Beijing Travel Highlights

 

"This being our first trip to China, Beijing is a mandatory stop. This is the center of the middle kingdom and you get a sense of that by visiting the Forbidden City. There are the usual attractions like the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven but time your visit to the Drum Tower to coincide with the performance and visit those places in the mornings when the locals are out and about. The mass exercises and dancing are a sight to behold. It is like one giant busker arena only in this instance the arena is an ancient monument. The Great Wall is awesome in every sense. We took the local bus to Badaling at a fraction of the cost and scaled the wall up to the 8th watchtower. Whilst an achievement, the journey to the top is more memorable. The rampart is steep and slippery in places. Looking at the wall as it snaked over ridges and valleys, 3 thoughts came to mind - the scale of the structure, the lives lost during the construction and the futility of it all, it didn't stop the Mongols in the end. Still, one cannot but feel a sense of awe and reverence at the Wall. "

--From Winnifred Hickey:

"Our exciting trip started in Beijing. We were promptly met by our guide and brought to our hotel. We spent our first evening roaming the streets of this splendid city. Wangfujing Street showed off its array of food which was eagerly devoured by the locals. We weren't tempted by toasted centipedes, locusts, and other unmentionables! The next day Ting Ting, our guide, took us to Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City. The Forbidden City is a marvel to behold and a paradise for photographers. Ting Ting has a comprehensive knowledge of the entire city and filled us with abundant information. Let your eyes feast on Chinese Lions, Roof Guardians, Bronze cauldrons as you stroll through outer and inner courts and pass halls and temples of harmony. You will struggle to take it all in. Later we visited the Temple of Heaven. It again was a feast of beauty, culture, and history. That, my friends, was only the opening day of our tour.

Next, we journeyed to The Great Wall itself. What a feat! I couldn't believe my eyes when I lay sight of it for the first time. We were ferried to its lofty ramparts by cable car. Our strong walking boots on we embarked on a life long dream to walk the wall! I didn't realize that the wall had so many different levels and so many steps! Do a bit of practice walking daily before you go so you will be fit enough to enjoy the whole experience. Weather can vary greatly so have proper clothing with you. It was coldish on our trip but did we enjoy it. It was so good I can hardly believe it that I have actually been there. It was probably the highlight of the trip for me if you pardon the pun!"

--From Martin Fried:

 

"Our tour guide, Jack, and the driver, Mr. Han, each did a very good job. They both showed kindness and consideration in helping Hilda walk up and down the difficult pathways of Beijing. Jack's knowledge of Beijing was impressive and we were particularly pleased with the time spent at the Temple of Heaven, the People's Park in Beijing.

Although we could not fully enjoy Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City because of the bitterly cold weather, Jack managed to keep us moving and we somehow managed to briefly see the Square and walk the full length of the Forbidden City. After the bitter cold of the previous day, we were reluctant to go even further north and into the mountains to view the Great Wall.  Jack persuaded us to try, and we are grateful that he did so, as the Great Wall was an astonishing site, an architectural masterpiece worthy of its designation as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. We also got to see the Sacred Walk and that was also very well worth seeing. 

We also enjoyed the rickshaw ride through the Hutongs. The stop at the home of one of the resident families was one of the highlights of our trip."

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