Forbidden City

I don't think any photo can do justice to exactly how huge this place is. Mine certainly can't. I walked there this morning with someone also staying in the hostel and I left when it closed just before sunset. And I didn't see everything! 

There are so many palaces, all with wonderful sounding names, like the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Palace of Earthly Tranquility and the Palace of Heavenly Purity. It also has a an opera house which has the best name ever - the Pavilion of Cheerful Melodies! But unfortunately it was in a section that was either closed for renovation or I just couldn't find it. (I think it was closed as I spoke to other people who didn't see that area either.)

I had lunch in one of the cafes in the Forbidden City and a woman who sounded like she was from north America asked if I spoke English and when I said yes, then asked if she could join me for lunch as she doesn't like eating alone. I discovered that she's the world's leading expert on the Chinese Painter Dong Qichang and has been coming to China to do research since the 1970s. Since my knowledge of Chinese painting is zero, I learned a lot while eating my sandwich!