China was my first culture shock trip—nothing was like anything I had ever seen before. This was probably the first time I really felt like I was surrounded by strange language, different customs, and perhaps truly traveling.
Twenty years ago locals got around by bicycle and bike lanes made up two thirds of the major roads. Also, this was before the digital photography era and selfie frenzy (I know I’m dating myself!).
It was a time when people interacted with each other and asked someone to take their photo in front of a famous monument or a scenic spot and all we could hope for was that the pictures would turn out ok…
For those that haven’t had a chance to visit Beijing yet, the city is huge, and a map only shows the principle arteries giving the misleading impression that places are in close proximity. This is not the case as many hutongs (narrow weaving alleys) crisscross one another and it’s easy to get lost. Asking for directions will not be an easy feat unless you are fluent in Chinese. This wasn’t our case, so we had to follow a map (no Google Maps back then) and compare the street signs and hope for the best!
A memorable time was when we decided to walk to the Lama Temple—it looked like it was only a few blocks away from our hotel. How wrong we were! A few hours later we were still trying to make our way there in 100+˚F (40+˚C) temperature with a humidity factor of 100% or more if that’s even possible!
Exhausted, we finally found the Lama Temple and promised ourselves that it didn’t matter how much it cost we would take a taxi back to our hotel. We just had to laugh, as the fare was only $2. From that moment on air-conditioned taxis became our favorite mode of transportation, although the ride was hair-raising at times!
As fans of Chinese food we relished in many of the authentic delicacies including some of the best Dim Sum we’ve ever had and of course Peking duck. The latter is a must-try and an experience in itself. It’s a multi course specialty (soup, skin and shredded duck pancakes served with scallions and hoisin sauce, and duck meat sautéed with bean sprouts and scallions) and it’s all part of the adventure. Putting aside our fear of eating something that used to be hanging in the store window before it reached our plates we savored every morsel.
We were also somewhat shocked at the 5-star restaurant on the roof of the Great Wall Sheraton when we saw a dish called “Tiger fighting three dragons” when we read the fine print, it said cat meat with three types of snake. Time to read the menu carefully. We also have fond memories of the tea boy who must have been a Shoaling temple Kung fu expert. From across the table with a long-nosed pot of boiling water he shot a stream of near boiling water directly at me getting it all in the tiny Chinese teacup on the table. Wow!
For a unique experience we went to a traditional teahouse where we watched a variety show with Chinese opera, comedy, puppets and acrobatic acts while delicious appetizers and, of course, tea were served. Even though we didn’t speak the language we could get the general idea of the skits and had a great evening. Do go and experience it for yourselves!
For another fun night out we attended a Chinese acrobat show. The performers were amazing and it’s hard to believe that bodies can actually bend like that but they do—amazing and incredible!
While climbing the Great Wall a Chinese man pointed to his camera, we though he wanted us to take a picture of him and his friend but to our surprise he wanted his friend to take a picture of him with us.
After this encounter we were wondering why that had happened and we though it strange. But later on, at the Summer Palace, a young teenage girl wanted to take our picture and ditto at the zoo when a group of little kids asked for our picture.
Our fair skin, blond hair and blue eyes were something rare and unusual for many of the Chinese who may have been visiting Beijing from rural areas. We ended up having a good laugh about it and these encounters are some of our most memorable travel memories. I remember them like it was yesterday!
Apparently, this sort of thing still happens as I have a friend that visited China recently and people wanted to take her picture.
We spent 10 days visiting Beijing and the surrounding area and I’m sure we could have seen a lot more. Perhaps one day we will have the chance to explore more of China.
Things to do in and around Beijing
Imperial Palace and Forbidden City Area
The Forbidden City is located in the heart of Beijing and dates back to the 13th century. It was home to the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties as well as their entourage and served as the center of government for almost 500 years.
This is China’s most important site and the largest palace complex in the world spreading over 1,600,000 square feet (150,000 square meters). A wall and a huge moat surround the palace museum. As many as 980 buildings can be found on site including 90 palaces and courtyards as well as numerous buildings housing a vast collection of artifacts.
Having never seen anything like it before, we ended-up spending almost a full day navigating the site on our own and explored some of the quieter areas, but if you are pressed for time a guided tour could be useful to see the main attractions.
After our visit and exiting the complex via the north gate we climbed up the hill in Jingshan Park for a bird’s eye view of the Forbidden City. Breathtaking!
We remember the people outside the gate selling souvenirs. We really didn’t want any, but this fellow was relentless. He placed a package of carved statues in my hand declaring them mine for 100 Yuan. When I said no and removed them, he put them back declaring 80 Yuan. In the end he was down to 20 Yuan, which at the time was $5. We didn’t think we could escape without buying them and he made a sale for 20 Yuan. When we paid, he immediately placed another box on my arm declaring 20 Yuan again… we laughed and walked away.
Nearby is the 1000-year old former imperial park, Beihai Park, with its huge lake and numerous walking paths.
Tiananmen Square is located near the entrance of the Forbidden City and impossible to miss! It’s the largest plaza in the world. Some highlights include the Gate of Heavenly Peace, the Monument to the People’s Heroes, the Great Hall of the People and the Memorial Hall of Chairman Mao. The National museum is also in the vicinity.
The square has a long history including being the infamous location of major protests including the June 4th incident where many students lost their lives. Nowadays locals and tourists alike gather to entertain or to be entertained. It’s the perfect place for kite-flying and friendly competitions take place regularly. Twice a day there is the Flag-Raising Ceremony and getting there early is recommended.
Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven is located approximately 3 miles (5 km) south of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. The complex is huge and encloses important sites including the Circular Mound Altar where the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties made sacrifices during the Heaven Worship Ceremony held on the day of the winter solstice. The tablets used for the ceremony were kept in the Imperial Vault of Heaven.
