Day 2 Beijing -- Lama Temple

After we arrived in Beijing late last night, we rested much of the day.  However, we did take a taxi to the Lama Temple in Beijing.  This temple is a Buddist temple that has pavilions that represent different aspects of Buddism.  The oldest pavilion was built in late 1600's and has been used since then.   More pavilions were added during the 1700's.   We didn’t have a guide, so I only know what I could read about the Temple (which wasn’t much).  The pavilions were adorned with  different statues of Budda that showed such aspects as longevity and health.  They were very ornate.  In front of each pavilion, people were burning incense, bowing, and praying.  There was a large crowd, and most were not tourists.  We spent several hours there; it was hot, but there were wonderful shade trees and a light breeze (that helped clear out the smoke from the incense fires).  Some of the time, we just sat on a bench and watched the wide assortment of people – individuals, families with children, couples, and tourists.  Our general impression about the people was that while most of the faces and language were Chinese, the dress and behavior would have looked much the same anywhere in the world.

 After taking a taxi back to the hotel, we rested some more and even took a nap.  Late in the afternoon, we walked around the area near the hotel.  The hotel is a luxury hotel, and its neighborhood is definitely upscale.  Up the street, we found dealerships for Bentley, Aston-Maratin, Ferrari, Mercedes, Hummer, and some other luxury cars.  There was also a multi-story shopping mall with only high-end specialty stores.  Many  of the buildings in the area were modern (glass and steel).  However, there was one new construction that was built in the style of traditional Chinese buildings.  It was "The Jockey Club."


One thing we learned was that traffic flowed in a seemingly disorganized manner with cars, trucks, bicycles (even delivery truck bicycles), and pedestrians all mixed together.  We also learned that pedestrian crosswalks did not provide a haven of safety for walkers.

We ate at the hotel, just ordinary food.  Tomorrow we have a full schedule of tours: Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, The Summer Palace.  It should all be interesting.

Pictures: Lama Temple Pavilion, Lama Temple interior, Prayers at Temple, Ordinary People, Street near Temple, Jinbao Avenue.