Beijing, China Travel Guide
About Getting Around Attractions Hotels Eats & Nightlife Essentials & Practicals
Intro to Beijing
I was shopping in an Adidas store on the Wangfujing Shopping Street. A shirt that read, “Made for Beijing”, in English as well as Chinese characters caught my eye. A staff member helped me. He saw my own Adidas t-shirt, “Lakers Vs Celtics NBA Finals 2008.” He said, “Oh, I love shirt. Oh, wonderful shirt.” I’ve come to discover, the Lakers, particularly Kobe Bryant, are huge in Beijing. I left the store, with the shirt in a bag, thinking, “Beijing really is keeping up.”
Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China, is in modernization mode. That’s good for the tourist, especially the physically handicap tourist. Beijing stands as one of the most fascinating tourist destinations because of the dichotomy of its deep-rooted history and its current haste for urbanization. Beijing’s urbanization might be at the cost of some of its neighborhoods, but interest and accessibility in Beijing are at their highest. At the heart of Beijing is its tremendous slate of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
From the moment you land in Beijing’s immense, ultra-sleek Capital International Airport, you get an immediate and overwhelming sense that Beijing is more modern than any other city. Upon entering the city center you’ll likely be surprised at the size and number of looming corporate and hotel buildings; Beijing is quickly transforming itself into a comsopolitan city. Beijing people dress fashionably, luxury cars and cabs abound and trendy streets are springing up.
Nevertheless, Beijing is one city that history and modernity exist side by side. This paradox is apparent when you see the weather-worn mom and pop stores in between the large corporate buildings; or, the small, windy and somewhat dirty streets and alleyways stemming from Di’an Dong Dajie, north of Forbidden City and Jing Shan Park; or the mega shopping center and modern hotels of Wangfujing, which is a couple of blocks away from the Forbidden City.
In light of the 2008 Olympics, major renovations to Beijing’s monuments have made these attractions accessible. The Temple of Heaven and the Palace Museum, once known as the Forbidden City, both have ramps installed. The Palace Museum itself has lifts as well at certain junctures where terraces and side temples are.
If you want to visit a place where you won’t run out of historical and cultural monuments to see, Beijing is the place. The people are a point of interest as well. You need a passport and visa to get into China.