Beijing, day three: The Summer Palace

The Summer Palace is a beautiful garden and an excellent example of Chinese landscaping. It is also an interesting place historically, because of its association with the Dowager Empress Cixi. The Summer Palace far predates Cixi, but its most recent imperial reconstruction was under her rule, and she famously used finances set aside for the Chinese Navy to refurbish the grounds for her upcoming birthday. Shortly thereafter, the Chinese Navy was obliterated by Japan.

The Long Corridor allows one to walk along the lake on a covered walkway

There are over 1,000 paintings in the Long Corridor

Not ready for a picture

Ready!

The marble boat that Cixi is said to have built as a nod to the source of funds! 

We took a boat trip across the lake for a good view of The Tower of Buddhist Incense. It was a little smoggy, though.

On the boat

On the Seventeen Arch Bridge (note to self: pollution gives me good hair). 

The bridge is covered with hundreds of lion statues, all unique

Then we went to some goofy hipster section of Beijing. I mean, these hipsters are everywhere: coffee shops, beer halls, ironic old factory equipment, art galleries, bicycles, the whole shebang.

Hipsters.

Just - hipsters. 

Hipsters on all continents. 

We had time for a quick hot pot lunch - you pick your soup ingredients and cook it over a hot bowl of broth at the table - and then headed to the airport. This was our first experience flying inside China, and Cindy kept telling us how easy it was. Well. I have a whole post on that for later. But up next, Xi'an and the Terra Cotta Soldiers!