place is in foot. but bloody big.

Not really sure what else to say at the moment. would be better if i can post pics. Oh i did see lots of present that were given to the emporer. wow he got some really nice stuff. i think the most impressive. was some of the gold embilmend (engrish) and he was also given 100's of hand carved warriors all dressed up in battle (see pic above) which again seen as it was 1000's years ago, just so impresses me.

Oh yeah word of advise, if you go and do the auto tour, make sure you start at the south side, because it makes more sense, i was going north to south and you would get to an area, and guide recommends you go north, so the talking was a little backwards. but still enjoyable, and toaught me alot.

while i was leaving the city, 2 very pretty chinese women, called rita and serena (all chinese people get english names as well as chinese) started talking to me, serena was visiting rita in beijing for the first time, and rita was showing her around. They were just about to go for tea, and asked if i woulud join them. I thought it was strange they asked me, as most chinses don't talk to strangers unless they want something. I think they just wanted to pratise there english.

So went for some chinese tea. In stead of just trying one, we all had a tea celebration or something in which you get to try 10 different types of tea. was really really cool. they transalated everything the host was saying, explainng about all the different types of tea, and how they help you. Can;t remember all of them, but most where really nice. i espeically liked the flower, fruit and black tea. however i should really get some bamboo tea, because that helps smokers clear they lungs. Maybe we shoudl start selling it in england, now there is a smoke ban.

hahahaha england can't smoke, im in china and you can smoke anywhere, and i mean anywhere. they also have some strange customs, You can litter anywhere you want, and sort of incourage it, because everynight lots of chinese walk round with broom and sweep all it up. They also sort it out from what they can recycle and what can't. Which i think is rather good system. Saves me havign to recycle. Oh yeah the other weird one, is you can spit anywhere you want. if you are in a resturant and don't like what you have put in your mouth, you spit it out on the floo0r. even if it has carpet of not. Oh strange. ben has told me he was in Mac D's and block spat his food out and it hit is shoe. Not sure i would like that. I must admit some to the food here is really shit, so i have spat food out. not on the floor mind you. Im british !! lol

So 2nite not doing alot, just gonna chill out, wanna save spending some money, so will probaly go for a walk round, maybe play some psp. got 2 more days left in beijing before i go to xian. which is the terracotta arm. can't wait.

So tomorrow i will go for a couple of temples. yes the lama one wez. It should be good it has a 20foot budda in it. Also i will go to the summer place which is meant to be really good aswell.

Anyway. better go, gonna go for some food. Take care all. XXX