This is also where the Echo Wall is situated—even the quietest voice can be heard on the other side! At the other end of the complex lays the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest where the emperor prayed for good weather and abundant harvests.
The lovely setting attracts many locals who come to play, exercise, fly kites, play chess, etc. If you wish you can also join-in or simply take a break and relax.
Summer Palace
The Summer Palace is located on the outskirts of Beijing in the Haidian district; we went by taxi. It dates back to 1750 and served as the summer residence for the royal family and eventually became the Royal’s permanent residence.
The royal park is as stunning as it is impressive with lots of pavilions, palaces, halls, temples, bridges, lush and luxurious gardens, and a lake creating a harmonious and esthetic environment. Strolling around the lake, wandering through the scenic pathways and taking a boat ride are the ideal way to really explore this enchanting place of another era.
The Marble Boat left quite an impression on us with its intricate carvings—a feast for the eyes! It was built as a pavilion over the water and never sailed.
Suzhou Street Market within the park was the perfect place to buy souvenirs and at much better prices than in Beijing. At least, it was so when we visited.
The Great Wall and Ming Tombs
On the way to the Great Wall, our tour bus stopped at the Ming Tombs where we visited an emperor’s tomb and learned that his concubines and consorts were buried with him, some were even entombed alive awaiting the emperor’s passage into the afterlife. Horrifying!
Thankfully, immolation was discontinued in 1464 when it was declared uncivilized by the Emperor. The tombs are impressive and the life-sized soldiers and statues are amazing to see.
Built to protect against nomad invaders, the Great Wall of China is a must see, it’s the largest man-made thing on earth. The section associated with the Ming Dynasty extends for 5,500 miles (8,851 kilometers) of which about 327 miles (526 kilometers) is accessible from Beijing.
While it has multiple sections, Badaling is the best-preserved and most popular section to visit although it can get very crowded at times. Mutianyu is a good alternative but apparently it’s not as spectacular to see. We visited Badaling in July.
Climbing the Great Wall was an experience of its own. We were young and in good shape and found the climb difficult in the extreme heat and high humidity. While climbing it was impossible to stop and rest for a little while—the sellers of trinkets were relentless and the best way to avoid them was to keep on climbing until we reached the part that wasn’t renovated and finally we could take it all in!
The views took our breath away and we could see the Great Wall snaking its way through the countryside as far as you could see on the horizon! Simply Magnificent!
We were so grateful to have the opportunity to be there and to witness it, a testament to why we love and appreciate travel as much as we do.
Tip: There is a cable car to make it easier for those with mobility problems.
Other points of interest
The Tibetan-style Lama Temple (Yonghe Gong) dates back to 1694 and is very well preserved. It’s also one of the most colorful and lively temples in Beijing. It’s located in a hutong area near the 14th century Confucius Temple, which is the second largest Confucius Temple in China.
The Beijing Zoo was established in 1906 and has an extensive variety of animals including native species such as South China tigers, snow leopards and pandas. Back then our view on zoos was different than how we feel about them now. We wanted to see pandas and we did, but the animals looked lethargic—it broke our hearts! Maybe it was because it was smoldering hot with extreme humidity… we can’t know for sure and we do hope that they take good care of this national treasure.
The zoo’s grounds were in need of a bit of love at the time and we couldn’t stop laughing when we saw a sign asking people not to step on the grass as the only place with grass was under the sign!
Many restaurants, shops and markets line the streets around Tiananmen Square—at least they did when we visited 20 years ago! We found a hole in the wall restaurant with Peking duck on the menu and we just had to stop and indulge in this specialty dish. It turned out to be one of our best meals in Beijing.
Wandering through hutongs (before Google Maps) got us out of our comfort zone and only then did we realize the true meaning of travel in a foreign land.
Shopping at the flea market turned out to a memorable experience. Back then everything was dirt-cheap and we ended up buying so many souvenirs including delicate porcelain vases and plates, bronze lion statuettes, silk tablecloth, pillowcases and even ties.
In one of the stalls and the sales lady wouldn’t let us leave until we bought the ties. Her claws (nails) were gripping my husband arm and she wouldn’t let go! The prices were great but we didn’t need silk ties but ended up buying them anyways—only then did she release my husband’s arm! Escaping with our loot we started laughing…
The Art of Haggling: 10 tips for getting the best price and enjoying doing it!
Tips:
- Make sure you wait in the long line for an official taxi unless you have a transfer from your tour operator or hotel. Instead of queuing we opted to get in a taxi outside of the taxi line. Two guys in the car, a driver and a helper, odd! My traveler’s instinct kicked-in… and I had an overpowering feeling to get out of the taxi, which we did. Later, we read about scams of people coming to lure you into cars outside of the usual taxi line. We were lucky to get out while within sight of the airport police.
- Ask your hotel concierge for a card with the names of local attractions as well as the hotel name and address in both English and Chinese so you can show taxi drivers where you want to go and where you are staying so you can get a taxi back. While English-speaking taxis may be at the hotel, you have no guarantee of finding one of those at your destination when you want to return.
- Drink only bottled water and don’t buy it from sellers on the streets. Some of these bottles are refilled with tap water, hello traveler’s diarrhea! We even saw a bottle with a used straw frozen into the ice within it!
- Public toilets can be somewhat of a shock, so be prepared and carry toilet paper and hand wipes. More often than not there isn’t any. It’s possible that this has changed since hosting the Olympics but best to be safe than sorry. Also, you might have to leave your modesty at the door (read: no doors) or wait until you’re back at your hotel.
China is in constant evolution and I do wonder what it would be like to revisit China again and to see for myself how much has changed, although I’m glad I visited when I did…
In a few months we will be returning to the Orient—this time to Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun…