BEIJING: Temple of Heaven

 

There's a big park surrounding the Temple of Heaven. And seniors get in free, so the mornings are packed with tai chi, dancing, singing old revolution songs, chinese chess, cards, aerobics, you name it.  

  

Everyone was so friendly asking about our children and our baby. Especially telling me how Sybil wasn't bundled enough and that she shouldn't be outside. Just smile and nod.... Just smile and nod.

Dave says this was his favorite. He jumped right in there and totally got schooled by some grandmas playing hackey sack. They were so good!

 

Somehow we peeled Dave away from the ladies to see the actual temple. 

 

 

And it was gorgeous. 

 

 

 

This woman giggled and giggled when I asked to take her picture and kissed me when I told her she was beautiful. 

 

 Gage made some more friends while we oohed and aahed and listened to how the temple was built in the 1400s by the same emperor who built the Forbidden City. The emperor would come here during the winter solstice to pray for a good harvest. We heard about the significance of the bridge's architecture, the three tiers, the painted ceiling, the holy altar, the Taoist influence, and the other buildings in the complex. Everything is significant. Everything has a meaning. 

 

 The echo wall and the echo stones were occupied so we flew our kites instead.  

Dave barely made it out of the Temple of Heaven Gate. He got stopped by so many people asking to take his picture. Or asking if they could hold Sybil while he took their picture with her. So funny.