Blogs from Beijing, China, Asia - page 2

HUANGHUACHENG GREAT WALL Another early start and we transferred 45 miles out of Beijing to reach the Huanghuacheng section of the Great Wall of China. So very different to our visit to the Jinshanling Section a few days ago this part of the wall edges the side of Haoming Lake. The Huanghuacheng wall is divided by reservoirs, and some parts are even submerged in the water, which is a very unique characteristic, distinguishing it from other sections of the Great Wall. Again the first sight of the wall takes your breathe away - this time as we approached the area the wall was snaking across the green hills, stopping here and there where it had disappeared into the undergrowth or dropped off the edge of the mountain tops. We were directed across a massive dam to ... read more

ON THE ROAD AGAIN Well it has been absolutely ages since we were last travelled and I really do miss our frequent wanderings around the globe, although we have had many journeys throughout the UK it was now time to get ‘abroad’ again. … … Last year we visited India and enjoyed every moment and for our main break this year we decided it was time for us to visit ancient China. We very nearly visited in 2014 but ended up only reaching the border in the north of Vietnam when we visited Sapa and the surrounds. We have many pleasant memories of our time in the north of Vietnam which you can read about in previous blogs if you wish. Of course we would not have travelled now if we knew we would be escaping ... read more

Day 38 to 40 of 80 Birds Nest but no soup Up before the crack of dawn on Monday, 2 Sept. In Tiananmen Square they have a twice-daily flag ceremony - morning raising timed for sunrise, evening lowering at sunset. We have seen the crowds coming away from the evening performance so decided raising was best. But that was 05.42 on Monday, and we wanted to allow up to an hour or more to get there, and get through security. So, alarm for 04.00, out before 04.30. In the end we were at security queue by 04.50 but they didn't open up until 05.00. We were still 3 or 4 rows back from the barrier though. There were thousands there, with all the usual Chinese good manners and etiquette. The ceremony, although viewed from further than ... read more

Days 34 to 37 of 80 Thursday, and our Forbidden City visit, Part 2, was more successful than Tuesday's attempt. This time we had booked tickets. This time we entered by the East, the reverse from the way we had left on Tuesday, thereby avoiding all the Tiananmen Square kerfuffle and security checks. Also, the entrance was nowhere near as jammed packed as on Tuesday. Looks like Tuesday was suffering from 'it was closed on the day before' syndrome. That's not to say that it was quiet and empty. Far from it, especially along its central axis. The City is aligned as a long rectangle, North/South with all its key buildings, 'Gates', 'Halls' and 'Palaces' aligned along that centre line. But 75% of the City is away, East and West, behind the walls that define the ... read more

Dear Blog Readers, Back to toilet reading business! 3 weeks exploring the wonderful sights and sounds of China await. Untypical of us, we have squeezed in the tightest itinerary we could fathom and our first two stops are Beijing and Xi'an. But first...a bit of life admin to cover off first for those thinking of travelling to China! Firstly, for us in the UK and most countries around the world you're going to need to get a visa before going to China. This can be done initially online (https://bio.visaforchina.org/LON2_EN/) where you complete the extensive application form (it'll take a good hour). You'll also need to have booked everything in advance as you need to prove this at the face-to-face appointment. We managed to get flights for £450 with the luxury Ukrainian Airlines and did all our ... read more