This post was originally written in 2013
This post
has taken me so much longer than I wanted it to because life has caught up with
me lately, and I combined two topics to make it 8 things. Writing about China
actually reminds me of my current travel dilemma; go back to Asia and see some
new countries or go back to Brazil for the World Cup. Hard problem to have!
On that note,
here are my top 8 things to do in Beijing.
The Great
Wall of China
This was
the number 1 item on my list for my trip to China. I considered doing the Great
Wall marathon because it was about a week before I arrived, but decided against
it. In hindsight, it was a great decision. I think I will stick to road running
when I do my first marathon.
The Great
Wall is truly one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. Only two hours
outside of the city, it could have easily been another world. Crowded streets
and smoggy skies were replaced with green mountains stretching in every
direction and the stone wall running along them one of the only structures in
sight. I visited the Mutianyu section, which consists of a 2.5 km restored
stretch of wall open for visitors to explore and 22 watchtowers at 100m
intervals. This section of the wall was used to defend the capital and nearby
tombs. Merlons are built into both sides of the wall, meaning shots could be
fired on enemies approaching from either direction. With less visitors than
other sections of the wall, we managed to get moments to ourselves for some
spectacular photos.
We caught
the cable car up, although it is possible to walk, and one reason I don't want
to do the Great Wall marathon became obvious straight away - it's hot in May.
The second one also became obvious very quickly, some sections are very steep.
My competitive nature compelled me to climb the steps to the highest point on
this section of the wall, though there is no way I would ever want to do that
as part of a race. The view was well worth the effort, the Mutianyu
section is surrounded by an abundance of greenery covering the mountains and
valleys on either side of the wall.
Entry -
45 RMB
Cable Car
return - 80 RMB
Ming
Tombs
A total
of 13 tombs belonging to Emperor's of the Ming Dynasty are scattered around
Beijing. I visited Changling Tomb, the first and most well preserved of the
Ming Tombs. Located about 50 kilometers from Beijing, Changling Tomb can be
combined with the Great Wall for a fantastic day trip out of the
city. Changling Tomb is the tomb of Emperor Zhu Di, the most significant
emperor of the Ming Dynasty and his empress. The tomb was completed in 1427,
and occupies an area of approximately 120,000 square meters.
The main
building of the tomb, Ling’en Hall, is made from a rare kind of wood that has
been preserved from the Ming Dynasty. The hall features an impressive statue of
Emperor Zhu Di, sitting on a throne decorated with dragons. The room is filled
with a collection of objects and photos detailing the achievements of Emperor
Zhu Di, including moving the capital to Beijing and constructing the Forbidden
City.
Forbidden
City
The
Forbidden City, or Imperial Palace, was home to 24 emperors during the Ming and
Qing dynasties. You could spend a full day, or more, exploring the city, but my
tight schedule in Beijing meant we had an afternoon to fit in as much as
possible. Construction of the city began in 1406 when Emperor Zhu Di moved
the capital back to Beijing from Nanjing in southern China. The palace was
remained the political centre of China until 1912, despite damage to parts of
the city during the shift between the Ming and Qing dynasties, and occupation
by foreign forces in the second Opium War and Boxer Rebellion. After becoming a
World Heritage Site, the Palace Museum commences a restoration project to
return the city to its historical state.
Consisting
of massive courtyards and impressive palaces, the city seems to stretch on
forever. The restoration project means the buildings boast striking colours and
detailed patterns that give the site a distinct visual appeal. The gardens
at the back of the site offer a shady retreat from the sunny courtyards that
was a welcome escape on the 36 degree summer day I visited. Featuring smaller
pavilions and unique statues, it is easy to get lost in imagining what life may
have been like for the Emperors and Empresses who lived in the palace.
Entry -
60 RMB
Tiananmen
Square
Across
the road from the Forbidden City is Tiananmen Square. Both are easy to access
using Beijing’s subway, and their close proximity to each other makes for a
good day trip. In contrast to the quiet, somber feel when I visited Plaza de
las Tres Culturas in Mexico City, it’s hard to associate the square with its
infamous history. Despite the heat, the area was crowded with a flurry of
activity. The Monument to the People’s Heroes stands tall in the centre of the
square, with visitors huddled around for photos. Groups of people gathered
around food vendor vans and laughter and chatter from the crowd could be heard
ringing out across the square. The lack of chairs and trees in the square meant
people were lined in the small strips of shade provided by lampposts and
flagpoles as they waited for the symbolic lowering of the flags at sunset.
