The Summer Palace and Imperial Garden in Beijing is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was one of my favorite places to visit on the tour of China we took in 2005. Although the air was thick with smog, it gave the place a magical ambiance. The imperial rulers of China moved here during the summer to escape the heat. Lake Kunming is man-made but very beautiful with bridges spanning the water, and a variety of pagodas and palaces lining its shore. The buildings had wonderful names like Cloud-Dispelling Hall, Temple of Buddhist Virtue and Sea of Wisdom Temple.
I lagged far behind my tour group when I walked through the long corridor to the lake. The painted ceilings were exquisite. I could have spent hours here studying the paintings and the intricate designs. My guide had to backtrack to find me and was very upset. "Time to go, time to go," he insisted. This is precisely why I prefer independent travel over tours. Although we have no regrets taking this whirlwind tour, my travel buddy and I have decided that we will avoid them in the future. "Quality over quantity" is our motto from now on!
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