Soaking in Beijing delights

My time in Beijing hasn’t just been just focused on work. Fortunately I was also able to soak in some of the city’s unique culture. Although I could have done without many of the death defying cab rides I took. I have chalked the terror of being driven around in Beijing upto the city’s charm- only cause I lived to tell the tale. It really is a must do..

Keep in mind though that if spending time on Beijing’s roads isn’t hazardous, the quality of air may do you in for good. Air pollution is a senior concern here. To put it in perspective, when the air quality index (AQI) is above 50 in Toronto, the elders and expecting mothers are cautioned against going out as it’s not safe for them. In Beijing, however, locals consider it to be a good day if the AQI hovers in the 200s.  Like I said, environmental problems continue to be a concern of the growing middle class population. Moving on for now though…

One of the highlights from my Beijing explorations involved visiting Tinanmen Square for the Changing of the Guards ceremony. While I have been to a similar ceremony in other countries before, nothing had prepared me for the volume of people present at one of the world’s largest public squares at 4am. Through conversations with locals, attending this ceremony is considered a huge deal in China as many Chinese dream of visiting this site. The ceremony itself was a great experience especially when those around us passionately began proudly singing the Chinese national anthem during the ceremony itself. Ofcourse, I do believe Chris (another participant) and I became local celebrities as many folks wanted to take pictures with us. We happily obliged (ps: you can see evidence of the smog through the 'glow' of the street lamps behind us)

Visiting the Forbidden City,for a little while (the site does cover 180 acres), was also quite memorable. The sheer magnitude of this complex was a wonder and I loved soaking in the Chinese architecture. The eye to detail present could keep me occupied for hours but alas we headed back to the main purpose of our journey- meeting more Chinese organizations representative! Fun fact about the Forbidden city though – the forbidden city is home to 9,999 rooms! I would imagine it to be the ideal site for a round of hide and seek..

Another highlight which you may have heard about is the Great Wall of China! My visit here left me quite breathless. Literally. Think about what it would feel like to be in a sauna. Placed right next to the sun. That’s how hot and humid it was. While I did not scale the entirety of the wall, I couldn't help but bring a piece of home with me during my visit!

All in all, the trip to Beijing was successful and I can’t wait to discover more of China in Chengdu, JTC’s next stop!