Beijing - Day 6 in Adventures in paradise

Yesterday was another busy day being a tourist! I did Forbidden City. Wow, just wow.
I only just made it there on time too. The last tickets sell at 4pm, and I was confused when I arrived. Everyone was heading in the one direction, toward where I was. I later learned that Forbidden City has worked on a South-to-North direction system, and I was on the wrong side. Doh! I also learned that I should have done this when I did Tiananmen Square on my second day here, as it’s RIGHT there lol. Doh. That’s what I get for not doing my tourism research properly. I’ve backtracked now to do that and I have to backtrack yet again to re-do Temple Of Heaven, because I didn’t understand that either. Doh.

When I got to Forbidden City, I was on the wrong side (I didn’t realise that at this point) but I was on the right side for a park I had read about, Jingshan Park, so I went there first. I finally did something right. It overlooked Forbidden City and I got some kickass photos. It was also a nice day. I was a bit stuffed by the time I climbed to the top lol. But worth it.
Organised tourists would go there after seeing Forbidden City, but I am not smart lol. Anyway, I loved it and glad I did it earlier in the afternoon.

As I was walking back, a lady stopped me. This was my first interaction that I’d read may happen. She asked where I was from, and I said Australia. I got the response all Aussies expect after that question - “Sydney?”
I should have just said yes, as that’s the only city most foreigners have heard of (maybe Melbourne.) They aren’t even our Capital. Anyway, I said, “No, Brisbane.” (cue expected confused-look lol)
But anyway, then she asked me to grab a drink with her so she could practice her English with me. Omg, as if I had time for that! Haha I had shit to see! Anyway, I politely declined and she goes, “What wrong with coffee??” I didn’t have the heart to be honest and tell her all the coffee’s I’ve had here have been gross (true story!) so was like, “Nothing!”
She kinda did a pirouette and walked off really fast. Hilarious! I feel that was a very lost in translation interaction toward the end.
I just kept walking. It happened again on my way to the Southern side of the city. A lady asked where I was from. I said, “Brisbane,” then quickly added, “Australia.”
She says, “Ah yes, you very tall!”
This lady came across much friendlier than the former, but I may have been more conscious. She said she was also a tourist, but then learned she was from a different, outer part of Beijing, so that gives to show how big this city apparently is. Where I am in the hotel is just views of high-rises to the horizon in every direction. I can see mountains faintly in the far distance on one side, although today they are covered by smog lol.
Anyway, this lady also asked me to a drink but I was more direct and said I had things to see, but thanked her. She wished me a good trip with a smile. She’d also told me the Forbidden City closed at 4p, and it was a bit after 3pm by that point, and that I needed to book online, but I’d read that people with a passport can buy there, so I was risking that.
I was harassed a few times by “tour guides” but ignored them. One was a bit persistent, “I’m trying to help you!” Yuh-huh, dude. Just like everyone here, they are trying to make business.
It just made me think of home and he that doesn’t happen at our tourist attractions. You can actually enjoy them peacefully. I also remembered the African guys trying to sell me shit at the Coliseum, so this annoyed me like that did. But I tried to remember this is just how it is. He only left me alone when I said I wasn’t going in.
So that was a lie.
I kept walking and eventually got back to the security line at Tiananmen Square, went through it again and walked under the famous Mao portrait. I finally knew where that massive crowd on Saturday was heading. Although it was now Tuesday, so far less crowded. Still a lot of people though. I could actually move though. I found the spot to buy my ticket (yay!) and also bought an automated English guide, which was very informative, so I’m glad I did that. I accidentally somehow switched it to Dutch as I started the tour, and couldn’t figure out how to switch it back lol. Doh, bravo Matt! I eventually figured it out, thank God.

It’s pretty spectacular. How they built all this 400 years ago. My country wasn’t even founded then. Well, by the British that is. The aborigines have been there as long as ever.
There was one part of the tour where they explained how there was an “audition” process every three years to select concubines aged between 14 and 16 years. Wow. I couldn’t see the whole thing, it was too big. If I had, I wouldn’t have gotten out of there until 8pm or so. Anyway, I saw a lot. Took lots of piccies.

I never know if I upload the right pics in my posts haha. Oh well. It’s not like I’m a good photographer, I just snap shit. My Snapchat tends to be all my dribble of my touristy day, and I select the ones I like more for Insta and Facey. But I think I stuffed up the Insta ones this time because it crops them. Oh well.

I made it back to the hotel. Ryan was away last night in Shanghai at a business meeting. So I had the huge room to myself. At least I didn’t have to put up with his bad mood (prob due to me not fucking him properly the few nights prior.)
I went to the Manor Club alone for the first time, and opted for orange juice instead of champagne lol. I’m just not that big of a drinker and felt like something more healthy. And I didn’t have nightmares last night either. Ever since I got here, I’ve had bad nightmares sleeping, so it was nice to have a break from it. To not wake up with that heavy head from the nightmare. I remember the one two nights ago. An invisible force killing cute innocent animals (in this case, a kitten) right in front of my eyes, blood everywhere. Horrible stuff. And I rarely have nightmares ever, so to have like three or four so far here is so not usual. I’m putting it down to the champagne? I’ve told Ryan I think there is a bad spirit in this hotel suite. He palmed it off lol.

Oh I’m also leaving China a day earlier now. I’m leaving on Saturday night rather than Sunday night, because Ryan told me the wrong date. So it’s a good thing I paid extra for the flight initially, as my change fees as lesser. Still a waste of $125 but it could have been $250. I can’t understand how they can get away with such expensive fees.
Initially, the app wouldn’t allow me to change my flight. It kept saying there were no seats available. Great! But then I went on the desktop version of the site on my phone, and it worked. Yay!
It would have been a similar price to just book an airport hotel for an extra night, but I’d just be doing nothing for 24 hours, let’s face it. And I’ll get an extra day off back in a country where I can speak my language. Not that I talk to people either way 😅
I scrolled back through my DM’s to prove to him that he’d told me to book a flight back on November 3rd, not November 2nd. I knew I was right. He just said, “Ok, I was wrong.”
Yeah, thanks for wasting me $125 Ryan! Lol. It’s not like I’m spending money here, because I pretty much can’t anyway. The only things I’ve spent money on are the few touristy things I’ve done.

I have about four days left here now, including today (now that I’ve changed to an earlier flight). Tomorrow is meant to be the trip to the Great Wall, so that’s exciting. Ryan said he’s taking me to that one. He’d better lol. I dunno how to get there.

I’ve also learned that there are giant pandas at the Beijing zoo here, but it’s incredibly popular, so I’d need to get up very early. They are actually in their natural habitat in Changshu which is further south, but unfortunately I’m not going there. So I think I’m going to attempt figuring out the subway system to get to the zoo on Friday, and then home on Saturday now, but it’ll be Sunday afternoon when I get home.

Anyway, still a few more days in Chinaland 😃