Hello, friends! I want to tell you about my Beijing discovery. My first visit was two years ago when I had a transplant at the airport and 10 hours if free time. On Internet resources a piece of advice I went to ancient temple and several museums and I was not very impressed with the first time Beijing seeing.
My September trip was more deliberate and planned. And the main idea of my travelling was “Modern Beijing”. I had a great desire to see new building, shops, streets, districts, modern museums. If you want to read about Imperial Palaces, Temples of the full moon and the Great Wall of China – this is not my case.
I want to tell you about places worth to visit, about my general impressions and thoughts during Beijing discovery. I came at late night and stayed in Kerry Hotel Beijing. I had a spacious room with panoramic windows – the best way to see all the beauty of the Chaoyang district. There are Headquarters building of China Central Television (right) and Television Cultural Center (TVCC) near the Kerry Hotel Beijing. These buildings are situated near the Jintaixizhao metro station.
The streets are clean, neat lawns, greens in unexpected places – I like my morning view. And amazing architecture! There are some unique skyscrapers at every step; walls vergers often fractured and buildings look more dynamic.
Bikes are quite popular form of transport. There are a lot of special paths, parking places for bikes. The Chinese know a lot about bikes; roads are excellent here and the most wide spread type of bikes are road one.
For my 4 days trip I had changed my opinion about Beijing. I was able to see it from the side I like at new places: modern architecture, unusual malls, museums and exhibitions. I adore grandiose constructions which were built according to canons of the late 20th century. You have a great opportunity to see something new, to get an inspiration and to wonder the human ability and fantasy.
The Chinese are friendly and even shy a little. When I asked to show me the way, they are often confused and negative nod, but it’s not because they do not want to help, just afraid that you will not understand. When I showed them the piece of paper with Chinese names of places I needed – they were smiled and looked happy to show the direction.
And now about the places I had visited.
There is my favorite coffee house Starbucks around the corner of my hotel. There are two great shopping and business centers close to me: Kerry Centre, China World Mall and the Yong’Anli metro station. There is an unusual and impressive Parkview Green Mall by the Place. This is a big pyramid with a countless works of modern art, boutiques of world’s leading brands of clothes, watches and automotive, as well as a large supermarket of a high level inside. I spent more than 2 hours here and did not visit any boutique. I just walked in the lobby, raised on the floors and walked along the corridors. Sometimes sculpture stood in unexpected places and I liked it!
Note the important life-hack for China trips. If you plane to visit some shops, centers, museums than you should prepare photos of these places in your telephone or Chinese names of these objects beforehand. No taxis, no police do understand English at all, so they need help. Passers-by are ready to show you the way, just need to explain or to show what you need it.
I should say that Beijing is the place where everyone can found his own pattern of travelling: somebody like ancient temples and museums, some others (like I am) prefer to visit unusual buildings and constructions, some tourists like shopping… China knows a good judge! And of course there is an excellent service here, with typical Asian smiling and helpful. Capital gives everyone the opportunity to join the new architecture, shopping centers and art. I hope my recommendations will be helpful for you. Write your questions and impressions in comments. I like to tell more, but I’m afraid it would leave too overloaded.
See you!