Tour de China:Final Stop

Since the day I arrived in China, I have anticipated taking a trip to the historical capital city of Beijing. I imagined myself visiting Tienanmen Square, seeing the beautiful Buddhist temples, and of course climbing the Great Wall. Unfortunately, being placed in a southern Chinese city meant waiting for the perfect opportunity to travel to the north side and visit Beijing. Last week, after a year of being tortured by pictures of my colleagues who visited Beijing and with my patience beginning to wane, my vision finally came true. During a 4-day trip to Beijing with my fellow FBG, I was able to put on my tourist hat (figuratively speaking) and explore everything the city had to offer.

This trip to Beijing was unlike any of the other trips I've taken while in Asia. This time everything actually went right! There were no missed flights or delays, public transportation was convenient and efficient, our living quarters were comfortable and provided wifi services, and the Beijing natives were surpringly more polite and well-mannered than the Chinese people I am used to here in the South. One thing I was not prepared for, though, was all the walking! Throughout the week we visited The Summer Palace, Tienanmen Square, The Temple of Heaven, The Forbidden City, The Great Wall, an art district w/ many art galleries, the Sunlitan Bar District, and even a couple parks, and by the end of each night my feet felt like they were going to fall off at any moment. Next time I will definitely have to remember to bring some orthopedic walking shoes.  

Here are some photos of my favorite moments in Beijing:

The Great Wall -  Badaling

The Temple of Heaven

Tienanmen Square

798 Art District

Taking a trip to Beijing was a great way to celebrate the end of my teaching experience in China!  With less

than a week left, now it's time to pack and get ready to head back home. Next stop: Virginia Beach, VA.

 

- FBG