Day 2 in Beijing: Ian is lost in the Hutongs

Ian's favourite pose - he loves it

I slept like a baby, which is useful because the schedule today looks full-on.  Our guide (Sean, real name Shaolin, but all our guides chose a Western name) is picking us up from the hotel and we are ready early.  Eager beavers.  Ian decides to take his camera for a short stroll around the block but 30 minutes later he is nowhere to be seen.  Horrors! The traffic is diabolical and doesn't stop for pedestrians - suppose he has been knocked down.  Does kidnapping happen in China, as it does in South America?  Louise goes off in one direction and Richard in the other, searching the maze of narrow alleyways.  I go upstairs to try calling him on my phone.  Richard catches sight of him anxious and sweating and the panic is over.  Once we have calmed down we think it's rather 'poshpacking' to have lost Ian in the Hutongs.

Dancing in the park

Tai-Chi (with sword)

Tea Ceremony

First stop is the Temple of Heaven, set in a large park and originally for the exclusive use of the Emperor, of course, but now open to the public and free for senior citizens.  Our stroll through the pretty park was my highlight of the day because it is a beautiful morning and I can see the local people enjoying communal exercise such as dancing and Tai-chi. At the end of our stroll is the temple itself, which is splendidly Chinese, but the temperature is rising and I'm more impressed by the air-conditioned Qing Shan Ju Tea House.  We are offered a selection of teas to taste and I buy some Oolong to take home and hope for all the promised health benefits.  Back in the car and we are taken to a pleasant restaurant for lunch but once again the menu is difficult to fathom, even with Sean's help.  I try to order chicken and noodles but he is perplexed. Why?  I end up with pepper beef and rice, which is fine.  The meal for 4, with drinks, is £9.  
After lunch we 'did' Tiananmen Square (think massive, then double the size) and the Forbidden City (closed to the world for 500 years, and Louise's favourite of the day).  Unfortunately once again I am struggling with the heat, my arthritic hip and the crowds of people, so I can't concentrate on the wonders before me and ridiculously pleased to see our minibus.  Sean now recommends a show, and sells it to us on the grounds that it is choreographed by the guy who did the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic games.  Its a winner and turns out to be the men's favourite item of the day.  What an amazing spectacle: part ballet, part gymnastics, part theatre - the costumes were stunning, the set included hats with live peacocks and a full flood with real water.  Don't ask me how, I've never seen the like.  For pure visual impact, I guess it could be compared to the Lion King.  There is a wonderful bit with trampolines and another with a bendy girl that you just can't take your eyes off.  A feast for the eyes.  Back at the hotel (taking 1.5 hours - Beijing traffic is truly awful), we watch the Shadow Puppets.  So sweet.  Dinner is wine and peanuts. Flop into bed.