The great capital of one of the biggest counties in the world! Most people get to experience this city through the fabrication of many tails about it, the stereotypes built upon its reputation, as well as what the wonderful World Wide Web gives us to understand it. I will say that all expectations about it were quickly falsified the minute I stepped into the city of Beijing.
To begin with, I went on what is known as the beginning of the winter stages, therefore I got little pollution impression, in comparison to my city of residence, Shanghai. To put it in perspective, the average pollution ranges in Shanghai are of the 80-130 daily. The pollution rate of Beijing during my stay was of an average of 65 on the scale. A pleasant surprise if I may say so. I was fortunate to have traveled along the side of three gentleman who made the experience quite unforgettable. We booked a private tour to the main monumental sites of Beijing (which I highly recommend anyone do; it’s inexpensive and well worth it as a first timer).
My favorite part of the entire weekend was of course the visit to one the world’s 7 wonders; The Great Wall of China!Its majestic architecture and history were unlike anything I have ever seen before. And although it was quite a hike, and the altitude made it a bit cold, the experience was well worth every second and penny invested.
Another thing you must experience while in Beijing is the traditional roasted duck dinner. This is a typical plate which you can get in many places in the city. However, we decided to go outside of the budget and splurge a little and have a really nice duck dinner.
From drinks to sauces, to side dishes to roasted duck, every second of that dinner was unforgettable. Overall, people were extremely nice, little pollution, and great company. I say Beijing was a success with high recommendation!