Beijing 2010
Shortly after our 5-day Shanghai Tour, we had a day’s rest back in Hong Kong, and then it was off to the Capital, Beijing…. go go go!
This time, my Auntie Mei joined us to check out the sights. Living in HK, she has done a bit of travelling, but never to the Capital – as was with us. Roll on the big smoke!
…. Another early morning on the MTR out to HK International – this airport was becoming all too familiar 
Beijing welcomed us with somewhat overcast weather, and what was soon to be pollution trapped beneath the overcast… it was grey, and hazey.
Central City looked a little like Shanghai, but without the lovely bund, and Pearl Tower… crazy insects, offal, weird and wonderful street food/meat was on show…. we weren’t too brave actually, but it was pretty interesting to watch others chow-on-down!
Our tour was a bit more varied than the Shanghai one – we walked through old emperor gardens, picked some peaches in the village, did some boating, hiked part of the Great Wall and visited Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City and the Olympic Village.
Highlights include the Famous Kung-Fu Show, a rickshaw ride though some outskirt suburb/random area just out of town, the Wall and the searing hot weather!
Along with the usual Beijing sights, we got exposed to the tourist marketing thirsty for our tourist dollars in the trade for silk duvets, clothing, jade, chinese tea and medicine again The food was excellent, albeit with a heap of chillis (Schezuan)….. burn!
Travelling with the tour group, we managed the long days, eating-fest and traffic jams ok – I think it would be a different story visiting there on your own bat, having to negotiate the packed metro-stations, people with limited english and not really knowing where’s up or down? I reckon it would be pretty fun!
Until next time – i’m sure it won’t be recognizable in a few more years – things are moving so quickly there, and it is such a massive city, almost overwhelming when you hear the stories of population explosion over the last few decades.
Photos by Victor Gin, Sep 5, 2010
leave a comment