The early morning alarm call today was at 7:00. But I did not need it because I had been woken during the night by our neighbours having a drawer slamming contest. We had breakfast in the European restaurant we ate at the previous night - more waffles!

On the coach at 9:00 to go to Tiananmen Square.

The square is indeed remarkable. Our guide, Francis, told us that it would hold 2 million Chinese or 1.5m Westerners... We could easily believe it. Everyone was preparing for the 50th Anniversary celebrations, including a small army of children picking up every scrap of litter with chopsticks.

 

We walked through the Square and in to the Forbidden City. Yet again, we were not prepared for the scale of the place. It was simply breathtaking, and words cannot describe its awesome beauty.

In the afternoon, we got on the coach and travelled the mile or so to the Temple of Heaven. Yet again, a massive complex of indescribable beauty.

Back to the hotel for a nap, shower and change. At 5:45 back to the coach for dinner. Ma ma ho ho, as they say in China. Then on to the Beijing opera. We decided to give it a miss and go for a walk instead, as our Neanderthal friends were bound to be bored and make appropriate noises, embarrassing us. However, as I got off the coach, I managed to step on the edge of a tree root, and badly twisted my ankle, so we sat quietly in the bar. Every cloud has a silver lining, and shortly Francis turned up, and we invited him to join us. We had a very pleasant evening chatting. He is a charming man and very interesting. His son is left-handed, and he told us that his wife and mother are forcing him to use his right hand to write with (though they allow him to use his left hand for everything else). We told him of the dangers, and he was surprised that someone such as I, a left-hander, could write as neatly as I do. We also told him how left handed people are artistic, intelligent, handsome, etc etc. He was fascinated by this. When they emerged from the theatre, it transpired that all actually enjoyed the show. It was carefully chosen and picked the more acrobatic sections and less of the screechy singing. Back to the hotel, and my foot was very painful. I decided to go to the masseur in the hotel - she was very good and made the foot a lot more comfortable - and I got a free head and shoulder massage too - very relaxing.