Orientation Day 5

Today was a free day so I decided to do my own thing as I am a bit tired of going to places in groups and then having to wait around for everyone to finish so that we can leave, it’s much nicer to be able to wander around at your own pace. My first stop was to be the Summer Palace, but to get there I needed to get a taxi (which is not easy when you don’t speak the language) Luckily I had the Summer Palace written down in Chinese symbols and before I knew it I was on my way. Beijing is a funny city as part of it is really modern but then there are streets that look like shanty towns. After 30minutes in the taxi, which cost only £5 I was at the Summer Palace. As you enter the gate there are palace temples and then behind them a gorgeous lake and gardens which were lovely to just wander round. I took a boat ride to the island in the middle of the lake and there was a tour guide with a big group of Chinese people who kept staring and pointing at me, an American couple who were sat near me said they were saying “look how pale she is” and “look at her red hair”. Great. A trip to find hair dye and fake tan is in order then next week! One of the group had a video camera and filmed me the whole way there which was really weird, they are so blatant about it though and open mouth stare at you all of the time, although I’m getting used to it a bit more now. When we got to the island there was a temple on it called the Temple of moisture where they would pray for rain in the summer. Some of the translations are quite funny, there are a lot of signs saying “please protect the railings” which makes me laugh when I see it. The summer palace had a really nice feel to it and because it was next to the lake there was also a nice breeze which was much needed as it has been such a hot day. I bought a magnet with a thermometer on it as a souvenir which I have just looked at, its 7pm and the air conditioning is on in my room and it’s still 28 degrees so you can imagine how hot it was at lunchtime walking round. I wanted my photo taken in front of things a few times and I was trying to pick families to ask to take the picture as I thought they were less likely to run off with my camera! When I had seen the Summer Palace I decided as it was still early I would go to see Beijing Zoo as it wasn’t that far away. I found a taxi and after a rather embarrassing mime, managed to make him understand I wanted to go to the zoo (I will be so good at charades by the time I leave!) I arrived at the zoo and the first thing I went to see were the giant pandas which were beautiful. I had heard a lot of bad things about Beijing zoo so I was a bit apprehensive but the zoo itself was really nicely landscaped and the pandas had nice big enclosures. My next stop was to see my favourite, the tigers which were two white Bengal tigers. One was pacing around the enclosure and the other was asleep and the Chinese were throwing rubbish and stones at it to make it move which I didn’t like to see. The next bit were small glass cages where the animals were lying down and looked so hot I decided I had had enough and didn’t want to see anymore. That’s one of the things I don’t really like about China, they don’t have anywhere near the standard of care for animals as the UK does and it wasn’t very nice seeing these animals in small cages. I was also feeling a bit light headed because of the heat so it was a good time to leave and I got a taxi back to the hotel, the whole day, including taxi’s, only cost me £20 which is amazing really, I’m still trying to get my head round how cheap everything is!

For more photos click here! http://www.flickr.com/photos/66580104@N06/sets/72157627471533784/

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