BEIJING MARCH 2006
Beijing is one of the
world's great cities, perched at the very edge of the mass of humanity
that is China. Many Beijingers do not even realise that there is very
little to the north of them. Look at a map. Head past the tortuous,
fractured hills past the suburbs and you are into the sparsely inhabited,
perennially dry Nei Mongol, then Mongolia, and into the silent pine
forests of Siberia, until you emerge on the icy shores of the Arctic.
All three of China's megacities - Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing - seem to
lie outside China, looking in disdainfully. Guangzhou - maybe best
resembling fire, spice and energy; Shanghai would be water, commerce,
trade; Beijing characterised by wind, power and politics. The inside of
China? Well perhaps the earth, toil and blood.
Beijing reflects, better than anywhere, the timeline of human
civilization. From prehistoric man to third-generation mobile phones,
you can find it in this northern capital. The museums, art galleries,
restaurants, shops and neighbourhoods can show you all of China, and the
more is revealed, the less you understand.
The sheer scale, depth and breadth of Chinese civilization is laid
before you every day in Beijing. You can see a lot on one day, too
little in a week, and not enough in a lifetime.
Beijing has a continental climate with long, hot summers and long dry, cold winters. Spring and autumn have beautiful weather: warm and dry, but both are xtremely short. Beijing temperatures move quickly from -5C to +35C within the space of a few weeks. Many tourists avoid spring because of the famed sandstorms, but there are less and less of these and they do not last long. The rain falls during July and August, and can bring everything to a grinding halt. Beijing is on the very far northern edge of the North China plain, so is just 50m above sea level. However, the northern extension of the Taihangshan mountains fringe the city's western and northern suburbs and provide an impressive back drop when the sky is clear. There are enormous opportunities for walking in these hills.
Beijing can be a very expensive city to visit, but there are plenty of cheaper hotels offering good value. Realistically, tourists are going to use taxis. Buses are a great way to meet people though...usually several hundred at a time and in close proximity. I was staying at Astrid's place so it was cheap for me, also i moved almost all the time with the subway, crowdy busses and on foot. My problem on the taxis was that no one understood me, so i got lost several time at night with the cab driver, also because Astrid lived on the outskirts and now downtown.
While in Beijing, do spare some time to see the beautiful mountain countryside to the north and west of the city. You can quickly step back in time and meet friendly people - still Beijing folk - who are less cluttered up with making their next million, and more focused on a simpler, more sustainable life.
IN A FEW WORDS
SUPER PROGRESS AND SUPER CAPITALISM (WOW.. AREN'T WE IN CHINA...???!!!)
CONS: NOT SO MANY PEOPLE SPEAK ENGLISH, POLLUTION AND DESERT SAND STORMS IN BEIJING (BEFORE GOING I HAD THOUGHT SAND STORMS ARE JUST IN AFRICA OR MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES.. I WAS WRONG!!!!!)YOU DON'T WANNA FIND YOURSELF IN A BEIJING SAND STORM PLUS POLLUTION...
flight: I USED AIR FRANCE, I ONOLY PAID 80EUROS FOR TAXES BECAUSE I WAS
REDEEMING MY MILES, PERFECT SERVICE PERFECT TIMING TO GET INTO BEIJING.
I KNOW THE BEST OFFERS ARE USUALLY WITH LUFTHANSA, probably due to the
fact that there are a LOT of Germans and Swedish in Beijing.
VISA TO ENTER THE COUNTRY FOR ITALIANS: ALL IN ALL I PAID SOMETHING LIKE 45 EUROS (EXPRESS COURRIER INCLUDED). MAKE SURE, IF YOU ARE ITALIAN, YOU REQUEST YOUR VISA AT LAST 2 WEEKS BEFORE DEPARTING, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE GOING TO ORGANIZE THE TRIP BY YOURSELF AND NOT THROUGH A TRAVEL AGENT.