The Wall, The Square and a Rabbit: Things to do in Beijing

You know that sense of satisfactory achievement you get; that euphoria you feel when you accomplish a long-held goal, that's the feeling I got, and much more, when I took a trip to Beijing. Anyone who ever held a conversation with me about traveling the world can attest to how much I'd talked about visiting the Great Wall of China, among other significant places. It was the sole purpose of my trip to Beijing, though the city more than surpassed my expectations. My hope is that this post might give you the extra encouragement you need to explore the world beyond you...as best you can.

After my girl Lolade and I split up at the airport, she remained in Thailand, flying to Chiang Mai and Phuket, before heading to Singapore. I continued my trip solo to Beijing. If you've been following my travel posts, you'd know this is the third country I've visited completely solo (Austria & Hungary being the other two.) I traveled to South Africa on my own in 2013, but that was different. I traveled for work so I had contacts once I arrived. Plus I had some friends living in Johannesburg who made my stay a little more homely. Moreover, I had made a prior visit to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria with a group to cover the 2010 World Cup so overall I was more comfortable. 

Why am I saying all this? Because I think it's important to note that you don't have to wait until your spouse's/boyfriend's/girlfriend's/best friend's schedule aligns with yours to take that trip of a lifetime. Not saying you shouldn't make plans to travel with someone special. I secretly wish I have someone with me anytime I'm taking in some breathtaking view or sight. But if you ever have the opportunity, a solo trip is worth it. You learn a lot about yourself. I know I have.
 

After an eight-hour flight, which included a delayed stopover in Hong Kong, I arrived in Beijing sometime after 1 a.m. I had no problem clearing immigration quickly, but getting a taxi proved to be a much longer wait. Through my research I knew to avoid private taxis, who stalk foreigners so closely like leeches, but I still wasn't prepared for the magnitude. Or maybe I was just too tired to want to be bothered at all. Being the obvious tourist I was hounded endlessly, even while queuing patiently for a local taxi. If you find yourself in this position, my advice is to stick to the local metered taxis no matter the pressure or language barrier. Private taxis have been known to charge an exorbitant amount that could be as much as quadruple the price of a metered one. Some reports have complained of being dropped off and abandoned at the wrong locations. The queue to get into a metered taxi was rather long, but there was something to be said about how even locals queued patiently without budging. It gave me a sense of security seeing so many people waiting in line. It was well organized and didn't take more than 30 minutes (sorry I'd lost all sense of time at that point, so it could've be more or less.) 

More than a few reviews for my hotel, the Penta Hotel Beijing, cited the difficulty drivers had in finding it, but my taxi driver had no issues. I'd printed my address in Mandarin as well, which is very much recommended, but I didn't even need it. The security personnel manning the queue glanced briefly at my phone, spoke Mandarin for about 5 seconds to my driver, who nodded, and we were off. I was very relieved as I didn't want to spend any more time driving around at 2 a.m. My metered rate came to about 103 RMB (about $16), which fell on the low side of the 100-120 RMB range mentioned in reviews. It actually included a five-minute period of traffic build-up by a highway construction. My hotel was quite spacious, nice and clean, though reviews on the poor free internet are accurate. You can spend 130 RMB on a three-day upgrade for faster service. I opted to use my T-mobile Hotspot hooked up to my laptop, which was exponentially faster.

Since my main reason for visiting China was to climb the wall, I thought I could do it first and get it out of the way. But going to sleep after 3 a.m. didn't put me in the kind of mood for the recommended 7 a.m. start for a trip to Mutianyu (the portion of the Wall I chose to climb.) Change of plans. I canceled my trip, which I booked through the hotel, but since I couldn't fall back asleep immediately, I surfed Trip Advisor to see if I could get a better deal than what my hotel offered. I'm so glad I did, but I'll delve into that later. After some much needed sleep, I was ready to start my day with a trip to the Forbidden City, more formerly known as the Imperial Palace, and Tiananmen Square.

My brunch of champions, courtesy of Pizza Hut. Got me going.

It was so much better than my trip to the temples in Bangkok. Even if I hadn't rented the audio guide  for 40 RMB (about $6), I would still have left with a better experience because of its organization. Plus, for 60 RMB ($10), I had a spectacular time. Once you go through the initial entrance at the Gate of Heavenly Peace, which lies in front of the square, be prepared for a two-hour journey whisking through temple after temple. It is definitely a miniature city. One of my highlights was the Lovers Tree, a Pine and Cypress tree, more than 300 years old, which, over time, became intertwined like two lovers holding hands.  It sits in the garden of the Imperial Palace and signifies tranquility and a harmonious marriage. It is a popular tourist stop for tourists who hope to receive some of its aura. Another breathtaking spot worthy of amazing photos is the Hall of Supreme Harmony, though you can probably get tons of memorable photos from any section within the walls of this city's massive compound.

Touring the Imperial Palace

Lovers Tree evokes tranquility

I walked the 2500m from the north entrance of the City to the square, where I took some more pictures and video of the Monument to People's Heroes, situated at the south end of the square, and the changing of the guards. To the north of the square is the entrance to the Imperial Palace. The National Museum of China and the Great Hall of the People (meeting place of the Congress,) complete the east and west ends of the square.

