#807 Summer Palace, Beijing, China

When you walk through the grounds of Beijing's Summer Palace, (Yíhé Yuán, literally "Gardens of Nurtured Harmony") the size is mind-boggling, for this is not just a little cluster of buildings but a huge area with a lake, a mountain, and buildings sufficient for several small towns (it is 2.9 square kilometers). It was the playground of royals where they came to escape Beijing's sweaty heat. Always a garden (established by Chin emperor Wányán Liàng in the 1100s) they were expanded by Emperor Qianlong around 1750 and after damage in the Anglo-French invasion, the Boxer Rebellion and the second Opium War, again by Empress Dowager Cixi (cheekily spending money earmarked for the navy, so one of the constructions is a rather large useless marble boat!).

Whether it is wandering the tree-lined paths, climbing in a small paddleboat, crossing the magnificent bridges, watching someone write poetry on the ground in water, or a stroll under the arched wooden pathways, it is a magical place.

 Sights in the palace grounds: 

• Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (main palace structure)
• Garden of Virtue and Harmony 
• Sea of Wisdom Temple
• Kunming Lake (3/4 of the area)
• Mirror Bridge
• Longevity Hill (artificial, 60m high)
• Cloud Dispensing Hall
• Tower of Fragrant Buddha
• Long Corridor (700m along the lakeside)
• Jade Belt Bridge
• Chain Bridge
• Willow bridge
• Suzhou Shopping Street created exclusively for the emperor and entourage

Soure: Lonely Planet Best of Beijing 1st Edition

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Palace

#917 Temple of Heaven, Beijing, China

In the southern part of Beijing lies a holy religious complex known in English as the Temple of Heaven. A truly spectacular architectural monument of a round building, it is a Taoist monument that was used in religious ceremonies for more than 400 years in both the Ming and Qing dynasties. 

Dating from the early 15th Century, it is a complex that while not large and imposing, has a peaceful space. The decorations in the interior are astoundingly beautiful, and its small size (compared to other Chinese monuments) in no way detracts from its specialness.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_Heaven

#937 Hong Kong, China

When I was a child, there were few places as exotic as Hong Kong... the familiarity of being British and yet also fast pasted Chinese, with capitalism, expat lifestyles, high rises, and shopping! My mother tells the stories of her first visit in the 1960s when the harbor was full of junks and it was a poor if lively place, but it is high class, chic and sophisticated today. 

Other than transiting through the airport, I visited in 1997, just before handover, on my way back from Africa, and stayed in a hostel way up on the hill. We landed in the old airport, where planes had to bank a sharp turn to avoid the sky scrapers and hills, and it felt like you would land in the harbor itself. The new airport is of course, luxury impersonated, but I didn't enjoy walking forever!

It really has it all -- a great climate, innovative architecture, fantastic shopping (even if I don't really like most duty free shops), great food, multiculturalism, big name shops and companies, the sea, a great harbor, hills and hiking, culture, people from everywhere, etc, etc. However, I think one of the most amazing things about Hong Kong is how much it changes and adapts. They used to say in the late 90s before the British handed it back to China that everyone was leaving, but in reality, there was a huge influx of mainland Chinese. It's always been one of the Asian hubs and an economic tiger. Originally just Kowloon Island, with the New Territories added to later, from China it came, to China it returned, but yet with its own distinct identity. It will always be exotic to me... when can I go back? (As you can see from the age of these photos, its been too long!)

#951 The Forbidden City, Beijing, China

For a palace to be so large, so elaborate, and remain so complete after 500 years in the middle of a booming urban landscape is incredible. The Forbidden City is a relic of a imperial China that has surprisingly remained in Communist China, and sits right beside Tiananmen Square. It's easy to lose count of the number of courtyards and entrances, and this is because it is meant to have 9999.5 rooms, half a room less than the gods.

Labelled forbidden because on the Royal Family and their servants were allowed to enter the inner areas, and it's continued use from the 1400s means that it is the finest example of imperial architecture that exists in China. While most of the 800 buildings were built in the 18th century, it is so large that it takes decades to complete a renovation of the massive site. Burned to the ground by the Mongols in 1644, and parts burned by eunuchs covering theft of palace riches in 1923, the large decorated copper vats (which once had water in them) scattered around were necessary fire-prevention.

Home of 14 Ming emperors and 10 Qing emperors, many celebrated important events in the Hall of Supreme Harmony (the largest building in the complex), with the decorations of 13844 dragons, while living in the Palace of Heavenly Purity, although the Palace of Earthly Tranquility was also an important part (home to Ming empresses and site of the nuptial chamber for Qing emperors).

#980 Great Wall, China

They used to say the urban myth when I was a kid that the Great Wall was the only man-made object that was visible from space. This isn't true at all -- it's far too narrow. Light pollution, however, means that every metropolis on the planet can be seen at night from the moon, but it was a good way to give the impression of how massive it was. Apparently the myth began in the late 1800s before space flight even existed. But what is amazing is how the wall is so long and so old and yet it still exists (despite Mao's Cultural Revolution habit of encouraging villagers to take bricks and incorporate them into their homes because it was a symbol of despotism).

Whether in summer when the humid hot haze makes climbing unbearable, or after a recent snowfall when the icy-trodden steps are treacherous, the Great Wall is an amazing place. Counting watch towers becomes a rite of passage for many! There are so many different sites to visit, and most of the more famous ones are near to Beijing, and each is unique. Whether it's 30 towers over hours end to end in Simatai, or the most-visited section, Badaling, with its cable car up. Mutianyu has a chairlift up and fun metal track sled ride down. The majestic Jinshanling which is connected to Simatai has spectacular views over a town where the wall comes down to the valley floor.

Built over centuries, over a million people are supposed to have died in its construction. Many other myths about about the historical structure, some of which can be read here. The coolest legend I heard is that it's path was laid out by a helpful dragon.

Simatai September 2003

Badaling March 2007 and Mutianyu March 2009

Jinshanling March 2010

Sources: http://facts.randomhistory.com/2009/04/18_great-wall.html; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutianyu; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinshanling; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simatai; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badaling