11 Nov 2009 7:26 PM

Greetings to you all,

I do hope that your all having a great week. 

I started this blog at stage one, then thought I had published it, well I boo boobed, I edited it and lost it, that is why it is all out of sequence, now you know and here we go again.

Monday evening around 2 am it became very cold, so I scrambled for my extra thick quilt and my beanie to keep my head warm as the central heating was struggling to compete with the quick reduction in temprature outside.  I peeked my head out of the window to see we were once more dumped with a heavy snow fall and watched as cars slowly disappeared beneath the falling snow.

Eventually I got out of  my warm bed and had another look at the situation, I was surprised to see nice whispy high clouds, no wind and some sunshine so I decided to take a good walk around the old city area.

Placed the battery of my camera on charge while I downed a big plate of porridge and my special museli.  Once I cleaned up the kitchen and then myself I dressed for the occasion, heavy winter clothing, heavy boots, thick beanie and gloves.  Camera packed in my carry bag and I was soon on my way.

Great the bus came just as I arrived at the stop, good service, once at the terminus it was a quick dash to the subway station.  Once on the platform so were a million others, where did they come from, while they were watching for the next train I slipped over to the other side and got the train to the terminus of the line one station away.  After a mad dash to the other platform I was lucky to get there as the train arrived, great I got a seat.  it was a sardine can once the hoards borded at my origonal stop.

My destination is the Tian'anmen Square stop.  I first walked across the square ten years ago, battling snow, ice and wind, you were lucky to see anyone on the square.  These days it is far different, as I rose out of the subway to the square I was took back by the amount of people, mostly tourist from other provinces, their tour guides looking bored and carring their little flags, some foreigners along with souvenier sellers and the touts.

There was still a good cover onthe square in some sections and I was happy all was not lost.  as I made my way to the Monument in the centre of the square I was amazed at the number of people queueing to have a gawk at Mao in his mausoleum, one place I have never bothered to go to in Beijing.

Weaving through the crowds I eventually made my way to the southern end of the square to view the Qianmen Tower (See Photo), it's bleak grey and white colour along with a capping of snow was suited to the day.

Soon I had to weave through the crowds coming out the rear door of Mao's Mausoleum I think if they blinked they would miss him as they are moved along very quickly.  Fianlly past hem all and along the west side of the square past the Great Hall of the People, another impressive and massive building this one I have visited.

Finally at the main road once more over looking the Tian'anmen which is the main gate to the Imperial Palace or as commonly know as the Forbidden City. Down into the underpass and quickly to the other side to catch a bus to my next destination Jing Shan Park (Prospect Hill)

Now when you want a bus there is never a bus, it is always the way, when I got to the stop there were only four of us, great I thought, nope by time the bus arrived there was enough to fill it twice over.  Queues are great while waiting, but as soon as the bus arrives it is a mad dash to get on. I soon made my way to the front of the bus where I could breath.

As we wound our way down the old streets of Beijing i was was ticking off in my brain all of the things I would come back this way to photograph after the park. Four stops later we arrived and after a few steps I was already shooting away with my camera.

I could feel in my bones this was going to be a great day.

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11 Nov 2009 6:43 PM

Ten years ago I can recall walking through the Hutong behind the great Hall of the people feeling it's history as I wound my way back to where I was staying at the time in Qianmen just south of the Imperial City. Not long afterwards sadly read that this area was to be demolished to make way for the Centre of Perfoming Arts.

Now don't get me wrong  The Centre of Performing Arts is a wonderful building, but in my mind in the wrong place, but progress is progress and they wanted a more modern city for the 2008 Olympics. Inside is equally beautiful and I have had the pleasure to enjoy some wonderful Ballets, but what always captivate me is the design, you enter the centre from below the moat and the water is lapping above your head.

This is the first time to see it with some snow on top, as I viewed it from Jing shan there was a good cover, haha by the time I had evetually got there little was left but enough to capture. As I walked around the moat adding more photos to my collection it started to get chilly, the slight breeze coming off the water was adding to the chill factor.

Soon I was back where I started, decison time, subway home or bus, the bus won out as it was closer.  It was a good decision as the snowy views along the avenue was very beautiful.

Fianlly at my bus station, quickly to my next bus home fianlly a wonderful day was finished off with a steaming hot shower and then a good drink of hot chocolate. 

All in all over 200 photos were taken on the day, wish I could share them with you all. 

cheers

Toby.

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11 Nov 2009 6:15 PM

Once out of the park, I walked towards the moat of the Forbidden city,  here I made two new acquaintances as we discussed the views we were photographing.  As  they headed off to photograph Jing Shan I was approached by an elderly gentleman who wanted me to take his rickshaw, I told him in my best Chinese I want to walk, wow, he came back in equally good English "It's to far", full marks for trying.

As I followed the wall  and moat around the Forbidden City I soon came the the entrance to the forecourt of the city, this is the free area before you actually have to buy a ticket and enter the Imperial City, to many it is still a forbidden city. After many photos I left via the front Gate and back where I started at Tian'anmen.

However, the expedition did not finish there, earlier I had spotted snow capping the Centre for Perfoming arts, so I was  soon on my way there hoping the snow was still on the dome.

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2 Nov 2009 8:31 PM

Greeting to you all,

Last night was freezing cold, even with two thick quilts I struggled to keep warm, I pity the poor folk who live in third world conditions or have to rough it here in the big city, there was no way they could have kept warm. 

The first thing I did today was to look out the window before deciding what to wear, much to my surprise the sky was a crystal clear blue with not a cloud to be seen. 

Then I looked for people, that is a sure tell tale sign on the conditions outside.  The people I spotted were rugged up to the hilt and walking at a very brisk pace, they looked very cold that was for sure.  So I knew what to attire myself with, heavy winter clothes.

The wind was ice, cutting into the exposed parts of your face, we all waited at the bus stop doing a soft shoe shuffle to keep warm, a good job we don't wait too long for the bus. 

Snow still laid thick in many places and the big clean up of footpaths and branches was still going on.  One had to be very wary where to read as thick patcches of ice were also on the paths ready to toss you into the air if not treated carefully.

The sun, like a silver plate in the sky shone with no warmth, but the sky stayed the same all day; however, the evening chill factor fromthe wind soon got to me as I rushed to my bus.  One good thing the driver was also cold as there was no heating and he got us to the bus station in good time.

Once off the bus around 5:30pm the sun was setting nicely with an orange glow, at the saame time the full moon was rising a nice sight to finish the day.

Well the truth came out today why it snowed, Chinese meteorologists had brought about Beijing's earliest snowfall in a decade, after seeding rain clouds with silver iodide to ease the drought.

However, they got it wrong as they never accounted for the cold front that was closing in on Beijing. Not the first time they got it wrong causing massive floods in some places in the past, anyway, at least one area that needed good rains received 4cm (1.5in) of rainfall at the weekend.

So now we all know why the snow was early this year.

Cheers for now

Toby

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