Beijing is big, bold, bustling and brave. Big is actually mega. Bold are the grandiose monoliths. Bustling with thousands of commuters cycling and driving every minute down its vast avenues. Bravely determined to survive the pollution smog that covers the sky. Let’s find out the top activities for visitors to enjoy.
Can the man on the moon see me? Here I am, on top of the Great Wall of China, raising my arms heavenwards. I imagine I’m holding a sword in my hand like a Han dynasty warrior, looking out for the enemy. What I see instead is an army of tourists huffing and puffing their way up to my vantage position.
Those of longer breath and sturdy physiques are rewarded by one of the most compelling views ever. 6700 km long, the wall snakes sinuously over mountains and valleys, far as the eye can see on both sides. Did Neil Armstrong really spot it from outer space? Who cares? Not the millions of tourists from around the world, who come wall-climbing every year.
Classified internationally as a world class heritage, the Great Wall of China straddles North China’s mountains and was built originally as a military defensive wall to prevent nomadic tribes from entering China. Looking down at the steep slopes from one of the fortified tops, it’s hard to imagine savages slithering up instead of down in the dead of night, but this is what history reminds us. Francis Yu, our historian guide who speaks perfect English, is the provocative type. He offers us pithy Chinese sayings, like: “Not having been on top of the Great Wall, you are not a real man.” All thoughts of shopping from the neatly arranged rows of souvenir stalls forgotten, it’s the women who take this saying seriously.
The guide-book recommends you wear sensible walking shoes and do not, repeat, do not climb if you have a bad back. You can take the cable car up to the higher point. Either way, the Great Wall is a powerful cultural icon and a stunning visual experience. The best place to access the Great Wall is from Badaling, 80 km from Beijing.
Strolling out of my hotel the first night, I hear a cacophony of sounds coming from someplace close by. I turn left and literally stumble into Tiananmen Square. The square is full of children running about, grandmothers seated side by side, husbands smoking, many flying gaily-coloured large kites. And all of this at midnight!
Chairman Mao’s huge portrait looks down upon his once-upon-a-time subjects in the largest city-square in the world, covering 40,000 square metres. Tiananmen (the Gate of Heavenly Peace) was the front gateway to the Imperial Palace in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was here on October 1, 1949, that Mao celebrated the founding of the People’s Republic of China by hosting a grand ceremony.
In the 1980s, entire traditional neighbourhoods, known as Hutongs (single floor courtyard homes tucked away in narrow alleys), were pulled down to be replaced by towering glass and steel monoliths! But some Hutongs still exist and are must-visits. Three streets in Beijing, the Guozijian, Nanluoguxiang and Gulou Dajie are closely linked to Hutong’s unique cultural and architectural heritage. Guitar shops abound in Gulou Dajie, so don’t be surprised if you see and hear a lot of impromptu jamming!
You can pick up old and quirky merchandise in Guozijian! Besides its numerous clothing shops, pottery outlets, and photo gallery, Nanluoguxiang is also full of old-fashioned shops, film spools and tiny niche-in-the-wall shops. Foodies will be thrilled to see streets filled with good restaurants with outdoor or rooftop dining options.
For the first-time visitor, there is available a plethora of riches in history that are beautifully preserved. We started our sightseeing at another of Beijing’s historic sites – the ‘Grand Temple of Heaven’. Built in 1420, on the belief that the Heaven is round and the Earth square (I sometimes believe this too), this is where our Ming-Qing friends offered prayers for good harvests. It is China’s largest temple complex. The Grand Temple is also a Palace Museum, and was formerly known as the Forbidden City, a name I much prefer. You will marvel at some of the 9,999 rooms in the Forbidden City, where commoners could not raise their eyes to look at their emperors. Over 1,00,000 artisans and one million workers took 14 years (1406-1420 AD) to build the magnificent legacy, where each emperor had three wives and 72 concubines. Wonder where they got their energy!
Most Chinese restaurants have a huge menu with hundreds of items from the local cuisines. The menus are like big books with pictures for each dish and if you are lucky, have also got English names. If nothing is mentioned in English, look around and ask your waiter what the other diners are eating. This is common practice. You can also download an app called Waygo that translates menu items into English.
