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They say that first impressions mean a lot, and Beijing did a wonderful job of warming us up and making us feel comfortable. It's an extremely big city, about 13 million, but it maintains a certain calmness which masks any big city feel. By comparison, it's about the same size as Delhi, but in the same way that a clean and quiet spot couldn't be found there, a dirty or overly noisy one can't be found here. The cars drive in their lanes, the people act like people and garbage mysteriously hides itself. All in all, the first impression that Beijing gave is the lasting one that I will carry in my mind.
On our first day in Beijing we went to the Temple of Heaven park which is a huge 267 hectare area in the middle of the city which houses buildings built in the 1500's which were used for praying for things like good harvests, atonement and spiritual clearance to the afterlife. The outer park was very quiet and we walked for an hour in the peace and quiet and were able to completely lose the fact that we were in such a large city. We snuck a
peak at some of the buildings which were used for prayers, but we skipped paying the entrance fee and joining the bus loads of Chinese tourists visiting them.
The next day we got up and went for a walk around the city starting in the famous Tiananmen Square and then continued on without visiting much in particular. It was a much nicer feeling being able to just blend in and not stand out or have people staring at us. We walked down quiet streets and saw the peaceful lifestyle that can exist in the big city, with men playing chess or cards on the street and small restaurants preparing meat for the night. I guess I have to mention that as much as it is quiet, it still is a big city with some big city issues. The heavy smog that hangs in the air makes seeing the blue sky a treat, and the same big American franchises that you can find anywhere are here. McDonalds and KFC are normal and popular with the people here much as they are at home.
Sunday we went to the Forbidden City which was the fortified city used by the Ming
and Qing dynasties. It lies in the middle of Beijing, but for 500 years it was closed to visitors and only those who had anything to do with the emperors or their families would enter the gates. We toured the city seeing many great displays of Chinese architecture along with exhibits with pottery, clocks and jewellery from throughout the history of China. After the Forbidden City we walked through Tiananmen Square again just for the simple fact that it was on our way back to the hostel, and because it is a place that gives an impressing feeling whenever you stand in it.
On Monday we were up early to catch a van to take us to the Great Wall. We passed on going to the parts of the wall that most tourists go to and instead chose a section that would take longer to get to, but that we felt would give us a better experience. By the time we picked up the other 5 travellers that day and made it to the wall it was 10 am. We climbed a steep set of stairs through the forest to the guard tower which we would start from, and
then we began a 10km trek along the wall to our meeting spot with the driver. I have to admit that the wall is much more impressive that I could have ever thought. It's maybe not as tall or as wide in most places as I had pictured, but it just keeps going and going. We started our trek at Jinshanling and went to Simatai, and the 4 hour hike took us through much steeper and jagged terrain than I ever could have thought. The wall became steep and crazy steep at points as it weaved its way to a guard tower at a peak, then back down the opposite side as it searched for yet another peak to climb. Parts of the wall were a workout for the legs and lungs, but it's an experience that goes very,very high in my list of most amazing things I've ever seen. It is another example of the type of experience that pictures or words can't really do justice for and the only way to truly know, is to see it and feel it in the moment. After climbing the wall and the three hour drive back to the hostel it was
an early to bed night.
Today, our last in Beijing, we decided to go see the Olympic Park and the famous "bird's nest" stadium. Getting there involved taking the Beijing subway, which went smooth and ranks as the easiest experience I have ever had trying to travel by subway. (Tokyo-too many people, Montreal-language barrier :P) I was travelling (as usual) when the Olympics were held, so never really saw any of them and did not even really have much of an idea what the main buildings looked like. The entire Olympic area is impressive, due to it's size, cleanliness and general design. The buildings and location all look as if they were just built and developed (which is true), and the entire area added to the sense that China truly is a country with all of the right skills and assets to make itself a powerhouse on the world scene. While that holds true to how I feel, it is a fact that the Olympic area has not seen a lot of use since the Olympics themselves. The stadium seats 80000 people but has not really had to host many events since the closing ceremonies in 2008. The area
relies on tourism and there are talks of turning the area into a tourist zone with hotels, shops and restaurants. Whatever the plan is, I'm sure it will look spectacular and be worth visiting. On our way back we again stopped at Tiananmen to watch the flag lowering ceremony that takes place every night. The police block traffic as soldiers carry the flag from the square across to the Forbidden City, where it spends the night resting from a long day of flapping in the wind.
To sum up the Beijing experience, I have to say that I am completely and utterly imprressed by this city. I don't often recommend people to visit a place, because I think everyone can get a unique experience no matter where they go, but I would definitely not hesitate to tell someone that Beijing is the real deal. We've eaten Chinese food every night (If I did that at home I'd get told I was gross), and it has been a great experience from peanut chicken to noodles with egg to dumplings the food itself has been a highlight.
However, just as we have gotten comfortable in China, it's time to leave
for a bit. We fly tomorrow to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. The temperature will take a bit of a dip to about 20 degrees, but we are excited for the potential and possibility of what we can do and see in a lesser known country. The plan is about 2 weeks in Mongolia, then return to China. We'll see what's in store for us......
Pour les lecteurs francophones: Si la vache eternue deux fois, c'est que tu serres trop fort... as my french gets better I can keep giving little insights to life. 😉
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