Destination: BEIJING, CHINA

UNDERSTAND BEIJING

THINGS TO SEE IN BEIJING

• Forbidden City (also known as the Palace Museum) get there when the gates open (around 8.30am) if you want to walk through the vast and spectacular courtyards in relative peace. This is truly the spot to appreciate the might and grandeur of the Imperial Chinese court during the height of its power in Ming and Qing dynasties. Despite the transformation of the city around it, the Forbidden City remains mercifully relatively untouched. A few years ago there was a lot of local fuss when a Starbucks coffee shop opened in the Forbidden City, some interpreting this as a return to the bad old days of colonial domination. Despite the fuss it is still there, on an inconspicuous corner, and still serving coffee. Only 2/5 area of the palace is opened, but some places are under restorations and will be opened before 2008.

• Tiananmen Square (largest square in the world!) Built by Mao to impress; his riposte to the Forbidden City, the square is surrounded by Soviet-style monuments and government buildings, and houses Mao's mausoleum at the end opposite the entrance to the Forbidden City. It remains an astounding place and a spot to linger and see visitors from all over China, many visiting their capital for the first time. There is a flag raising and lowering ceremony at dawn and dusk. There are 4 marble lions in front of the Tiananmen gate, the northwest one has a bullet hole on its stomach.

• Temple of Heaven, south east of Qianmen and the Tiananmen Square. Not only a fine sight, but also surrounded by a lively public park, filled with local residents practicing tai chi, dancing and so on in the mornings and at weekends. A must-see in Beijing.

• Summer Palace extensive gardens and the ruins of palaces constructed by the Qing emperors. Most visitors gathered in the front hill, but if you prefer quiet places, the west bank and back hill are good choices, there are some quiet and secret ruins, caves, ruined docks in the back hill area.

• Zoo (they do have Pandas, but displays are not great, your best bet is to go to the Panda breeding centre in Chengdu, Sichuan province). Some think the Zoo is one of the worst you will ever see (partly because of the way they treat animals), BUT the aquarium is one of the biggest in the world, and very impressive. The Zoo was built on the sites of some ancient gardens, has lakes, pounds, pavilions and other beautiful old buildings. The Soviet revival Beijing Exhibition Hall located nearby, which has a Russian restaurant, "Moscow Restaurant".

• North Sea - Beihai is a good place to take a glance at Zhongnanhai , heart of communist China. There's a big island and white pagoda which was built in the 17th century. The giant buildings westward outside are PRC's Ministry of Defence and General Staff, they ruined the scene of the west bank. On the north bank, you can visit some small but beautiful gardens.

• Yonghegong - also known as Lama Temple or Palace of Peace, 12 Yonghegong Dajie, Beixinqiao, Dongcheng District. The temple was built by Chinese emperors who harbored a deep fascination for the Tibetan (Tantric) version of Buddhism. Over the years many Tibetan and Mongolian monks lived and taught here, and there are still monks in residence today. The temple is famous for its 18m statue of Maitreya Buddha carved from a single piece of sandalwood.

• Prince Gong's Mansion - The garden is fulled with Chinese tourists, and the mansion will be opened as a museum before 2008, which displays life of princes of Qing Dynasty

• Legation quarter - east to Tiananmen square, once famous in the Boxer Rebellion, the legation quarter now are occupied by government and army. Tourists could see those legation buildings from outside. There's a gorgeous baker store calld "Sapporo" near the legation quarter, famous for its breads and cheesecakes.

• Beijing Botanical Garden and Fragrant Hill - good place for weekend outing and picnic. The Fragrant Hill was a Qing imperial garden and was burnt in 1860, famous for the mountain climbs and the Fragrant Hill Hotel, designed by I.M.Pei, designer of Louvre Pyramid. Beijing Botanic Garden is steps away from the east gate of Fragrant Hill, has a silent and beautiful retreat called Cherry Glen. Sir Johnston, last emperor Puyi's teacher, had a villa in Cherry Glen and it still stands there.

• The Hutong Villages of Beijing most represent the traditional housing of Chinese locals. Some of the streets in the Qianmen Hutong have a history around 500 years, with unchanged streets layout. The Hutongs are the perfect place to get a glimps of Chinese daily life. The majority of Hutongs has been destructed to make place for modern buildings. For these reasons, the Hutongs are considered very valuable and are a popular tourist attraction. Rickshaws carrying tourists weave in and out of the narrow streets of the hutong village to give individuals an up-close look at these homes.

• China Aviation Museum is a must see for all aviation fans. It is located about 50 km outside Beijing in Changping District and is probably better known by name Datangshan. Best way to get there is to arrange a taxi from your hotel. Other more adventurous way is to take bus 912 from Andingmen bus station, just remember that not all of these go via museum. Museum hosts over 200 exhibits, many of them very rare. Entrance fee is RMB 45.

THINGS TO DO IN BEIJING

• Rent a bicycle and traverse some of the remaining hutongs. Companies like The Bicycle Kingdomrent bikes for foreigners.

• Visit Tiantan Park early in the morning to see thousands of Beijingers starting the day with tai chi.

• Have a highly enjoyable and relaxing foot massage and/or pedicure etc. (for a fraction of the price in the West) from any of the respectable and professional offerings in central Beijing (in the vicinity of the Beijing Hotel for example).

• See a Beijing opera at the Laoshe Tea House near Qianmen station. There always are short displays in the afternoon (about 40 min). They are free of admission, but you should buy a cup of tea. Long displays are in the evening. You should book a seat in advance, since the place is always crowded.

• 2008 Summer Olympics.

GETTING OUT OF BEIJING