China: Beijing Holiday

[Jungus]

Cool! Glad you enjoyed the visit. Yes, we took the subway too, and it was easy to get around and cheap too.

 

Curious - how did you get to Mutianyu?

 

 

We hired a car with English speaking driver. Made the arrangement, including airport pick-up and drop-off, prior to the trip.

[Boringchap]

We hired a car with English speaking driver. Made the arrangement, including airport pick-up and drop-off, prior to the trip.

Thanks. Most organised tours go to Badaling, especially tours from Singapore. Maybe next time I will check out Badaling.

[Boringchap]

Still working on the videos and blog write-up for Day 3.  But since there is some interest here, I'll post the completed videos first.

 

Day 3 morning.  Woke up, and decided to have breakfast in the 24F lounge, which was rather quiet.

 

After breakfast, it was time to meet our driver.  We hired him for a second day, this time to see sights within Beijing itself.  Our first stop would be Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City.   You have to bring your passport.  The security didn't let me bring my Sony videocam through, so we scrambled to call our driver who came back to pick up my camera from us.  Phew. 

 

Here is the video of Tiananmen Square

 

And Forbidden City.  

 

More videos to follow.

[Tohto]

think the most common great wall section for tourist is badaling. its indeed a magnificent structure. in the right season you also see flowers in bloom in 4-5 colours.

 

the most touristy also meant there were many interests alr built in like bear park, downhill slides etc

 

BJ is always my fav china city.

If the air quality there can improve during winter will be much better. During my last visit Dec 2015 of 5 days. 4days air quality are in orange alert and above. Need to wear mask outdoor and all photo is grey colour and short distance viewl

[Scholesy]

If the air quality there can improve during winter will be much better. During my last visit Dec 2015 of 5 days. 4days air quality are in orange alert and above. Need to wear mask outdoor and all photo is grey colour and short distance viewl

 

yes times have indeed changed. i was active in BJ during 06-09. then i dun see at all this problem. brought my parents and they enjoyed too.  

but now, yes some friends have told me BJ nice but pollution like shit.

 

my last visit was in 2011 when i transited to mongolia. quite miss it. 

[Boringchap]

yes times have indeed changed. i was active in BJ during 06-09. then i dun see at all this problem. brought my parents and they enjoyed too.  

but now, yes some friends have told me BJ nice but pollution like shit.

 

my last visit was in 2011 when i transited to mongolia. quite miss it. 

 

Looks like we were blessed then.  I didn't find the pollution to be all that bad during our recent trip, which was in early March this year.  We brought our N95 masks along but never had to use them.  

[Scholesy]

Looks like we were blessed then.  I didn't find the pollution to be all that bad during our recent trip, which was in early March this year.  We brought our N95 masks along but never had to use them.  

yes i thk mar and sep are the best times to visit. absolutely avoid CNY, 1 May and 1 Oct. the whole of china will be in SH, HZ, BJ.....if they dun travel out 

[Atrecord]

Looks not bad. 

 

Is the 全聚德北京鸭 still as famous and good?

 

And I'm wondering whether i should bring the kids to Beijing in the future. 

 

I had only been there once, >20 yr ago, not long after i started working. Wife had been there a few times too, but kids have never been there before.

 

My father in particular kept telling the kids that he'll bring them to the great wall one day...

 

oh, we brought the kids to watch the movie Great Wall too. 

[inlinesix]

Thanks. Most organised tours go to Badaling, especially tours from Singapore. Maybe next time I will check out Badaling.

 

Unless you don't mind traffic jam, better siam far far away.

 

I went to Badaling area for cycling last year.  It takes us 1 hr to clear traffic jam within Badaling.

 

Around Huairou area, there is water Great Wall.  I heard it is beautiful.

Edited March 22, 2017 by Davidtch

[inlinesix]

If the air quality there can improve during winter will be much better. During my last visit Dec 2015 of 5 days. 4days air quality are in orange alert and above. Need to wear mask outdoor and all photo is grey colour and short distance viewl

 

Sheer bad luck loh.

 

Without wind, It will be luck what you described because of coal power plant in Hebei.  I had escaped the super duper high AQI like 500 the entire winter.