What’s a trip to Beijing without eating duck? Recommended is Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant (tel : (86-10) 5169 0328) at Nanxincang, the old imperial granary northeast of the Forbidden City. Crispier and less fatty than other birds, this place has the best Peking duck in town.
An hour’s drive out of downtown Beijing brings us to the Ming Tombs. An artistically laid out courtyard, with mountain ridges on three sides nearby gives an amphitheatre-style quality to the complex. I purchase a small vial with frolicking pandas painted on the inside of the glass. It’s important to visit the Underground Palace, where all the unearthed cultural relics are displayed. Of the total 13 Ming Tombs, all of which were discovered by chance a couple hundred years ago, the tomb of Dingling is the one that was excavated completely. I can smell the fragrance emanating from the apple trees that line the sacred road. I can visualise the stone carved larger-than-life camels, elephants, lions and emperors double my height, that line the paved pathway. I admire the reverence that the Chinese hold for their ancestors and monuments.
Grand ideas and ancient grandiose monuments are everywhere. Like the expensive Olympic stadium. In 1998, the entire world watching the Beijing Olympics stared with amazement at the stunningly designed stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest! This $423 million stadium is the world’s largest steel structure. Years ago, the venue’s owners announced the stadium would be turned into a shopping and entertainment complex. That did not happen. The stadium still draws in 20,000 to 30,000 visitors a day! It is scheduled to host the Opening and Closing ceremonies of 2022 Winter Olympics.
I appreciate this city whose population matches that of Mumbai. It has over 10 million bicycles, and the effect tells on the large number of trim physiques and figures. I am amazed that most people have cheerful faces in public and equally, that it is so safe to walk around at midnight. I am impressed that every single aspect of the tourism industry works like clockwork. I am grateful that there are no beggars to pester the unwary tourist. I agree with Confucius who wrote, “Is it not a pleasure to have a friend come from afar?” The pleasure is entirely ours.
Beijing is a shopper’s paradise. Branded stores from around the globe like Prada, Versace, Lamborghini and MiuMiu line the exterior of the malls, with advertisements soaking up much of the structure’s exterior. Locals, who dress to impress, are garbed from head to toe in Armani, Gucci and Dior. Sanlitun Village is perhaps the most common meeting point in Beijing for expats and foreigners.
But other malls cater to the locals, like the fancy Shin Kong Place, which boasts designer gear and is the place to see and be seen for locals. There are also exciting markets to browse through, including the famous Silk Market. You’ll find knock-offs from every major brand at reasonable prices. You’re expected to bargain hard if you want a great deal.
Arriving
Taxis at Beijing Capital International Airport are plentiful; the ride costs around $40 and can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on the traffic. The drivers don’t speak English, so it’s important to have the hotel name written in Chinese. There’s also a train that whisks you in 23 minutes to a fairly central station, from which you can cab it to your hotel.
Money
Tipping is rare in Beijing and waiters will run out into the street to return the money you must have accidentally left on the table. Speaking of cash, hit the ATMs regularly. Hotels, boutiques and upscale dining venues geared to tourists and foreigners will take plastic, but most local establishments don’t.
Bargaining
Newer malls and international chain stores have fixed prices, but in street markets, tourists are regarded as fair game, and the first price asked is usually 10 times more than what the trader will finally settle for. Sometimes it’s even higher. As ever, walking away will bring the price down.
Transport
The subway is the best way to beat Beijing’s increasingly gridlocked traffic. At less than a dollar, for a ride to anywhere in the city, it’s also the best bargain going. There are plenty of biking opportunities and bike lanes left over from the glory days when two-wheelers were kings of the road. Be sure to buy a helmet. If you’re heading out on foot, be careful as Beijing streets are conjusted with crowds and motorists.
Reflexology
Your tour is bound to leave you footsore, so do like the Beijingers and book a session of reflexology (foot massage). Locals believe that it not only relieves aching feet but also cures a whole range of ills. There are salons all over the town. The Liangzi Foot Body Massage Centres, with 30 branches in Beijing, are great.