The Forbidden City
If you’re a planning a trip to Beijing, The Forbidden city is an attraction you definitely want to add to your itinerary list.
The Forbidden City is pretty much a grandeur ancient imperial palace located in the heart of Beijing. And once upon a time it served as home to Ming and Qing dynastic Emperors. Or, simply put, an important historical monument and a giant Chinese castle. It is a collection of stunning architecture, magnificent halls, and royal pavilions on 74 hectares of land. It was once a city within a city, built for royalty and unseen by the ordinary, but now us peasants can visit too!
IMPORTANT TIP: You must have your passport with you in order to purchase tickets!
TIPS: Bring: 1. Tissue/Toilet paper 2. Hand sanitizer 3. Hand wipes 4. Toilet seat covers 5. H2o 6. Good walking shoes 7. Maybe some snacks
NOTE: The restrooms around The Forbidden City are sort of gross and smelly! And gasp, it does not come with toilet paper or soap! For the sake of personal hygiene, please come packed and prepared.
WANG FU JING shopping district
Wang Fu Jing shopping district is a lively and touristy pedestrian-only shopping street in Beijing, China. It's a place where modern retail therapy meets traditional Chinese architecture.
My friend recommended me to check out Wang Fu Jing after receiving my whiney texts about how I had nothing to wear (even though my suitcase full of clothes might object). Finding out there was a Zara and H&M there sealed the deal; I was like, “dude, I’m there!”. And after days without coffee, I was ecstatic to find out there was a Starbucks there.
Unfortunately, the Starbucks was gross. Ok, so it wasn’t absolutely nasty, but it definitely tasted different than it does in the states. But truth to be told, I also did not know how to order my usual drink– grande ice coffee with a shot of hazelnut, and half and half – so that might have played a part in whatever it is that I ended up drinking. On the other hand, the shopping and dining options there were pretty awesome. I picked up several pieces of clothing to wear for the rest of my trip, and then had the best dan-dan mein ever at a restaurant that I don't remember the name of.
It does get unusual. There were many familiar stores such as Forever 21, Prada, The Apple Store, Hermes, etc...and then bam! A row of street food venders selling fried scorpions, silk worms, crickets and other wonderfully fried and crunchy insects. Yours truly decided to neither be brave or adventurous, but if you’re in the mood to try some pretty exotic snacks (or maybe live out your Fear Factor dreams) Wang Fu Jing has got you covered! This place could be your one stop shop for the usual and the unusual.
Cineaste Garden Hotel
The Cineaste Garden Hotel is a 5 star Hotel located in the Huairou district, Beijing
and across China's largest film studio. The rooms are modern, clean, and decorated to resemble a film set. The only problem is that it is about an hour away from central Beijing, so it was a pain in the ass getting to all the tourist attractions!
Cineaste Restaurant
"Chinese famous film town", Huairou District
Right across the Cineaste Garden Hotel lies China’s largest film studio. I took the photos above by cracking open the window in my room and waving my hand out with my camera. Yeah, a couple sweaty palm moments there.
They are currently filming a new movie called “China Salesmen” starring a pretty international casts. I had the good fortune of being invited as a guest to check out the movie set and meet the actors. I’ll most likely write another blog post with photos and details – once I figure out what I'm allowed to share!
The Great Wall of China, Mutianyu Section
Climbing The Great Wall of China was probably the highlight of my trip and boy was it a climb! Well, between you and me I took the cable car up. But we’ll just keep that on the down low ;).
The Great Wall of China is deservingly one of the seven wonders of the world and measures a staggering 13,171 mi long. It is a stunning display of ancient Chinese engineering and one of the largest man made structures in the world. This is a must visit location for all travel enthusiast. Not to mention all you wall enthusiast. Because this is totally the Hermes of walls.
There are multiple sections/parts of The Great Wall that you can tour. The top ten most popular sections include: Badaling, Juyongguan, Huanghuacheng, Jiankou, Mutianyu, Gubeikou, Jinshanling, Simatai, and Huangyaguan. And depending on what you’re looking for in a wall, each one of these lovely sections have something slightly different to offer.
For instance, Badaling is the most popular with tourists because it has the most comprehensive facilities. With an array of shopping and dining options, a Great Wall Museum, and a barrier-free access for the disabled.
Mutianyu is the most restored section of The Great Wall and I was told it's significantly less crowded than Badaling.
The Jiankou section is the wild bitch of the bunch. Original, unrestored, steep, and perilous. For serious hikers only! Maybe I'll have a go at it in my next life time.
<3,
Sharon
