From Hong Kong we took our first train in China to reach Beijing after a little over 24 hours away. First observation: it has the luxury side of this we have experienced so far! The trains are very modern, kept clean, and even being in second class, we benefit from berths very comfortable, so the trip goes very quickly. Arriving at the huge Beijing West Railway Station, we must begin to immigration before returning to Chinese territory. It's a bit down the CIA, one feels that nothing is left to chance so close to the beginning of the Olympics. We also realize very quickly that the city is already in full foot in the event, half the usual road traffic was stopped to reduce the pollution cloud that hovers over the city, people are working for make final preparations and the countdown are present everywhere !
The countdown is on!
Beijing especially impressed by its size. Everything here is huge, whether the avenues, squares or blocks. So what Hong Kong is trying to build ever higher due to lack of space, everything has been built in the width. Most buildings are low enough, but when the blocks are in Paris of about 200m by 200m, is here instead of 1 km per 1 km ... Needless to say that we must avoid as much as possible to walk on foot if we want to avoid walking for miles and miles. The best way to travel to visit the city is by bike, used extensively by the Chinese (and especially The electric bicycle!), and for which the avenues were remarkably appointed, with bike paths almost everywhere. Nevertheless, this vastness has good ratings, since each district has retained a village atmosphere, quadrille by small streets full of charm, Hutong. The people are very nice, warm and often amusing, and great tranquility reign here, yet in the heart of a city of more than 15 million people. Chinese youth and students in particular are very curious and often take advantage of our presence to practice their English, alas often very rudimentary. Never mind, they learn some English while they teach us a few words Chinese, it is often very nice and very easy to make friends that way. It goes further consideration in hindsight how much has the attitude of the Vietnamese against tourists is detestable and deplorable, we never expected was certainly not as good reception here in China ... The Hutong alleyways neighborhood
short, to return to Beijing, we're staying quite close (on the scale of the city of course ...) the famous Tiananmen square known worldwide as Instead of the bloody repression of the student revolt of 1989. This place is one of the largest in the world, framed by huge void, and surrounded by many of the monuments the largest in Beijing. Among these, we find the Great Hall of the People , Stalinist building that is being the place of the Congress Party, Mao Memorial , or thousands of Chinese marched every day to ask their eyes full of admiration on the embalmed body of this "great" man (...), or the Grand National Theater , building has the look ultra futuristic. The vast Tiananmen Square 
Mammoth Avenue going around Tiananmen 
The Great Hall of the People 
Mao's Memorial 
The National Grand Theatre 
Mammoth Avenue going around Tiananmen 
The Great Hall of the People 
Mao's Memorial 
The National Grand Theatre 
At one end of the place is the southern gateway to the old town, beautifully restored recently, unfortunately private walls and ramparts which encircled, while that at the north end, there is the fabulous Forbidden City, whose wall was saddled with the famous portrait of Mao. 
Beijing also has many large parks and green spaces or the Chinese come to take refuge away from the Traffic to walk or do any kind of exercise. The largest of these parks is the Park Celeste Temple, a true emblem of Beijing, a huge area of green space in the middle of which a number of very important temples were built during the 15th and 16th centuries. Going there early in the morning, we were able to contemplate an astonishing sight: hundreds of Beijingers, including a majority of elderly people (sometimes even very elderly!), Doing their daily exercise, namely dance, Tai Chi, fencing, racket games and many more, while others sang under the direction of conductors. Morning exercise 
We then visit the attractions of the park, namely in the order Celeste Temple itself, surrounded by a moat dried up today, the Altar Ciculaire , consists of 3 floors of white marble and whose geometry is dictated by the number 9, sacred (the top floor, which symbolizes the sky, is a large mosaic of nine concentric rings, is the first of nine stones, the second of 18, until last 81!), the Imperial Vault of Heaven , beautiful temple surrounded by a wall that is circular, the wall Voices , along which a murmur is transmitted to perfection, and finally the Temple Prayers for Good Harvests , an impressive wooden structure mounted on a marble pedestal at the Taj Mahal! 
We also went to Beihai Park , beautiful island of greenery and water has only a few hundred meters from Tiananmen Square. Much of this park is occupied by a lake whose shores are dotted with beautiful pagodas. The White Dagoba , a large stupa, overcomes the jade island in the middle of the lake, while an impressive mosaic called the 9 dragons wall adorns a wall on the north bank. 
The wall of the 9 dragons 
Beijing was once surrounded by impressive in full walls with ramparts, which alas has been demolished during the redevelopment of the city by opere shortly after the Communists took power (yes, to build huge avenues, it takes a lot of space!). Seeing the tourist potential of these ancient walls, a party has been recently restored the south coast of the city, including a magnificent watchtower. We're biking along the ramparts, noting in passing that the Olympics was decidedly prompts around Beijing! 