The Great Hall of the People

National Museum of China

I should point out that every subway station and significant site has a metal detector and bag scanner, which only adds to the build up of human traffic around tourist spots. So if you can, start your day early when you're likely to meet less people. Being a black girl, it didn't matter much because I was constantly hounded for pictures by curious locals who were fascinated by the black girl in their midst. It was quite strange and amusing at first, but eventually became annoying. It was strange getting so much unwanted attention just because of the color of my skin. By the end of my trip, I must have posed for at least 25 pictures with strangers, and had another score or more taken of me without any discretion. At least no one touched my Afrocentric (read natural) hair, which I've heard is not uncommon. So if you decide to visit as a black tourist, be prepared for your celebrity experience.

Changing of the guards

I took the train back to the hotel to rest for a bit. Then I went back out to the Wangfujing Shopping Street Mall, allegedly one of the biggest street shopping destinations in Beijing. Its looks similar to Times Square as you approach, complete with several high-end stores. Until you make the turn into the food vendors and street vendors. I scoured the street vendors and bought some things to remind me of my trip. While tons of people sampled unique street foods like fried scorpion, I took pictures. I didn't dare try anything there, not even the roasted corn I spotted on a grill, which I happen to love. I spotted a restaurant called The Rice Kitchen as I walked back to the subway, and figured it looked safe enough to try authentic Chinese food. If you know me, you know I won't go near any Chinese joint in the U.S. I don't mind Chinese food, I just don't like the versions served in other parts of the world. Lol. My sizzling scallion lamb with rice and egg was great.

Alas, the day arrived. Off to the Great Wall! I was up an hour and a half before my alarm. After canceling my hotel-booked trip yesterday, I scoured Trip Advisor to see if I could find a cheaper rate, and found Simon. For 600 RMB ($96) he drove me to the Mutianyu section of the wall, which is about an hour and a half to two hours outside Beijing. For an additional 50 RMB ($8) he included a stop at the Summer Palace.

The towers in this graphic appear much closer than the real thing

 
Once we got to the wall, I paid 58 RMB for the entry and shuttle fee for the site, though Simon had a special permit allowing him park closer to the entrance (a good deal, especially as I drove past the long lines queuing for the return shuttle. I essentially paid the fee to him.) At 9:30 a.m., I started my climb from Tower 6 after getting dropped off by a sky lift. It's definitely worth coming early to avoid the mass crowd that I ran into while descending from the top. Just like when I went sky diving, I think the climb is better done with someone to take it all in with. But I still loved every minute of the experience.

The steepest climb on the Wall

I had to take a few more pictures with curious tourists, not as much as the previous day, however. But I got an unexpected surprise when I recognized a friend from South Korea, who I had met while taking selfies in front of the Forbidden City. Jordan saw me taking selfies at the square and offered to take pictures of me if I returned the gesture. I was definitely shocked to spot him, before he saw me I might add, while on my way down. I still can't believe how I recognized him among the sea of faces. Here's a video of our encounter, with me sweaty-faced and all.

It took me two hours to make my ascent to the top and another hour to come down (mostly due to the increased traffic from thousands of visitors.) Warning to potential climbers, it isn't the easiest climb, and it only gets tougher and steeper the higher you climb. You should also try to visit the restroom before you start as there are no bathrooms along the path. I ignored Simon's advice...and let's just say it was my first stop when I reached ground level.

Passed by these college graduates on my way down. Cool idea

I was so tired when I finally completed my trip that I had to nap in the car while Simon drove to the Summer Palace. However, it wasn't enough to get me fired up about touring the palace grounds. I think the nonstop pace I had been operating on since Bangkok, the various time changes I had undergone, and the toll the climb had put on my body had caught up to me. I wasn't too eager to explore many of the palace's attractions. Instead I started out at the north gate entrance and followed the long corridor (the main path around the palace,) stopping to take pictures at places that caught my eye; particularly a scenic spot by the water. I When I exited, I knew I wouldn't be making it to the Temple of Heavenly peace even though I still had plenty of time.

Simon dropped me off at a popular food street to get a taste of spicy Chinese food. I think it was Gui Jie (Ghost Street,) known for its brightly lit streets and spicy servings, but the truth is I could hardly remember. I wandered around for a bit before settling at a random restaurant. I ordered the Chengdu spicy rabbit, because I wanted to try something I'd never had (like I did with ostrich in South Africa). But I really didn't enjoy it. For one, I was served several pieces of a rabbit's head so it was very bony, with very little meat on it. And, while I like a little spice, the whole meal was made up of lots of pepper, all cut up and mixed with oil, pieces of rabbits heads and something else that looked like garlic and tasted like potatoes. Let's just say I wouldn't recommend it.

Chengdu spicy rabbit was all pepper, no meat

I caught the subway back to my hotel still hungry, and hung around the hotel lobby until my flight back home since it was starting to rain. I ordered something from the noodle bar at the hotel, which didn't taste great. Not even the spring rolls I ordered after to get rid of my hunger was nice. So I gave up and passed the time watching movies and surfing the internet until my 2 a.m. flight.

There was so much I didn't get to do since I only had two days to explore the city. So I wouldn't mind coming back in the future. But if you ask me what the highlight of my trip was, or what one thing I would recommend you must do if you find yourself in Beijing, it'll definitely be to climb the Great Wall!