China (Beijing) Sept 2010 D-2 & D-3

Hostel: Beijing Jade Youth Hostel - CNY50 dorm (2 nights)
Bus + Metro: CNY18
Train: Tianjin>Beijing South (CNY58)
Food & groceries: CNY99
Day tour: Great Wall of China (CNY140)
Entrance fee: Forbidden City (CNY60) + Temple of Heaven (CNY35)
Total Expenses incurred: CNY510

As it was a first time visit for my brother, we decided to stay in Beijing for 3 days and our top priority was to visit the Great Wall of China, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Olympic stadium (Bird Nest) etc. We were keen to visit the Summer Palace but run short of time !

Great Wall of China, Beijing

Temple of Heaven, Beijing

Bird Nest Stadium, Beijing

In Beijing, we booked into Beijing Jade Youth Hostel which was located quite near to the Tiananmen Square (10 mins by public bus).

Both the Metro and public bus transport system in Beijing were so efficient that we could easily find our way to the Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City, Wangfujing & Bird Nest etc.

We joined a day tour (CNY140) to the Great Wall of China (Juyonggguan), about 50km north west of Beijing. We passed the Ming Tomb and also visited 2-3 tourist sites eg Beijing Waxworks of Ming Dynasty along the way. Try to avoid signing up any day tour package from local travel agents distributing tour package flyers near the Tiananmen Square as the price quoted in the flyers tends to differ after you boarded the tour bus demanding additional payment to cover additional side trips not mentioned in the flyers.

We had a steam boat style beef & vegetable meal (CNY116 for two) at a local restaurant near our hostel on the 2nd night.

" Beijing or Peking is roughly the size of Belgium, a mega and populous city. 7 UNESCO Heritages in and around Beijing; hutong; old & modern buildings; Peking opera & acrobatic shows; bullet trains; bicycles ..... imagine the good, the beautiful, the bad and the ugly (spitting & talking loudly) are all in Beijing !!!

The Secrets of Life: Three things in life that are never certain. 1) Fortune 2) Success & 3) Dreams