China, 6th of October

After trying to navigate the crowds at the summer palace I felt it might be best to avoid other popular locations till later in the week when more people would have left to go home. So the next morning I journeyed to a near by park. This was a great way to see how people in Beijing actually live and what they do in the morning. I found these guys playing a which resembled Crockett and pool. There were also large groups doing morning exercise/dancing to music, movements with swords, writing on the sidewalk, a band and choir playing together, and people walking around or through the area. I also found a nice quiet corner to sit and just take in all the green trees and the silence of being in vegetation.

Game time

Following the leader



Heading to work

Writing with water

Who doesn't want to dance in the morning?

Playing cards

After the park I headed to a temple close to my Hostel called the Lama Temple. This temple has one of the largest Buddha statues I have ever seen. It was as tall as this temple. I also was feeling a little tired of all the idol worship going on and I felt really drained. So I snapped some pictures, prayed a prayer of thanks to God that He does hear my prayers. Tons of people where at this temple offering incenses and kneeling down. I felt sad knowing they do it all in vain.

Lama Temple

A building and bell as part of the Lama Temple area

Woman kneeling and the burning container for incense

I still had some time before lunch so I went further into the city to see the Temple of Heaven and also found the Pearl Market. The Temple of Heaven is were the Emperor would come to offer sacrifices during times of draught. The temple and other buildings sit in a huge park, which meant more walking. By this point I was in need of some food so I munched on my peanut MM's. I also sat and listened to a guy playing a guitar and singing (video included at the end). The gardens were lovely and I enjoyed wandering through the endless trees and finding my way into a rose garden as well.

Temple of Heaven

Door of the Gate

Temple of Heaven Park

Things a lady was making and tyring to sell

Rose from the garden

Rose Garden

Wooden dolls for sale

I went to the Pearl Market next and found lovely jewelry everyone wanted to sell to me. They also had other things for me to buy but I wanted a pair of Pearl earings. So I spent some time looking at and trying to buy jewelry, I can't say I know how to barter well in China. They mark the price up 10 times what it should be, which means unlike Cambodia you can't start at 1/2 and work your way up. I tried not to think about how much they were cheating me and focused on enjoying my new earings.

After the Pearl Market I decided I wanted to do something that I can't do in Cambodia so I went to the mall and had Subway for lunch and saw the movie Inception. It felt great to sit and watch a movie. The last time I was able to go to a movie theatre was in April when I was in Vietnam. I also have to include the following video. I sat and listened to him for a while as I rested at the Temple of Heaven.