Beijing has also pretty strong temples. We visited the Lama Temple more important Buddhist site in China outside Tibet. This temple has many beautiful buildings and houses some beautiful Buddhas, including a 17m high! The atmosphere is very different from what we found in the Tibetan areas of Kathmandu or in small villages around the Annapurna ties is of Chinese Buddhism with many (too!) Incense, and without the traditional flags and prayer wheels which we look back with nostalgia ... 
We also visit the intriguing Dongyue Temple, an important Taoist monastery, which has the peculiarity of comprising a large number of small alcoves CALLED departments, recreating scenes of hell. We successively before the Department of Life and Death, one of the final punishment, showing that 15 kinds of violent deaths, or the Life Aquatic, or strange monsters are strongly reminiscent of Star Wars! 
Finally, we went to Beijing Zoo see the animal emblem of China, Panda! The zoo is pretty poor quality, but who cares, we got what we came for what, ie finally see in flesh and bones of these magnificent cubs, even more cute and funny in real life than in plush! 
The former South Gate City 
outside wall of the Forbidden City and Mao's famous portrait
outside wall of the Forbidden City and Mao's famous portrait 
Beijing also has many large parks and green spaces or the Chinese come to take refuge away from the Traffic to walk or do any kind of exercise. The largest of these parks is the Park Celeste Temple, a true emblem of Beijing, a huge area of green space in the middle of which a number of very important temples were built during the 15th and 16th centuries. Going there early in the morning, we were able to contemplate an astonishing sight: hundreds of Beijingers, including a majority of elderly people (sometimes even very elderly!), Doing their daily exercise, namely dance, Tai Chi, fencing, racket games and many more, while others sang under the direction of conductors. Morning exercise Park Celeste Temple
We then visit the attractions of the park, namely in the order Celeste Temple itself, surrounded by a moat dried up today, the Altar Ciculaire , consists of 3 floors of white marble and whose geometry is dictated by the number 9, sacred (the top floor, which symbolizes the sky, is a large mosaic of nine concentric rings, is the first of nine stones, the second of 18, until last 81!), the Imperial Vault of Heaven , beautiful temple surrounded by a wall that is circular, the wall Voices , along which a murmur is transmitted to perfection, and finally the Temple Prayers for Good Harvests , an impressive wooden structure mounted on a marble pedestal at the Taj Mahal! Celeste Temple, surrounded by moats 
Circular Altar 
The Imperial Vault of Heaven and the wall around Voices 
Circular Altar 
The Imperial Vault of Heaven and the wall around Voices 
The Temple Prayers for Good Harvests at the end of an alley monumental
Superb lintel painted on wood
We also went to Beihai Park , beautiful island of greenery and water has only a few hundred meters from Tiananmen Square. Much of this park is occupied by a lake whose shores are dotted with beautiful pagodas. The White Dagoba , a large stupa, overcomes the jade island in the middle of the lake, while an impressive mosaic called the 9 dragons wall adorns a wall on the north bank. Beihai Park and the White Dagoba
The wall of the 9 dragons 
Pretty pagodas on the banks of Lake
Beijing was once surrounded by impressive in full walls with ramparts, which alas has been demolished during the redevelopment of the city by opere shortly after the Communists took power (yes, to build huge avenues, it takes a lot of space!). Seeing the tourist potential of these ancient walls, a party has been recently restored the south coast of the city, including a magnificent watchtower. We're biking along the ramparts, noting in passing that the Olympics was decidedly prompts around Beijing! Pretty watchtower in the middle of the restored walls of Beijing
Beijing has also pretty strong temples. We visited the Lama Temple more important Buddhist site in China outside Tibet. This temple has many beautiful buildings and houses some beautiful Buddhas, including a 17m high! The atmosphere is very different from what we found in the Tibetan areas of Kathmandu or in small villages around the Annapurna ties is of Chinese Buddhism with many (too!) Incense, and without the traditional flags and prayer wheels which we look back with nostalgia ... The Lama Temple
We also visit the intriguing Dongyue Temple, an important Taoist monastery, which has the peculiarity of comprising a large number of small alcoves CALLED departments, recreating scenes of hell. We successively before the Department of Life and Death, one of the final punishment, showing that 15 kinds of violent deaths, or the Life Aquatic, or strange monsters are strongly reminiscent of Star Wars! Dongyue Temple
Finally, we went to Beijing Zoo see the animal emblem of China, Panda! The zoo is pretty poor quality, but who cares, we got what we came for what, ie finally see in flesh and bones of these magnificent cubs, even more cute and funny in real life than in plush! The cutest animal on the planet, the Panda!
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