Serious Travel Article 15: 12 hours of Beijing Part 2

After seeing the police kick the shit out of a trader, just outside the forbidden city (click here to read about that). I plodded along towards the entrance of the forbidden city. Even surrounded by tourists, it's impossible not to be impressed by the immensity of the forbidden city, by its prison like red walls, its imposing towers and the sheer scale of everything.

The Forbidden City (Without all the tourists)

I decided not to go inside.

I know that sounds like a stupid decision but I stand by it. I told myself that I would not go in until I was together with my parents. So, one day I will return to Beijing with my parents and visit the forbidden city.

I returned to Tiananmen Square and wandered about. I found it deeply boring. Tiananmen Square is a huge expanse of concrete, surrounded by oversized governments buildings which overpower thier surroundings. They are clearly a show of power, they are a symbol carrying a message for the people of China.

"Don't fuck with us".

The Endless expanse of Concrete which is Tiananmen Square

After twenty minutes giggling at the absurdity of having soldiers in little glass boxes guarding the flag of the PRC, I decided to be on my way.

I had heard that the best place to go shopping in Beijing was Wang Fu Jing. I went and what I found was a labyrinth of underground shops which went of forever, I got hopelessly lost, wandering from sports shop to boutique. In the mall I began to swelter from the central heating. It was -10c outside and I was wearing 6 layers. It became unbearable.Unable to find the proper way out, I burst through an emergency fire escape to the freezing world outside, running away before any security guards could chase me down.

The pavement pounding had given me, what I like to call "museum legs". That awful feeling that you've been wandering aimlessly for too long and you yearn to sit down. I found a KFC and took a nap. I was in good company. Thanks to the Chinese Education system (16hrs a day at school + endless homework), the people of China have the amazing ability to nap almost anywhere, any time. (You can witness this at you local university library!). In fact, any KFC, Dicos or McDonald’s in China will almost certainly contain people with their heads flat on the table, out for the count. I also had a bit to eat (a bowl of noodles I'd bought for 3rmb outside the KFC restaurant) this too is common in China.

Any KFC in China, the perfect place for a nap!

It was only 1pm, my train wasn't leaving until 7. I was at a loss for what to do, so just as I always do I such a situation, I got on the first bus I saw. It was a big blue double decker bus, I sat at the top and snapped photos. I like riding random city buses with no idea where I'm going, I've always thought it's the best way to get inside a city, and get away from the tourist show.

After about 40 minutes of looking out the window, the bus came to a stop. I was evidently the last person on the bus and the bus driver began to yell at me. I quickly alighted and bravely run away, only to find myself in the middle of a bus depot. I jumped over the fence to avoid any more hassle when I discovered I was in the middle of the Beijing Olympic park. The Olympic park looked empty and desolate in the dimming winter sun. Like Tiananmen Square and much of China, it severely lacked greenery. While the Birds Nest Stadium and Water Cube didn’t look neglected, they looked abandoned, like they had been forgotten in this remote part of Beijing, unused but still somehow loved in the back of every Chinese persons mind.

The Olympic Park in Beijing seems to be largely abandoned these days.

However, as long oversized and underused monuments, it wont be long before people start pissing on them.

"Never become a monument, otherwise people will piss on you" - Paul Theroux.

As I caught my train back to Zhengzhou, I looked out of the window at Beijing, the skyscrapers were all lit up making the Beijing skyline almost look beautiful. I thought to myself "I really must visit Beijing one of these days".

Link to Part 1

Link to Silvia's Beijing