Great Wall of China
Credit: iStock.com/SeanPavonePhoto
watch televisions mounted on the car walls (there are televisions in the
buses, too) and talk on your cell phone while deep underground. Check
out the Bird’s Nest (Beijing National Stadium) and the Water Cube
(National Aquatics Center) that caught the imagination of the world
during the 2008 Summer Olympics.
UP TO THE GREAT WALL
For an experience you will never forget, factor in some time for a visit
outside of the city to climb the Great Wall of China. Plan for a full day
excursion and you’ll get the most out of your Great Wall adventure.
The Badaling portion of the wall is closest to Beijing, about 50 miles
away to the North, and was built around 1571 during the Ming Dynasty.
It’s the first section of the wall to open to tourists, back in 1957. Get
there by hiring a private car and driver or joining a bus tour. Just make
sure to wear comfortable shoes, with good traction.
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It’s a bit of a circus heading from the parking lots up to the main
entrance to the wall, a long street that’s jam packed with shops selling
everything from tacky souvenirs to beautiful calligraphy paintings and
wood carvings. Hold off on shopping until you’re on the way back,
as there’s no reason to carry anything extra all the way up and back