It took a ridiculously long time for us to visit The Great Wall, let alone the other spectacular landmarks in Beijing. One would think it was a top priority upon disembarking the plane. Nope! When we wanted to, COVID happened, and well, nuff said. When we could, it was because my sister-from-another-mister was closing her chapter on this grand continent. Shanghai or Beijing? Which city should we visit, considering it was our last summer together?

Can you imagine someone asking you how your trip to China was? “Did you see The Great Wall?” Then you reply, “no”. Unheard of, right? They would likely look at you as if you’ve taken leave of your senses. Not wishing for either of us to be that person-it solidified our decision to visit the capital city.

Thank you to China Odyssey Tours (China Tour Packages – Private & Tailor-Made | China Odyssey Tours), who made our experience in the big city memorable. We made a customized tour based on the places we wished to see. The flexibility and ease of booking were a huge plus. They handled everything and moved promptly about it. I spoke with an agent on Wechat and made the booking this way. Honestly, it was a headache to buy tickets here, there, and everywhere for The Great Wall, The Temple of Heaven, and The Forbidden City.

If you visit The Forbidden City and The Great Wall, booking as early as possible is in your best interest. Getting tickets isn’t impossible but for a place that sees thousands of guests each day, you’d better grab those tickets quickly. I honestly don’t regret the decision to have a tour guide. Things were so much simpler and faster than figuring it out by ourselves. Procure a tour guide or travel agency who is upfront with you about their fees. Transparency is necessary when you want to see the value in what you’re getting.

We went downstairs to be greeted by our personal tour guide and driver. I was very impressed with their services. Our driver always opened the car doors for us, bottles of water were provided each day and he drove us to and from each destination with ease. Richard (our tour guide) was the best at explaining the history behind every landmark we visited. To each question we asked, his answers were readily available. Patient, professional yet easy-going, well-informed, and thoughtful are just a few adjectives to describe him. At one point he was carrying my bulky camera bag (sorry about that Richard-I forgot you had it). 

The Great Wall

Have you ever been looking forward to experiencing something so much that you’ve painted this perfect picture of how it would be in your mind? And then when it turns out to be nothing but, the disappointment can make you feel like you just don’t want to bother? Ah, life. Don’t mean to be dramatic but that was how it was on the day we decided to see The Wall.

There goes my perfect blue skies with fluffy white clouds and great natural lighting, I thought. It was raining and yet still we drove. We arrived and thankfully it was raining lightly enough for the camera to be out so I could capture footage. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to risk taking out the DSLR. Make sure you arrive by or before 9 as the lines started to increase in length around this time.

We decided to take the cable car up to explore the Badaling section which is the most popular part of The Great Wall. Afterward, you must go through a tunnel before you come face to face with seeing this man-made wonder in the distance. It was surreal, I could hardly believe I was there.

How could man build something like this which extends for miles? Richard explained that over time The Wall collapsed, and they had to rebuild to preserve it. He showed us a picture of how a demolished part of The Wall looked. Human activities and natural causes contributed to its erosion over the years. We learned most of the remaining sections, if not all, were built during the Ming Dynasty.

To see captured footage of The Great Wall, please seek to 19:11.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyDbFtJyh6Y

The Forbidden Palace

I got the impression Chairman Mao is a great deal in China. I didn’t know anything about him until the trip to Beijing. After we saw his mausoleum, we went underground from Tiananmen Square without crossing the busy street so we could visit The Forbidden City.

At the entrance on the other side is a portrait of Mao Zedong. It’s almost as if he is still watching over the people of China. Considering he was the founding father of the PRC— I believe thinking this way is rather apt. The Forbidden City is massive, after walking for a century we came across impressively tall buildings with mythical creatures found along the roof tiles at the front corners. Richard told us you can tell how important a building is by how many creatures you spot on the roof. 

The Temple of Heaven

In high school, I remember going into detail about religions from around the world. Suffice it to say, I forgot some details. I knew the Chinese are Buddhists but forgot about Taoism until it was mentioned that day. Truly, apart from what Richard told us (see video) I just know Yin and Yang is the symbol of Taoism. It wasn’t until I went to the Temple of Heaven that I realized why Chinese Dining Halls are filled with circular tables. The circle symbolizes Heaven and is a testament to their religion. 

Wandering around the grounds at the Temple of Heaven, you cannot help but notice the many trees framing the property and you can tell by the looks of the surroundings, how much thought went into the design of the grounds. The Temple of Heaven is the first part of the video so take a gander and leave a comment after you’ve seen it. 

Just Go For It

Be prepared to walk until your feet burn and then some. Honestly, we were just in awe to realize we roamed the grounds Emperors and their many wives once did. The Forbidden Palace alone is huuuuuuge. My legs hated me that day because we decided to visit The Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, and The Forbidden City in one go. It was a workout to be envied by no one. Please wear comfortable clothing and shoes, a pair of sunglasses and an umbrella if you mind being exposed to the sun for long periods.