May 18, 2013 Beijing - Panda House, Summer Palace, Lama Temple and Confucian Temple

May 18, 2013

Beijing - Pand
a House, Summer Palace, Lama Temple and Confucian Temple

Our guide, Lee picked us up at 8:00 AM and our driver, Shifui drove all of us to the Panda House. It was a foggy and cool morning and this was fortunate as the first pandas we saw were very lively. Lee said this was the first time she ever saw the pandas so lively. Of course we took lots of pictures as the pandas were putting on such a lively performance.

Next we were driven to the Summer Palace of the emperors. We saw the palace where one of the emperors had been imprisoned by the Dragon Queen. We also saw the more opulent palace that the Dragon Queen had lived in. The palaces are located on a beautiful lake and with all the trees in the area the location of the palaces was much cooler than the Forbidden City. We walked to the Budda’s Temple that was next to the Summer Palace. Close to the Budda’s Temple was a Dragon Boat ferry that we took to cross the lake instead of walking back. Next we went to the Pearl Store where Dorothy bought some presents for our grandchildren and our daughter.

After a dumpling lunch, we took pictures of the Bird Nest Stadium before moving on to the Lama Temple and after that to the Confucian Temple. Lee gave us an excellent history of the both temples. When we finally got back to our hotel, we were dead tired. 

Dorothy and Con at the Beijing Zoo which had the Panda House.

It was a cool day so this panda was quite frisky and was attempting to climb a tree.

The panda made it to its favorite spot in the tree.

The panda was in his toy area.

The panda was putting on a performance to the crowd watching  it.

Dorothy and Con with the panda in the background.

Panda usually want to be alone except in mating season. These 2 pandas  were being  nice to each  other  so  this  must  have been the right time for them.

Dorothy and Con at the entrance to the Emperor's Summer Palace.

Our Guide, Lee was showing Dorothy the layout of the Summer Palace grounds.

The entrance to the Summer Palace,building  where the Emperor would  receive  his subjects.

Our Guide, Lee and Dorothy in front of the palace where the Dragon  Queen  kept the young  Emperor  prisoner  while she ruled China. The exterior doors and windows were all blocked or bricked up to prevent the Emperor escaping

The luxurious palace of the Dragon Queen.

The one kilometer covered walkway along the lake. The wooden  walkway was decorated  with  many  paintings.

This is one of the many beautiful paintings along the walkway.

                                                                           

The Buddha Temple on a hill near the Summer Palace

The elaborate gate to the Dragon Boat ferries.

The Dragon Boat Ferries that took people across the lake at the Summer  Palace.

Dorothy and Con at the front of the Dragon Boat Ferry.

The Birds Nest Olympic Stadium.

Dorothy at the laxuriously decorated gate to the entrance to the Lama Temple. This area was once the palace of the prince who became an Emperor.

A very decorative building at the Lama Temple before the Temple  itself.

                                                                             

People lighting their incense sticks at the fire before the Lama  temple.

                                     

Dorothy and Con next to the statue of Confucius at the entrance to the  Confucian  Temple

Dorothy and Con next to the elaborate carving on the stairway to the Confucian Temple

Dorothy and Con  at the Comfucian Temple.