Entrance to forbidden city

First impressions of Beijing

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June 4th 2008
Had two whole days in Beijing now. The first thing that strikes you about Beijing is the sheer scale of the city and the second is how much construction is taking place. Unfortunately some of the places listed in the Rough Guide have made way to new developments or they are currently being renovated. On our first day we walked round the forbidden city to get to Tiananmen square. It's vast! ... read more

Asia » China » Beijing

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For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. A... ... read more