Getting off the subway near the Summer Palace we were faced with a wide choice of places to eat: KFC, DQ, Pizza Hut, Subway, McDonalds. Even a few Japanese chains to round things out. We settled on a chain that seemed to be selling Beijing dumplings and had a very yummy lunch.
Entering the Summer Palace it seemed as hot as we had been in central Beijing. While we did find the occasional shady spot with a breeze blowing in from the water, by and large we felt like a duck roasting in one of those ovens that dates back hundreds of years.
Of course since it's an imperial palace, there are dragons everywhere.
The grounds are enormous and elaborate - we saw only a fraction of the park yet still felt overwhelmed by what we did see.
After we felt we were sufficiently cooked and had taken in as much of the palace as we possibly could we headed off for a dramatic change of scenery.
The Haidian district, just 3 subway stops in from the Summer Palace, is home to a collection of huge electronics malls. Floor after floor of shops, ranging from name brand stores, to little stalls selling cables and components. We had lots of fun wandering around, once we managed to shake the incredibly aggressive sales people. We felt like we were the only customers to wander by some of the shops in hours, so the sales people fell on us with hunger in their eyes.
Apparently the dowager Empress imprisoned the heir at the Summer Palace and ruled in his stead for many years. She installed the first telephones to make it more convenient to communicate commands quickly, since messengers would take too long to get to the military headquarters in central Beijing. I don’t remember which dynasty was involved because I was too hot and tired.
On the other hand, I’m with the usurper Empress. After all, the Summer Palace is a much nicer, greener place than the Forbidden City. Why leave? There are minions, and telephones!
Although I consider myself to have a technical bent, I will be the first to admit that I am lacking in many hardware and software skills. Entering the DIY sections of the electronics mall made me long for the ability to buy all the separate bits and pieces so I could put something together. Anything! So many appealing connectors, plugs, wires, cables, tubes, you name itses! It made my heart beat in 2 bit cadence. It made me question my entire existence in life. Why, oh why, did I never follow the pathway of the electron goddess?
- Bess
Apparently the dowager Empress imprisoned the heir at the Summer Palace and ruled in his stead for many years. She installed the first telephones to make it more convenient to communicate commands quickly, since messengers would take too long to get to the military headquarters in central Beijing. I don't remember which dynasty was involved because I was too hot and tired.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I'm with the usurper Empress. After all, the Summer Palace is a much nicer, greener place than the Forbidden City. Why leave? There are minions, and telephones!
Although I consider myself to have a technical bent, I will be the first to admit that I am lacking in many hardware and software skills. Entering the DIY sections of the electronics mall made me long for the ability to buy all the separate bits and pieces so I could put something together. Anything! So many appealing connectors, plugs, wires, cables, tubes, you name itses! It made my heart beat in 2 bit cadence. It made me question my entire existence in life. Why, oh why, did I never follow the pathway of the electron goddess?