Day 13 - Blogabond

My last day in Beijing, I set out early for the Lama Temple, only two blocks away. However, I was a little too early as the temple didn't open until 9 a.m. (as opposed to the guide book hour of 8:30 a.m.) Many people gathered at the entrance -- one old woman wanted to touch my leg and boots to see what they felt like. Finally the temple opened. As the guide book stated, it was certainly the most beautiful temple I saw. Much larger than I expected, the architecture and idols were really fascinating, as were the many monks, both young and old, who were everywhere. Another interesting feature was the tapestries, all very intricate and beautiful, something I hadn't seen before.

My next destination was the Temple of Heaven on the other side of the city -- a one bus trip according to the map. So I waited for the 116 to arrive, which it did. Along with several other people I jammed myself into the crowded bus and handed the woman ten fen -- apparently enough. The bus ride seemed to take forever, due in part to a large traffic jam around Chang An. Eventually, I showed the woman where I wanted to go on the map, and she told me where to get off.

The Temple of Heaven is situated in a large park. Inside, people slept on benches, practiced various forms of martial arts (one with a stick, another "boxing") and attended various sideshows - everything from motorcycle stunts to mini-zoos to acrobatics shows. The Temple itself was, well, another temple, by now a rather uninteresting sight. It was a long walk and I was hoping to find a cab at the exit but no such luck, so I began walking and walking and ... finally, I decided to try the bus system again - a little trickier as it required two buses to get back to the Beijing Hotel but I was helped by two very nice women, one of whom spoke very good English. I had lunch at the hotel and while I'm sure I had plenty of time to grab a cab out to the summer palace (very beautiful in the pictures) or walk to Bahai Park, I decided to rest my weary eet and hang out at the hotel all afternoon, a decision I now somewhat regret, especially since I didn't meet anyone interesting to talk to.

Several hours later I caught a cab to the airport (stopping at my hotel to pick up my luggage) and was soon on my way back to Shanghai.

Beijing was very different from Shanghai. While it didn't look as European, there were many more westerners in the city. The lifestyle seemed quite different, somewhat poorer in the outlying areas, definitely more agrarian in the area around the city and in the heart, somehow cheaper, not as real, a little flashy. There was also little or no hanging laundry, quite different from Shanghai.

written by

shoshtrvls on August 13, 1987 from Beijing, China

from the travel blog: Around the World (1987)

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