 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Travel China: 2012 Year of the Dragon - What to do with 4 days in Beijing ~ Article by Jaime Hamilton |
| WAVE Journey.com Women's Adventures, Vacations & Experiences ~ Your Journey Starts Here! |
TM
A Woman's Directory For Travel and Life.
WAVE Journey is your one-stop online resource for women-oriented travel businesses & services
around the world.
WAVE Journey is for every woman to enjoy. If you love to travel, cook, read or revel in outdoor activities this website
is for you. If you are looking to connect with other like-minded women or if you are interested in finding businesses
or services that cater to women, WAVE Journey is your number one online travel resource.
WAVE Journey is your one-stop online resource for women-oriented travel businesses & services
around the world.
WAVE Journey is for every woman to enjoy. If you love to travel, cook, read or revel in outdoor activities this website
is for you. If you are looking to connect with other like-minded women or if you are interested in finding businesses
or services that cater to women, WAVE Journey is your number one online travel resource.
| Pg 1 of 2 | Next Page | |
Travelling to Beijing in the winter, while freezing cold, is certainly the way to visit the big city without the
hustle and bustle of crowds. Spending the first four days of the Chinese year of the Dragon in the capital
city was not just an amazing way to spend the Chinese New Year, but also a completely diverting and
relatively stress-free few days of a month-long adventure through China. Below are a few musts for the
first time traveler to Beijing. Please bear in mind that I am a relatively healthy 26 year-old who enjoys
exploring cities on food and foot!
When I think of China, several things automatically pop into my head: Michael Phelps – clad in the smallest
of swimsuits, clutching 8 gold medals, the Terra-Cotta warriors in Xi’an, the Bund in Shanghai and of course
the Great Wall of China. No trip to the capital city would be complete without a side-trip to the Great Wall.
Springing 250 RMB – Chinese dollars – I set out on a tour of the Great Wall at Mutianyu. During the Spring
Festival this particular portion of the wall was all but deserted; it was fabulous, and I recommend visiting
this site over the crowded B____! Despite the freezing cold, the views were simply divine. On this portion
of the wall, the more avid hikers can HIKE from tower 6 to 1 – a steeply inclining trek not for the weak of
heart or weak kneed. For those of you who would like a smoother walk, 6 – 14 and then on to 23 is a bit
more flat with gorgeous views of the valley below. Either way you go, the experience and exhilaration of
actually climbing the Great Wall of China is truly an unforgettable experience.
hustle and bustle of crowds. Spending the first four days of the Chinese year of the Dragon in the capital
city was not just an amazing way to spend the Chinese New Year, but also a completely diverting and
relatively stress-free few days of a month-long adventure through China. Below are a few musts for the
first time traveler to Beijing. Please bear in mind that I am a relatively healthy 26 year-old who enjoys
exploring cities on food and foot!
When I think of China, several things automatically pop into my head: Michael Phelps – clad in the smallest
of swimsuits, clutching 8 gold medals, the Terra-Cotta warriors in Xi’an, the Bund in Shanghai and of course
the Great Wall of China. No trip to the capital city would be complete without a side-trip to the Great Wall.
Springing 250 RMB – Chinese dollars – I set out on a tour of the Great Wall at Mutianyu. During the Spring
Festival this particular portion of the wall was all but deserted; it was fabulous, and I recommend visiting
this site over the crowded B____! Despite the freezing cold, the views were simply divine. On this portion
of the wall, the more avid hikers can HIKE from tower 6 to 1 – a steeply inclining trek not for the weak of
heart or weak kneed. For those of you who would like a smoother walk, 6 – 14 and then on to 23 is a bit
more flat with gorgeous views of the valley below. Either way you go, the experience and exhilaration of
actually climbing the Great Wall of China is truly an unforgettable experience.
Travelling Tip: When booking a tour to the Great Wall, make sure that your tour is
mostly the Wall and not “shopping experiences.” Travel guides will warn you of
scams; make sure you buy a tour that is expressly a tour. They usually provide
transportation to the wall – an hour there and an hour back – and lunch. All in all,
expect to spend the better part of a day there.
Tian’anmen Square is second on my list simply for the fact that you can actually see a
‘stuffed’ Chairman Mao in one of the buildings. Unfortunately when I went in January,
Mao was closed for viewing - something about repairing the body. However, the
square is fully equipped with a wondrous view of the entrance to the Forbidden City,
the Chinese History Museum and the Pillar to the National Heroes.
mostly the Wall and not “shopping experiences.” Travel guides will warn you of
scams; make sure you buy a tour that is expressly a tour. They usually provide
transportation to the wall – an hour there and an hour back – and lunch. All in all,
expect to spend the better part of a day there.
