The immensity of the Forbidden Palace, Beijing

The Forbidden Palace was just generally massive...an area probably measurable in square kilometers was covered in courtyards and palace buildings. Controversially though, for all its immensity there didn't seem to be a lot there. This was perhaps due in part to the government's intense restoration scheme in preparation for the Olympics, which blocked-out the views of the two main palaces and entrance to them too. The side rooms had a bunch of artifacts from all ages of the empire, including a really old calculator. Some of the throne rooms towards the North end were impressive, but I think the most interesting and beautiful part of the palace was the man-made rock garden which also came complete with excessively twisted trees.

The South-East side of the palace is the training ground for new police recruits...so we got to see them doing their ridiculous drills. The highlight of this involved them walking half a pace and holding one foot in the air out infront of them whilst their drill-sergeant checked the straightness of their legs and slapped them about if they weren't straight. Also featuring high-up on the amusement scale was the bum-wiggling walk executed by walking heel-toe-heel toe and swingy those hipsies! The video explains all...