The Drum Tower of Beijing. It was historically used for time keeping... Now it is a cultural relic, a museum, and, a place to exhaust tourists [you'll see what I mean below]

And again I mention the detail. Pictures don't do it justice.

This young lady was our local guide for the Drum Tower and through the Hutong. I wish I could remember her name because she was a sweetie!

Here's the sign for the store part of the Drum Tower...

And now the climb uuuuuuuuuup...yes, it's as steep as it looks... Actually, it's probably much steeper than it looks. I can't remember how many steps are on the staircase, but the number of steps was determined by a significant number in chinese culture. It certianly was far fewer steps than what was needed... Each step was about 24 inches high, making this staircase steeeeeeeeeeep! Hello Vertigo, my name is Rob. How are you today? I'm woozy.

Views from the top of the Drum Tower...

Yes, those are Golden Arches you see among the Chinese signs.. KFC was fisrt to arrive in China and there are a few of those as well. The only Americanism we gave into on our trip was a cup of Caffe Latte at Starbucks on a freezing winter day - and that was more for the warmth than anything else. At Starbucks, everyone spoke perfect English / Coffee Italian... The staff was more than happy to practice their English - but I'm off topic now... back to the drum tower.

The Chinese like red cars! Could you have guessed? So many things are symbolic in Chinese culture... numbers, colors, etc. Red is a symbol for happiness and joy. BTW...cabs come in two sizes in Beijing, small and smaller...and drivers of those cabs come in two species...safe (the rare species) and totally insane (one cab we rode in made a U Turn during rush hour accross eight speeding lanes of two way traffic...) However - cabs were CHEAP...and most were VERY friendly... and again, I am off topic. Back to the Beijing Drum Tower.

Note the juxtaposition of old and new in Beijing...skyscrapers behind the old Bell Tower (as shot from the Drum Tower)...

...back down... "Hello again Vertigo!!! Did you miss me?" Hhhhhmmmm... I'm trying to remember how many steps there are. I want to say 42, but maybe I'm thinking of Hitch-Hikers Guide To The Galaxy rather than the Drum Tower Of Beijing - because after all, the answer to Life, The Universe And Everything is 42. Maybe there are 69 steps? No - that would have made for too many inapropriate jokes and I'd have remembered that. Well anyway... time to go back dowwwwwwwwwwwwwwn.