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| Red Square and the Forbidden City |
The phrase “made in
China” took on a whole new meaning for me when I arrived in the capital city,
Beijing.
The dull, grey,
buildings that once were the embodiment of China have been replaced with
skyscrapers that are works of art in themselves. Modern shopping malls have
sprung up. Gucci and Louis Vuitton stores – the originals – are almost as
common place as Starbucks. Most of the old hutongs, once overcrowded slums,
have been converted into high-rises or luxury homes that anybody would be proud
to own.
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| Beijing |
The Chinese,
renowned for their ability to copy almost anything, have gone into creative
mode to produce a no expense-spared futuristic-looking city that will sweep
away any preconceived ideas you may have of this country.
There are so many
cars clogging the roads that it makes driving through New York seem like a
picnic. Bicycles are a convenient way to dodge the traffic which constantly
snarls up. I stuck to taxis – a cheap and convenient way to get around the city
– and the subway, when I was with my Chinese friend. In the city itself, I
tended to walk everywhere – the best way to discover the hidden small pockets
where China’s traditional way of life, almost oblivious to modernity, still
continues.
As for the pollution
haze that hangs over the capital. Well, I didn’t feel compelled to wear a mask
before I hit the streets. Walking around of Beijing felt safer than
London. However, not everybody speaks English so don’t go out without having
your hotel name and destination in Chinese, especially when taking a taxi.
Standing in
Tiananmen Square, Beijing’s pulsating heart, watching the red flag of China
fluttering in the breeze, I began to comprehend China and its people.
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| Ready to climb the Great Wall |
Mao Zedong, whose
giant portrait still hangs over the gate of the Forbidden City, might have been
dead for decades, yet he continues to draw in crowds that a pop star could only
dream about. The longest queues I have ever seen snake past his embalmed
remains.
Not wanting to join
them, I headed to the Forbidden City, so called because only the emperors and
their servants were allowed to live there. Like a scene from a film, this
labyrinth of rich red walls and bright yellow roof tiles played out a bygone
era.
The next day I took
a three-hour drive to The Great Wall of China. This jaw-dropping sight is more
inspiring in reality than in pictures. Avoid touristy Badaling and go to
Jinshanling.
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| View from the Great Wall |
The climb maybe
arduous, but it is extremely rewarding as you can see the sentry stations at
the top and the wall zig-zagging across the mountain ridges stretched out in
front of you as far as the eye can see.
Getting down is the
hardest part. When I encountered some steps where the gaps were so wide, that
my short legs couldn’t reach the next one, half of me wished I had taken the
cable car. Necessity… as they say, so I ended up sliding down on my backside.
Mao said you are not a hero until you have climbed the Great Wall. I now know
why!
Getting there
British Airways (www.britishairways.com)
I stayed at the
Grand Hyatt Beijing (www.hyatt.com)
