When everyone was talking the USA, I always wanted to visit Asia and especially China first. Not many friends shared this with me (well, none of them), so I was so happy when my mum came up with the idea that the next holidays we could go to China!!! 🙂
China is a vast and therefore each part is kinda different. As a tourist, I have visited the famous places you will find in the guidebook. We started in Bejing and ended in Shangai.
BEJING
Everything that you have heard about Beijing is right. What I mean is pollution, pollution and pollution. Firstly I thought, it is just weather, but that mist that was all over the city didn´t disappear the other day. It was smog and pollution. The whole town was literally eaten by this.
But honestly, this is part of it, right? The experience of proper China 😉 I also should mention, that this trip was organised by a travel agency. Which was good, because we don´t speak any Chinese and to be frank not many Chinese speaks English.
Our hotel was beautiful, once we split to rooms took a quick peek, we got dinner ready. Because we are Czechs, we got more meat than they serve usually. And lots of vegetables and of course, rice! 🙂 Sounds great right? But do not be mistaken… This is not the authentical Chinese food. Well, I have to say, unfortunately!
The first place we visited The Temple of Heaven. Place where members of dynasties Ming and Quing held the Heaven Worship Ceremonies. The Temple of Heaven is a complex of Taoist temples in a historical part of Bejing. It is the most essential complex in China. You can walk there for hours and hours. But! Be ready for lots of people! Usually, not only foreign tourist but also Chinese tourists -> villagers and most of them have no idea how to behave -> pushing!! It is entirely up to you what you will see.
I would recommend: Circular Mound Altar – seems bit flat but has its charm after all. Around there are beautiful Bells!! Walk straight and imagine all those kings walking the same path as you. Quite cool huh? 🙂 Continue, and you will reach -> Altar of Prayer for Good Harvest – magnificent Altar. The architecture is impressive and precise!!!
We continued to see the Beijing Opera house until we reached the Tiananmen Square.
This square brings many memories, especially the historical ones. This is the place wherein 1998 peaceful demonstrations against the regime was brutally suppressed. Who knows a little bit of history will probably know about this. Anyway, it is huge and I mean huge square! Impossible to imagine that it was full of people. At the square, you can find several things like Monument to the People´s Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China or the Mausoleum of Mao who has there also picture because he is considered as a great leader of China. Also, you can find there two great towers – > bell and drum towers.
At the end of the day we decided to taste bit street cuisine, so we went to Wangfujing street. You can find here everything that we Europeans would consider exotic! From crickets to scorpions and spiders. But as well as noodle soups and fruits.
After tasteful dinner, we got some wine (The Great Wall), which was quite thematic because the next sight we should visit the Great Wall. The Great Wall is, well, great hahaha. It is 3460km long and it is the only sight which is visible from the universe! It was built during the dynasty Ming. It should protect them from the Mongolian attacks. We went there in the morning and surprise surprise, it was empty!! Probably we were lucky but it was really cool!! We climbed some stairs to see the amazing view!! ❤
The other day we have planned the excursion to the Tibetian Hospital. They show us how they treat patients, explain us the use of herbs and insects. They believe that the prevention is the crucial part! They also did us the basic examination during which they check your white eye, your tongue and your pulse. Then they will tell you what problems you can probably suffer. In the end, we had foot massage which was absolutely amazing! The guy recognised that I have a backache only from my feet! :-O
The next day we were visiting Yonghegong Lama Temple.
Historically and by its size, it is one of the biggest temples of Tibetan Buddhism in the World. The architecture is fantastic, a combo of Chinese and Tibetan style! There are big containers with three burning incense sticks, people bow there and pray.
The afternoon we spent in the Forbidden City. It´s a city in the city and almost over 500 years was forbidden to go there. The dinner was quite special, we had a Peking Duck. Well, what can I say, it was very good!! 🙂 After that, we just chilled while watching an acrobatic show -> Beijing Chao Yang (almost like a circus).
When you are in Beijing, you also need to see a Bird´s Nest aka Beijing National Stadium. Place of Olympic games 2008 and World Championship 2015. We spend there just a short time, because there is not much to see, cause there is nothing around. The revitalization which usually is happening during the Olympic Games wasn´t really successful.
The other important sight on your list should be Summer Palace.
Funny fact about this place: This was Palace of empress Cch´-si. She built this Palace instead of making an army to protect her country. And the funny thing lays by the end, where is in the water a big marble boat. 😀 Do you got it?? So smart she was hahaha!!!
And the last thing you can add to your list “must do” is visit a tea room and taste many different types of teas! 🙂 Really refreshing and educational!!
Well to remind myself all those places I have seen, I can say… Thank you Beijing, you´re fantastic, but I will probably not coming back any time soon! 😀
My Little Dreams 