I set my alarm for 9am the next morning and as the weather is so
clear I've planned another visit to the Forbidden City, which I
visited last year and indeed for the first time 20 years ago: but
I've always come away with a feeling that there is more to see. It
was once so shrouded in mystery and fear that today it is difficult
to imagine its past life, or a sense of its former community. The
last time I came my camera batteries kept failing in the cold so this
time I take the Nikon. By the time I'm ready however, after a coffee
and shower, it's past 11 am so I decide to have a light lunch first:
I'm unsure where to go and consider going to Stuff'd, however I spot
a tiny cafe which offers hot dogs and potato salad, Sadly though he
doesn't have potato salad ready yet so I settle for a hot dog and
honey tea. The owner speaks very good English and has been to
university in Australia where he trained in “international
business” as he calls it. I ask him why he chose to open a cafe and
he tells me he has always wanted to do it. I imagine his family is
wealthy and probably helped him out with it because it sounds as if
they made him get some sort of job before he set up his business.
This is an insight into Chinese middle-class culture. In any case
this makes for a good light lunch so I set off on the subway.
At the subway station I'm approached by a Chinese lady who speaks
English well. She says she is from Dalian, which is a city in the
south-east of China near the sea, and asks me where I'm from. She
seems to want to strike up some form of conversation and asks me if I
want to go for coffee: I gently fob her off and say I have to meet a
friend . There is something about this sort of experience that makes
me feel a bit uneasy. I suppose it's from my childhood days when we
were all told not to speak to strangers, after all I have no reason
to believe this is anything more than a holidaymaker being friendly.
However another one approaches me a few minutes later and I simply
walk past into the exit. I suspect some kind of scam although I
cannot imagine what form it takes.
Outside the Forbidden City there is a security check with the usual
X-ray machines and guards. This is so busy that there is an enormous
queue of about 200 or so people, but it does not take too long to get
through. I have to say my heart sinks on sight of it. Again, I have
to train myself to patience. There are 3 stages to entering the
complex: the guard check, followed by crossing the moat over a
bridge, then obtaining your ticket. It's about 1pm by the time I'm
inside.
The Forbidden City is a must see and a wonder of the world for me. It
is incredibly imposing, but it is hard to imagine life inside it as
the complex is empty: after the Civil War in China most of its
contents were removed by the Kuomintang and taken to Taiwan.
Following my visit I walk to Houhai and drop into 4 Corners where I
have a light snack of seared stuffed squid: this is very tasty and I
can imagine having a go at it myself in my flat. I take the subway
back to the hotel and shower. I'm terribly tired, I think owing to to
so much walking and a late night yesterday.
So in the evening I go back to 4 Corners one more time and have a
light bite for supper. I do like this bar and have not been for some
time as I normally go to Great Leap but it doesn't sell food. I have
some spring rolls which are home-made and very good. The food here
tends to take its time arriving but is obviously meticulously
prepared.
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