Two days in Beijing
We were able to travel under the transit visa programme as we were going to be in Beijing under 72 hours and were flying onto another country. This all went very smoothly despite my nerves and we entered China with no problems at all.
Our guide, Tony, met us in arrivals and we were soon in our private taxi and whizzing towards Beijing ready to start exploring. Firstly, he took us to Tiananmen Square, which I found incredibly nostalgic as I do remember the riots in the 80’s and the scenes and images that I am never likely to forget. I did find it odd though that Chinese people were forever asking to have their picture taken with us, as Tony explained, they have probably only ever seen a Western person on the television before, never in real life, I felt quite flattered and of course obliged them! It also makes you realise the oppressive nature the Chinese have living under a dictatorship, big eye opener for me.
From Tiananmen Square you can walk straight through to the Forbidden City, which is vast and very beautiful. We walked and walked, and the jet lag was certainly beginning to take its toll! However, I knew we had such a short time here I wanted to soak up as much as I could. Tony’s knowledge was incredible and there wasn’t a question he couldn’t answer. I learnt so much about China and its history and the madly dictated to lives they lead.
One thing I will say about Beijing, and this is more for the ladies, the public loos leave a lot to be desired. They are generally a hole in the ground and there is never any loo roll let alone hand soap! So do take tissues and anti bac with you at all times!
After the Forbidden City we went to the visit the old Hutongs, old shanty type buildings where the older generation of Beijingers (technical term) still live in almost slum like houses. There are as many as 10 households sharing 1 toilet! However, Tony says as this generation die off, they are slowly redeveloping the area. The land itself is massively sought after and worth a fortune. Still, it was good to see a traditional side to Beijing and walk amongst the locals, watching them play chess in a park or playing with their children.
After this I was more than ready to head to our hotel for a nap and a refresh before dinner. Tony recommended us a local restaurant which specialised in Peking Duck, we went, and he was right it was delicious and not overly expensive. They carve the duck at your table and serve with all the usual pancakes and sauces that we are used to.
On Day 2, it was an early start as we were off to the Great Wall. It took about an hour and a half to drive, and we were so lucky as it was so quiet when we got there, it felt like we had the place to ourselves. It pays to go out of season! We took a bus to the cable car, then rode up to the wall. We then set foot for about an hour and a half, marvelling at how they built this amazing structure so long ago, and so high up, it is an incredible feat of engineering. The slopes and climbs are very steep though so be prepared and wear appropriate clothing and footwear and take sun screen! Wow, wow, wow, go if you ever get the chance.
Then we whizzed back to Beijing and visited the Summer Palace and gardens, very beautiful with gorgeous landscaped gardens. There is a lake where you can take boat rides, but unfortunately for us, the water level was too low, so it wasn’t possible for us. There is apparently not much rain fall in Beijing, so the water has to be bought in, madness!
Then it was back to the hotel, and then out for dinner again. This time I had been recommended a restaurant called TRB Hutong, so had booked before we came. The food was outstanding, as was the service. On the pricey side, but if you like good food and wine, then I would highly recommend. It takes some finding as is down the dark alleys of the Hutongs, but worth the trip.
The next day it was time to say goodbye to Beijing, I do think that our two short days was enough to see everything we wanted to, Tony and our driver collected us from the hotel and transported us to the airport where we boarded our flight to Osaka to start the next chapter in our exciting adventure.
Coming soon! Osaka!