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5 Jul 06 was "The Forbidden City" day. After a breakfast of porridge and salted egg, I felt really refreshed because I didn't have much appetite yesterday. By now, the fever was gone and I was certainly ready for more action. Mum and me took a 20minutes walk along Dazhilan Jie, Qianmen, Tiananmen Square and Tiananmen to reach Zijin Cheng, otherwise known as Gugong Museum. Hordes of families swamped the area, posing for the best photographs. It was the summer holidays afterall. Although it has been the home for the last 2 dynasties (Ming and Qing), the Forbidden City was immortalised in "The Last Emperor": a 1987 Hollywood movie on Puyi, the last Emperor of the Qing Dynasty (this movie brought Joan Chen into international stardom). That is actually where my first impressions of the palace was formed. After entering the compound via Wu Men (a.k.a. Wu Gate), we were truly amazed by the enormous surrounding of the Forbidden City, so called because it was off limits to commoners for the past 500 years. This was so grand that it was impossible to imagine that all these efforts were put in just for one person: the son of heaven. His decisions would affect the universe: his universe. We headed off exploring the eastern palaces, back to the imperial gardens, the western palaces (inner palaces where the cocubines stays) and finally the main halls of the Forbidden City. My hands were trembling for a field day of good pictures.

		Tickets to explore the Forbidden City (RMB60/person). I heard rumours that admission fees for major places of interest will be increase three-fold. If this comes true, the 2008 Olympics must surely have a hand in this.
		Mr ever-trusty slippers, Mr hardworking feet and Mr ignorant me (lower half) posing for a pictures on the grounds of the Forbidden City. Some of the stones used for the ground had been eroded due to the forces of nature (rain and snow). I wondered what will happen to me if I would have stepped onto this ground with the exact same conditions 150 years ago (i.e. AD 1856?). Perhaps I will be beheaded for not respecting the Emperor.
		A young girl posing obediently for her mother by hugging a pillar along the eastern palaces.
		This was one of the scenes that were immortalized by the Hollywood movie. Emperor Puyi defied all odds and started cycling along the boundaries of his "universe". One of my favourite photos in this blog.
		Sneaking a peak into one of the eastern palaces which was under a huge padlock and not opened to the public. The mind wondered if the court maids were still out at play during the Summer.
		A young couple taking a picture in the Forbidden City. Happiness is when you can spend a lovely summer day with your loved one hanging around the Emperor's palaces.
		One of the rest areas beside the Imperial Gardens. Everybody is eating instant noodles (RMB10). I have seen them eating it in the airport, railway stations, trains and now, in the Forbidden City. The Chinese are crazy about these.
		A young girl playing with her granny's trousers. What a way to enjoy an afternoon of leisure in the Emperor's palaces. Taken picture at 12x optical zoom. My cowardly self would not have ever thought of standing that close to take such pictures.
		Zajiang Mian (meat sauce noodles) at RMB15/bowl (food was certainly expenisve here). It was just cold wheat noodles with some salty meat sauce. However, it was surprisingly refreshing and tasty when some black vinegar is added. Great comfort food for the summer.
		Look carefully at the orientations of the carved dragons and phoenixes. Empress Dowager Cixi has tactfully switched the boards so that the phoenix will be above the dragon. This is one of the little ways of reminding her ministers that she was in power.
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