We were supposed to be going to the Great Wall today, but
the weather was so bad we were advised not to go, which was rather thankful, as
I was knackered. Instead change our plans and head to the Forbidden City.
Opposite the Forbidden City is Tiananmen Square – infamous
for the 1989 massacre, but actually not that impressive: it’s just a massive
concrete square with a zillion CCTV in almost every location. The portrait of
the dictator Mao was far more impressive.
We make our way up the massive steps to the City Gates and cross an enormous courtyard to get our tickets: we hadn't even entered the city, yet we'd been walking for ages! Tickets' bought, we made our way into the City...
Outside most of the City buildings were plaques telling the history of whatever building you were looking at, and we noticed that these plaques also had "All made possible by the American Express Company" engraved on them: these had all been painted over, probably because it implied that AMEX had built this city - arrogant bastards.
We just about managed to see all the parts that we wanted to - there really is too much to do in one day, and you get a bit "Templed / Concubine Chambered / Ante-roomed" out by the end.
I would liked to have had a ray gun to evaporate all the tourists too, but what did I expect...
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