The Forbidden City is a Really Really Big Place so Wear Comfortable Shoes

This afternoon we went to the Forbidden City or Imperial Palace. This was home to two dynasties of emperors from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The complex is immense consisting of around 9,000 rooms although the legend is that there are 9,999 and 1/2 rooms which is just under the 10,000 in the heavenly palace. Many buildings are being renovated in anticipation of the upcoming 2008 Olympics so there was lots of construction as there is all over Beijing. However, I enjoyed wandering from building to building for four hours and probably only saw 1/3 of the complex. I'm not sure if I'll go back, but I enjoyed what I saw including some wonderful clocks, including a gigantic water clock from the Ming dynasty. Here's a sample of some the sights:

Other things of note today....If you happen to find yourself touring the Forbidden City and looks like rain, rent an umbrella as you enter. Give the nice lady 10 yuan and she'll give you an unmbrella and a ticket to return when you leave. Upon return, you get your 10 yuan back. What a brilliant idea....

Today's class focused on Family Law in China, primarily marriage and divorce. I enjoyed our professory today the most. She was very honest and younger than our other professors. Her presentation allowed for lots of questions and she asked us to comment on current cases dealing with family law in China. I have some questions to email her about her pro bono work with local gay and lesbian groups in China on the issue of gay marriage here. I hope she has some good questions for me as well.

Not sure if I'll get to a post about Xian today. I am really wiped out and ready for dinner. Toting a computer on your back around the Forbidden City may not have been the best idea, but I did it anyway. So off to a comforting dinner of grilled cheese and french fries. All of the Chinese food is starting to taste the same to me so its nice to get something familar. Yesterday I had a veggie sub from Subway which is opening franchises here like crazy. And yes it was the same as at home.