Tian’anmen Square is second on my list simply for the fact that you can actually see a
‘stuffed’ Chairman Mao in one of the buildings. Unfortunately when I went in January,
Mao was closed for viewing - something about repairing the body. However, the
square is fully equipped with a wondrous view of the entrance to the Forbidden City,
the Chinese History Museum and the Pillar to the National Heroes.
On a whim, I decided to hit the Forbidden City, not realizing just how immense the
place actually is. I spent about 3 ½ hours walking outside in the January cold before I
decided to call it a day and head back. For 40 RMB you can spend literally the entire
day there – venturing through the many corridors, viewing rooms, souvenir shops
and many gardens. The entire city could easily house Versailles with extra room! For
about 100 RMB more, you can purchase an audio tour of the site – because it was so
stinking cold, I skipped the audio tour and contented myself with reading the
guidebook as I ambled through.
Traveler’s Tip: Make sure you watch your purse! The first three entryways into the
Forbidden City are open to the public; therefore hold your bags close and in front!
place actually is. I spent about 3 ½ hours walking outside in the January cold before I
decided to call it a day and head back. For 40 RMB you can spend literally the entire
day there – venturing through the many corridors, viewing rooms, souvenir shops
and many gardens. The entire city could easily house Versailles with extra room! For
about 100 RMB more, you can purchase an audio tour of the site – because it was so
stinking cold, I skipped the audio tour and contented myself with reading the
guidebook as I ambled through.
Traveler’s Tip: Make sure you watch your purse! The first three entryways into the
Forbidden City are open to the public; therefore hold your bags close and in front!
The Summer Palace in the winter is such a gorgeous sight to behold. The palace sits
on the side of an unassuming hill in the northernmost section of Beijing. Knowing
this, I made sure to wear ALL of my clothes while planning to spend another 6 ½
hours outside. Tourists can buy one of three tickets, but I suggest purchasing the all-
encompassing one for 50 RMB; this ticket gets you into the actual park, an art and
bronze gallery, the Tower of Buddhist Incense and Suzhou Street. Climbing up and
beyond the Buddhist temple one is greeted by an awesome view of Kunming Lake
and the 17 Arches Bridge. Conversely, if you are able to walk around the park to the
bridge you are again rewarded with sweeping views of the temples on the back of
the hill. In January the lake freezes over, inviting adventurous tourists to walk over
the ice from one end of the park to the other. Whether winter or summer, the
Summer Palace is easily a whole day out of your trip – it’s well worth it!
on the side of an unassuming hill in the northernmost section of Beijing. Knowing
this, I made sure to wear ALL of my clothes while planning to spend another 6 ½
hours outside. Tourists can buy one of three tickets, but I suggest purchasing the all-
encompassing one for 50 RMB; this ticket gets you into the actual park, an art and
bronze gallery, the Tower of Buddhist Incense and Suzhou Street. Climbing up and
beyond the Buddhist temple one is greeted by an awesome view of Kunming Lake
and the 17 Arches Bridge. Conversely, if you are able to walk around the park to the
bridge you are again rewarded with sweeping views of the temples on the back of
the hill. In January the lake freezes over, inviting adventurous tourists to walk over
the ice from one end of the park to the other. Whether winter or summer, the
Summer Palace is easily a whole day out of your trip – it’s well worth it!
The Silk Market is yet another must for the shopping traveller. Set up in its own private building, the
market is actually a 7-story building, selling goods from men’s shoes and shirts to pearls, watches,
iPhones and rugs. If you are a serious shopper, this place may as well be your Mecca, but make sure to
haggle for everything - that’s part of the fun. Not well versed in the art of haggling, I found myself
aimlessly wandering down each aisle, undeterred by the onslaught of merchants cat-calling out to me,
“lady, lady, look here. You want a coat? You want a jacket? You want some silk?” It’s an experience in
and of itself, but don’t worry – there’s a Starbucks just around the corner if you need to re-boot after
surviving the shopping aisles!
Traveling Tip: If you are planning to spend 500 RMB – easy to do, I can attest to it!! – bring 1,000. If you
are planning on spending 100 RMB, bring 500.
market is actually a 7-story building, selling goods from men’s shoes and shirts to pearls, watches,
iPhones and rugs. If you are a serious shopper, this place may as well be your Mecca, but make sure to
haggle for everything - that’s part of the fun. Not well versed in the art of haggling, I found myself
aimlessly wandering down each aisle, undeterred by the onslaught of merchants cat-calling out to me,
“lady, lady, look here. You want a coat? You want a jacket? You want some silk?” It’s an experience in
and of itself, but don’t worry – there’s a Starbucks just around the corner if you need to re-boot after
surviving the shopping aisles!
Traveling Tip: If you are planning to spend 500 RMB – easy to do, I can attest to it!! – bring 1,000. If you
are planning on spending 100 RMB, bring 500.