The
square is surrounded by a number of important buildings in addition to the
Forbidden City. The National Museum of China is one side, while the Great Hall
of the People stands on the other. The only indication of the events that have
taken place in the square is the heavy security, including the vast police
presence and bag scanning at entrance points.
Summer
Palace
I almost
couldn't believe it when I was told that the Summer Palace was bigger than the
Forbidden City. It seemed impossible that anything could compare with the
mammoth stretch of buildings and courtyards that made up the Forbidden City,
but it didn't take long to see that the Summer Palace definitely did. The
literal translation of the name means “Gardens of Nurtured Harmony”. I'm not
sure why that didn't make it into the English name, but Summer Palace sounds
impressive enough to represent what this stunning site has to offer.
The
Summer Palace is a former imperial palace and was later a holiday resort for
Empress Dowager, who saw the reconstruction of the palace after it was damaged
during the Anglo-French invasion in 1860 and the eight allied nations invasion
in 1900. Centered around the man made Kunming Lake, the palace features a
collection of temples, houses and bridges, lined with leafy gardens. The
picturesque setting heightens the feeling of retreat from the outside world,
the hustle and bustle of one of the world's busiest cities seemingly miles
away. Rising above the lake are the site's most iconic buildings, the Temple of
Buddhist Virtue and the Tower of Buddhist Incense. The climb to the top rewards
you will views over the lake, it's best on a clear day.
Entry -
50 RMB
The
Gardens of Perfect Brightness
Otherwise
known as the old Summer Palace, this was something I will admit to having no
knowledge of before going to Beijing, but something that is an extremely
important part of China's history and worth visiting. Like the nearby Summer
Palace, the beauty of this location is undeniable. The palace was used by
emperors of the Qing Dynasty and contained extensive architecture, lakes and
gardens. One of the gardens, the Garden of Eternal Spring featured European
style buildings, which were built at the request of the Qianlong Emperor.
However the majority of buildings that made up the palace were traditional
Chinese style structures.
In
response to a group of British and Indian troops being taken hostage and killed
during the second Opium War, the palace was destroyed by British and French
troops. The garden was set ablaze and burnt for three days and the buildings
were looted. The palace was destroyed again in 1900 during the Eight Nation
Alliance invasion. Unlike the Summer Palace, this garden was not restored after
the attacks, and visitors can see the full effect of the destruction with
damaged buildings left in the condition that resulted from the invasions.
Entry -
25 RMB
Beijing
Olympic Park
The few
weeks leading up to and during the Olympics were in Sydney in 2000 were some of
the most exciting I have ever experienced. I was in the torch relay,
participated in a "trial run" of the athletics prior to competition
starting and was in the stadium for Cathy Freeman's gold medal run. The
Olympics holds a special place in my heart, and a visit to Beijing Olympic Park
was a must do for my trip.
The
iconic "Bird's Nest" stadium is as impressive up close as it is on
television, and the fountains dancing in front of it make for a great people
watching opportunity. The water cube is best viewed at night when its striking
blue colour is illuminated. Walking to the cauldron will take you past a long
wall listing the medalists from 2008 - searching through the names to see who
you can find might be slightly nerdy, but was also a lot of fun.
Eat
Local!
Watching
bizarre foods Beijing the other night was a good reminder of some of the
interesting street food in this city. I didn’t go to the night markets, but
visited Wangfujing pedestrian street with its famous snack street. The
narrow street is tightly packed with crowds and an almost overwhelming mix of
wafting scents coming from the countless street stalls and restaurants. Those
brave enough to try anything will not be disappointed - seahorses, starfish and
various kinds of bugs on skewers were in almost every store. I’ve seen my fair
share of unusual snacks in Central American markets, but I wasn’t prepared for
the scorpion skewers, with the still live animals wiggling around on the sticks
as we walked by.
I went
for a much safer option with my street food purchase, choosing a lamb skewer
and a fruit skewer that consisted of a small red fruit covered in hardened
candy (Tanghulu). My dentist might have been horrified if they saw it, but it
tasted amazing.
Another
must try item is Beijing's famous Peking Duck. Served in China since the
Imperial times, Peking Duck is known for the crisp skin and unique style of
serving where the duck is sliced in front of the diners. The meat and skin are
served separately, the skin often eaten with various sauces. The meat is rolled
up into a think pancake and eaten with cucumber sticks. There are many
restaurants throughout Beijing that serve Peking Duck. We ate at Bianyifang,
one of the longest serving duck restaurants in Beijing, currently located in
the New World Shopping Mall.
