#Beijing Great Wall Jinshanling & Forbidden City

I am squeezing this blog in while I can and just in case I lose the photos at sea! This is my first visit to Beijing and China proper. Much I have seen is thought provoking - even unsettling I would say. Of course we all know China has become an economic powerhouse but to see the scale does make me dwell on how relatively lightweight the UK must be in world terms. What has really thrown me is the contradiction of what I believe. China is designated as a communist country (albeit with elements of capitalism ) and not recognised as a democratic society by western standards. But what a success story it appears to be. The people are really engaging. There is no aggression - no mad driving or honking horns. They evidently work hard but they are friendly, gregarious and often fun. There are diparities in wealth but wealth is being distributed and figures show millions have been lifted out of real poverty. It is evident. I spent some time chatting to an Indian couple who have made the ready comparison with their own country - and their words - maybe democracy is over rated! We have so many problems too in the UK but I would struggle to accept they could ever be solved by socialism leave alone communism - but then there is China! There is much I could try and discuss now about China and how it works. I have so many questions to ask but it will have to wait. It is a truly facinating place and impressive - on the surface at least. One big problem however- air polluion - although better today - there was a wind to disturb it. The Chinese have planted millions of trees - much of their transport is electrified but they have a long way to go.

Anyway what have I been up to apart from eating who knows what - literally! My mind was set on walking on The Great Wall of China. Yesterday I walked a 7k stretch at Jinshanling. It was highly undulating and large sections were unrepaired original and therefore not tourist popular. I will say no more now than it will be memorble - a real privilege to have the opportunity to do it. Fantastic - moved - as usual a touch emotional from the enormity and sense of being somewhere really special - or better - mystical. I have also been to the gigantic National Museum and then Tianemen Square (of protest notoriety). Today I spent more than half the day in the Forbidden City - a world heritage site and huge. It consists of a complex of palaces used by successive emperors over many hundreds of years. I used an audio commentary which brought it to life. Fasinating is another understatement. There is so much I would like to write - will write on my return - touch wood! Now it is time to fully focus on the sailing to come

Great Wall

Of the Forbidden City

My hostel in Beijing

Street scenes Beijing

Tiananmen Square - scene of the riots.

the massive National museum - see the person at the front

Mao still revered

so many treasures - many 3000 BC 

UK gift very modest by comparison

a highlight was the fantastic and cheap street food

more of the Forbidden City