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Visiting the Great Wall. |
The population of Beijing is 19.6 million human bodies. If
you need a comparison to understand how massive and congested the city is, it’s
the same population as the entire country of Australia. My friend Maggie has
been working and living in the giant Asian metropolis for over two years so I
decided what better time to pay her a visit!
Once I arrived via train into one of the numerous city train
stations, I had directions to her office to pick up her apartment key and from
there to the apartment since she was at work when I arrived. Over 4 hours after
the moment of arrival in Beijing did I actually step foot into Maggie’s apartment.
I asked people for directions along the way to confirm I was going in the
correct direction, but before you know it I’ve backtracked, crisscrossed, and
walked in the complete wrong direction. One of the buses I was on was so
crowded that I couldn’t get off at my bus stop so I had to squeeze through the
crowd to get off at the next stop. I attempted to figure out where I was on my
map and find the nearest subway stop, which apparently was right next to me, but
a man instructed me to walk in the complete opposite direction. Let’s just say
once I settled in Maggie’s abode, I stayed put for a while. I spent about 10
days in Beijing and saw as much as I could but the huge city is bursting with
history, activity and uniqueness that it’s impossible to do it all! Below is a Beijing bucket list of must see attractions.
Alycia’s Top Attractions in Beijing:
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I got yelled at for taking a pic of Mao. |
1. Forbidden City –
This is the #1 tourist attraction in China. Yes, even more than the Great Wall.
Get an audio-guided tour because you will learn about the soap opera
shenanigans that went on inside this massive compound. Thousands of mistresses
for one emperor, castrated servants, and architecture galore. It’s like “As the
World Turns” China style but heaps more twisted.
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The entrance into the Forbidden City. |
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A hutong in Beijing. |
2. Hutongs – During
my Beijing 101 lesson from Maggie, she explained one of her favorite things
about the capital is exploring the many hutongs and now I understand why! Hutongs
are small streets or alleyways that form neighborhoods. Meander and get lost in
a community of hutongs.
Nanluoguxiang is
a necessity to visit due to its charming shops selling unusual clothing and
accessories, eateries, and art galleries strung along a good mix of locals and
visitors. Make sure to use a public squat in a hutong, you’ll never be more
grossed out by anything ever again. I guarantee your tolerance for unclean
bathrooms will shoot through the roof. Find a random restaurant where no one
speaks English and have a beer in a hidden bar.
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Nanluoguxiang hutong filled with locals and tourists. |
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Summer Palace with a view of the lake. |
3. Summer Palace – On a clear pretty day, the Palace blows away all
other fortresses you’ve ever seen. On a gorgeous lake with a view of the city
in the background, Summer Palace gives off a peaceful vibe even amongst its
thousands of daily visitors.
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Preparing a Peking duck. |
4. Eat Peking
Duck – Beijing (“Peking” in Mandarin) is famous for its delicious duck.
Beaucoups of restaurants boast they have the best bird in town, but they’re all
superb. I was taken to a local dive with the famous goose on the menu. I was
served magnificently prepared duck meat with tortilla type wraps to place it
in. Onion and celery slices should be added next and a thick teriyaki sauce
last. Roll up and tadaa, you have tasted the most delicious duck in the world!
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Locals praying at the Yonghe Temple. |
5. Llama Temple – There are hundreds of
temples in Beijing but Llama (Yonghe) is one of the more popular for a purpose.
The colors and intricate detail of the patterns and symbols become engrained
behind your eyelids. Its one of those places you stare at for a few seconds,
close your eyes, and see the psychedelic patterns and colors change like a kaleidoscope
in your mind. It’s definitely worth a visit.
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Bird's Nest in Olympic Park. |
6. Olympic Park & Bird’s Nest – When
you step off the subway at the Olympic Park stop, you enter a futuristic time
warp with giant steel structures and modern architecture. In 2008, Beijing
hosted the Olympics and an entire new area of town was added to the old
historical city. National Stadium, the most eye-catching attraction in Olympic
Park, is an incredible arena that resembles a colossal bird’s nest. Nowadays,
the space is used to hold festivals and large events. The plot is bustling with
locals and tourists alike maximizing on the spaciousness to work and play.
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A stunt at the Acrobat show in Beijing. |
7. Acrobatic Show – Beijing is eminent
for the acrobatic skills from over the years. Luckily, Maggie’s roommate is a
tour guide so she was able to score some extra tickets for an acrobat show. The
performance is usually about an hour but it’s jam packed with jaw dropping
talent. The finale was a mind-blowing spectacle of 4 motorbikes zooming inside
a dome cage without colliding into one another.
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Houhai lit up at night. |
8. Nightlife – Houhai is a diverse area of bars and restaurants
surrounding a lake. The district is lit up with multicolored illuminations like
Christmas lights in the North Pole. The sight is really beautiful at night but
if you’re looking for something low key, this is not the place. Each bar blares
music louder than its neighbor and karaoke singers’ voices belt from door to
door. Great Leap Brewery is a nice chill out pub hidden in a hutong with unique
and potent beer.
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Jinshanling part of the Great Wall of China. |
9. Great Wall – There are 3 different
sections of the Great Wall that sightseers can visit. I chose the Jinshanling portion,
which is the greatly unrestored part. There are other very Disney World-like
portions but I wanted to see the barrier in its natural state, naturally. You
can book this day trip with a tourist company, which are dispersed throughout
the city. Jinshanling was a great choice and I highly recommend going to this
portion to avoid the crowds.
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A view of a shoe stall at the Silk Street Market. |
10. Silk Street Market – China is the
King of copycats. The country has managed to create an entire market for faux
goods. From North Face pullovers and Charmin toilet paper to fake pork and
alcohol, China has managed to counterfeit every item under the sun with exact
precision. The Silk Street Market is 7 floors of every product ever imagined –
Nike, Tory Burch, Swiss Army, Coach, Chauco, North Face, Toms. If you are in
the mood, take a walk around this shopping mecca and be ready to bargain your
face off. Stay tuned for an upcoming post about my bargaining adventure at the
Silk Street Market.
There’s too much to do in Beijing - The Bell and Drum Tower,
Temple of Heaven, the Beijing Zoo! These suggestions are some of the things I
did during my few days but you can see and do so much more!
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