My immune system is getting weaker...Just recovered from flu a week ago and now I am down with it again.... Damn irritating. Guess its my fault for not taking good care of my body. For the past few days, I haven't had sufficient amount of rest and that I haven't been drinking lots of water lately. Haiz...Chinese New Year is approaching and my body isn't in a good state to fully enjoy the festive season. Nevertheless, I still have 10 days more to recuperate...haha

Had a great time in Beijing despite the freezing cold weather.

Lunch @ one of the small restaurant near our hotel...

Ordered some beef slices, Gong Bao Chicken, Omelette and mixed vegetables as ingredients for our chun juan/bing (popiah like food)

That's how its done...Just place all the ingredients you want inside the popiah-like skin and wrap it.

Their version of porridge....looks like cous cous is used. I don't really know how to appreciate this...taste weird.

On our way to Forbidden City...

The Quiet Street on a Sunday Cold Afternoon

Anna & I on our way to Tiananmen

Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen

Inside Tiananmen

Saw this at one of the stalls in Tiananmen...Nan...my last name in Chinese. Yi Shen Ping An.

Shan & I getting excited as we approached the Meridian Gate

Both the admission ticket and the audio guide (English) each cost RMB 40.

Anna & I all set and ready to begin our tour.

The Electronic Map of the Imperial Palace...

Inside the Forbidden City...

Hall of Supreme Harmony...Too bad its under renovation...Otherwise it be very grand and beautiful.

The roof of the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Notice the number of beasts at the edge of the roof ? There are 11 of them and according to the guide, all the other buildings in the Forbidden City has no more than 11. This is so as the Hall of Supreme Harmony is the most important building in the palace.

Large Stone Carving - the largest stone carving in the entire palace weighing more than 200 tons !!!

Unique Lion Head Statue....Notice that there is a baby one under its left foot.

The 3 of us in front of Qian Qing Gong ( Palace of Heavenly Purity ).

The very famous Zheng Da Guang Ming in Qian Qing Gong. The 'Heir apprent box', a system set up secretly by Emperor Yong Zheng, was placed behind the board inscribed with ' Zheng Da Guang Ming' (Open & Aboveboard). The name of the emporer's successor will be placed in this box and will be revealed when the emperor passed away.

Kun Ning Gong (Hall of Earthly Tranquility) - the residence of some of the Emperors and Empresses.

The back of Chu Xiu Gong - one of the palaces in the west wing.

This is where Ci Xi once lived and where she gave birth to Emporer Tongzhi.

The Study Table of the last Qing Emperor Pu Yi - Westernisation.

A Palace within a Palace - Walking between the high red walls in the East wing of the Forbidden City.

The Hall of Water was left incompleted after the Qing Dynasty fell.

Before we head back...

The army troop outside the Forbidden City doing their exercises.

The day Shan became my concubine.... HAHAHA :P

Since we did not have a good shot in front of Tiananmen, we decided to have it at the studio...Look real isn't it :D

The real Tiananmen @ Night

Though we have a few hours to explore the palace before it is closed, we cannot finish exploring the whole place. Its huge. Will definitely go back there again when I get the chance. Plus there is this Temple of Heaven nearby I think. So many things to see n do in Beijing yet so little time.

CNY is coming and I will be away for 9 days and be back on 1st day of CNY. Though I won't be able to have my reunion dinner, I am still glad that I will be around on CNY. Hope to catch up more with my cousins during CNY...haven't been meeting them for quite some time already. Anyway, Congratulations to Jamie for faring very well in her O levels !!!!! Keep up the good work, gal !