[inlinesix]

Looks like we were blessed then.  I didn't find the pollution to be all that bad during our recent trip, which was in early March this year.  We brought our N95 masks along but never had to use them.  

 

You are not lucky hor.

 

It is due to Liang Hui from Mar 2 - 15.

 

On Mar 16, AQI hit 200+

[inlinesix]

yes times have indeed changed. i was active in BJ during 06-09. then i dun see at all this problem. brought my parents and they enjoyed too.  

but now, yes some friends have told me BJ nice but pollution like shit.

 

my last visit was in 2011 when i transited to mongolia. quite miss it. 

 

You would know a lot of Singapore kaki here then.

[Lala81]

Sheer bad luck loh.

 

Without wind, It will be luck what you described because of coal power plant in Hebei.  I had escaped the super duper high AQI like 500 the entire winter.

 

Scientists recently finished analyzing the great smog that blanketed north china in 2013 winter.

They couldn't understand why after the significant reduction in emissions from BJ after 2008 olympics, why such an event happened.

 

Just last week, they concluded that it was due to global warming in the arctic region changing the windstream over northern china.

So it will happen potentially every winter and more frequently as global warming accelerates.

[inlinesix]

Looks not bad. 

 

Is the 全聚德北京鸭 still as famous and good?

 

And I'm wondering whether i should bring the kids to Beijing in the future. 

 

I had only been there once, >20 yr ago, not long after i started working. Wife had been there a few times too, but kids have never been there before.

 

My father in particular kept telling the kids that he'll bring them to the great wall one day...

 

oh, we brought the kids to watch the movie Great Wall too. 

 

I think 全聚德 is more for Tourist.  I nvr try it before.

 

Only try at Da Dong & Xiao Wang Fu

[inlinesix]

Scientists recently finished analyzing the great smog that blanketed north china in 2013 winter.

They couldn't understand why after the significant reduction in emissions from BJ after 2008 olympics, why such an event happened.

 

Just last week, they concluded that it was due to global warming in the arctic region changing the windstream over northern china.

So it will happen potentially every winter and more frequently as global warming accelerates.

 

I no scientist.

 

In China, coal power plant is 1 of the main culprit.  In addition, it is the low quality diesel (not in Beijing).

 

In Beijing, all coal power plant is switch off now.  But air quality did not improve.  This is because Hebei still got loads of coal power plant.  In addition, a lot of trucks use low quality diesel from Hebei but run through Beijing.

[Lala81]

I no scientist.

 

In China, coal power plant is 1 of the main culprit.  In addition, it is the low quality diesel (not in Beijing).

 

In Beijing, all coal power plant is switch off now.  But air quality did not improve.  This is because Hebei still got loads of coal power plant.  In addition, a lot of trucks use low quality diesel from Hebei but run through Beijing.

 

UlaanBaater is the world's most air polluted city. Mongolia take over liao.

Many of the northern china cities are champions   

 

Not easy lah. China so big. Regulate also will take many decades. And also heavy industries is the mainstay of the economy of northern china. And they are already struggling in the new world economy.

 

Edited March 22, 2017 by Lala81

[Scholesy]

You would know a lot of Singapore kaki here then.

no cos i was never based there. jus that period was like china in fashion, so my co was considering 2 opportunities in anhui, thats why i keep passing through BJ.

 

but personally i also love the city cos very into chinese history....took a few personal trips too to cover the places of interests...i thk one of the lesser known to common tourists about BJ is the ski resorts but that needs driving...aft 1 session, take break eating piping hot xiaolongbao overseeing the whole ice mountain....shiok!

[Atrecord]

You've seen where an Emperor live in the Forbidden City. If you wish to know how and where a Prince live, you can also visit the Lama Temple (Yonghe Gong) in Beijing. This was the former residence of Yongzheng when he was still a prince, before he became Emperor, and converted it into a Tibetan temple.

 

雍和宫 was my first stop when i went Beijing 20+ yr ago.

 

It was impressive and nice. 

 

However, after i think the 4th day, had visited so many palaces and temples, that they looked a bit sama sama liao... The BaDaLing Great Wall was a refreshing change at that point. 

 

And now for my famous story of 北海公园。 Anyone been there?