The Old Summer Palace of Chinese Royalty

Have you ever wondered how the Chinese Royalty spent their hot, humid Beijing summer?

Surely, there couldn't have possibly been air conditioners back then.

The Old Summer Palace （圆明园 Yuan2Ming2Yuan2) struck me as one of the biggest surprise in Beijing. Never did I expect such an incredible stretch of green and flowers in the middle of a city suffering from heavy air pollution and population problem.

People say autumn is China's most beautiful season. Strolling through autumn at the Old Summer Palace will cast a spell on you. There are trees, flowers of all colors, and occasional squeals of an excited child nearby.

How suiting that Chinese Royalty made their escape from the glazing summer heat here at the Yuanmingyuan. I wondered for a minute when was the last time I had time to walk so leisurely, without having to rush from one place to the other. We are often so caught up with the future that we so easily fail to appreciate what is right in front of us. Ironic. We give up the present for the future, but doesn't the future also eventually become the present?

I'm learning to walk through the present. Sometimes, I think I will just let things be.