From the guidebook: "A sprawling lanscaped park on the edge of the city, the Summer Palace was a seasonal imperial retreat from the stifling confines of the Forbidden City. It was the favoured haunt of the fiercesome Empress Cixi, who had it rebuilt twice: once following its destruction by French and English troops in 1860, and again in 1902 after it was plundered during the Boxer Rebellion."
I object to two parts of this description. First, thinking it was a retreat from summer heat, I expected it to be much cooler. It wasn't. At all. Okay, maybe there was a small breeze -- but hardly enough to call it a retreat from the heat!
Two -- Stifling Forbidden City? If we are talking air, then yes. There was no breeze and the air didn't move around that much, if at all. If we are talking buildings and grounds -- I don't think so. At 700 buildings and 9,999 rooms, the Forbidden City is hardly stifling in size!
Regardless, the Summer Palace was a favourite of mine. Its park like, there are theatres, boats, temples and flower gardens -- anything you can think of -- the palace has!
I object to two parts of this description. First, thinking it was a retreat from summer heat, I expected it to be much cooler. It wasn't. At all. Okay, maybe there was a small breeze -- but hardly enough to call it a retreat from the heat!
Two -- Stifling Forbidden City? If we are talking air, then yes. There was no breeze and the air didn't move around that much, if at all. If we are talking buildings and grounds -- I don't think so. At 700 buildings and 9,999 rooms, the Forbidden City is hardly stifling in size!
Regardless, the Summer Palace was a favourite of mine. Its park like, there are theatres, boats, temples and flower gardens -- anything you can think of -- the palace has!
Jason is standing at the entrance to the palace!
Just some shots from around the grounds and buildings!
This is a open air theatre where the Empress Cixi had nightly performances. 
Marble bridges are everywhere on the grounds!
The long corridor. The ceilings and beams are decorated with over 14,000 paintings. Its also a lovely way to walk across half way across the palace grounds in complete shade!
Marble. Marble. Marble everywhere!
A view from the top of the temple next door. Mind you its nearly like where we are -- only we can't take photos of our temple!
As we climb higher and higher!
The shopping street. Suzhou street. Left exactly as it was when the palace was in use, it is now two streets on either side of canal filled Chinese handicrafts. Itmade for a lovely morning shopping stroll!
And as we climbed, so did the temperature! I am looking a bit hotter here! It was funny -- one of the most popular things to do on the street was to don period clothing and have your picture taken on the street. I couldn't imagine anything hotter -- so we passed. Instead, I love this picture of Jason!
A final view of the shops and we get ready to head out!
The great Empress Cixi had some good ideas and some not so good ideas. Here's a not so good one -- this is the marble boat. The super-structure of the boat is made of wood and painted to look like marble. Apparently her love marble drove her to create this monstrosity! She also paid for the boat withfunds earmarked for the modernization of the Imperial Army!
Wanting a different path out -- we opted for a boat ride across the Lake. Such a good idea! Though not the marble boat, ours was just as lovely!
Finally, the seventeen arch bridge. On the balusters on the top of the bridge (there are 544) and different lion is said to be on the top of each one! Jason likes this artsy photo -- and so do I!
No comments:
Post a Comment