China-2 (Beijing and Shanghai)

After Shanghai, I visited Beijing. I went there on the 15th of January, and I stayed in a hotel, because I wasn't apparently allowed to stay in any accommodation below 3 stars. Well, at least I had an excuse to enjoy some luxury.
As I said, Beijing has a lot more culture and history than Shanghai. It also has most of the famous Chinese monuments and locations.
The first place I visited was the Forbidden City, which was right next to the hotel. It's a big palace complex, where them Emperors used to live, and it has a lot of different pavilions, a garden, monuments, and other structures. Next to it is Tiannamen Square, where ceremonies are sometimes held.

Buildings in the Forbidden City

Tiannamen Square

I also took a day trip where I visited some tombs from the Ming Dinasty, a jade sculptures exhibition(where I had lunch), a silk factory, a teahouse, and the famous Great Wall of China (another one of the 7 New Wonders of the World), which realy is a great and amazing structure. The wall is at a great height, and we went down after visiting it by toboggan, which was a lot of fun.

Throne at the underground complex where the Ming Tombs are located

Jade dragon

Me at the Great Wall

Tea

I also visited the Temple of Heaven, a temple in a garden area composed by different structures, which was used for offerings, amongst other things, and the Olympic Area, where I saw the main Olympic Stadium (known as the "Bird's Nest") and the National Aquatics Center (known as the "Ice Cube").

Structure at the Temple of Heaven

The "Bird's Nest"

The "Ice Cube"

I left Beijing and returned to Shanghai on the 21st of December. On the 22nd I travelled to Japan, and on the way to the airport I rode on a magnetic train (a Maglev), for the first time.

The Maglev Station