China - August

Datong, 10th - 12th August

Above: The amazing Yungang Caves, showing earliest Buddhist carvings in China, AD 460. The perfectly preserved large Buddha above is also known as the 'minister of tourism' because he appears so frequently in promotional material.
Above: Hanging monastery, built precariously into the side of a cliff. The temple was raised over the centuries to protect it from floods. Where is that health and safety certificate?

Beijing, 5th - 10th August

Above: The Great Wall of China. The original wall was begun over 2,000 years ago when China was first unified to keep out 'marauding nomads.' However, as Genghis Khan said, 'The strength of the wall depends on the courage of those that defend it.' Sentries could be bribed.

'He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man'. - Mao Zedong

The fact that we got most of the way up on a comedy 'sliding car,' probably does not count. I hasten to add, we will return to the Great Wall and plan to do a 10km walk along a quieter stretch to avoid the 'mauriding tourists' and the smell of wee!

Above: View into the Forbidden City, the largest and best-preserved cluster of ancient buildings in China. It was home to two dynasties of emperors, the Ming and the Qing, who didn't stray from this pleasure dome unless they absolutely had to. And who could blame them!! Great halls, imperial gardens, temples and more concubines than you could shake a stick at. Above: Views from Tianamen Square toward Chairman Mao's famous portrait on gate of the Forbidden City. Note, clear blue sky in top picture, following the efforts to improve air quality prior to Olympic countdown celebrations. Measures included shutdown of factories, removing cars from the road and cloud busting chemicals fired into the atmosphere to create rain clouds to clear the smog. Picture immediately above is a truer reflection of the shocking smog. Pass the gas mask.

Above: Starfish on a stick anyone? Even Adam didn't go for one of these tasty snacks.