Frustrating and Magnificent: Beijing

When anyone asks what the last stop in our month-long journey was, I never answer "China." Sure, we visited Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines, but we stayed in each for a week or more. No, our last two days abroad were spent in Beijing only - and in such a vast nation, I can't possibly claim to have seen or experienced even a fraction of its culture. That said, our forty-eight hours in Beijing were a whirlwind of exasperation and wonder.

We would have loved to spend more time in China, to see more of what it has to offer. Originally, we had planned on spending two weeks there with Tony's parents instead of Thailand, but plans  changed. We still wanted to see at least the Terracotta Soldiers in Xi'An on our own, but when we saw the price of a tourist visa (hundreds of dollars), we opted for the more affordable way to make a pit stop in China: the 72-hour visa-free layover. China is very stingy and strict with their tourists: they questioned us heavily upon arrival at immigration; it was impossible to find Wi-Fi even for foreigners living and teaching there; and even in this tourist-magnet, capital city there was minimal spoken English. Really, we never struggled communicating until we reached Beijing. In fact, China kind of reminded me of the USA: geographically enormous, strong-willed, powerful, and puts foreigners on a back-burner. Who knew?

So, with our visa-free "layover," we had two days to explore. The plan: 1. meet up with my close friend and her boyfriend, who are teaching in Shenyang, a handful of hours away by train. 2. Explore the city together. 3. Go to the Great Wall.

Well, it was impossible to get in touch because even the hotel's Wi-Fi was unreachable for foreign phones. So Tony and I rode into the city hoping for a free connection at a coffee shop or restaurant. No such luck - we're not in Korea anymore, where Wi-Fi is free and accessible even on the subway. Instead, we spent an hour or two wandering around until we finally found a spot for lunch and internet. Thanks a lot, China.

Once we got in touch with Chelsea (of all social platforms, only Snapchat managed to function) over Kung Pao chicken and an enormous teapot, we made a plan to meet that evening for dinner. That way, they could resolve their Airbnb issues, and we were free to roam. Thank goodness we had bought a guidebook in Manila, because without being able to use our phones, we would have been helpless. So we kicked it old school, reading about which historical sites to visit, and pulling out an actual, physical map to get around. Archaic. 😜

Our first stop was Tienenmen Square. There were statues and structures, mausoleums and museums, but we resigned ourselves to a simple stroll past the sites - and a respectful selfie with Mao - before continuing on to the Forbidden City, which was humongous and incredible. They had converted this ancient site into a walking museum, preserving artifacts and temples in small rooms, palaces, and courtyards throughout its span of 178 acres. As you can imagine, it took quite a while to peruse! One last stop before dinner: the Temple of Heaven, aptly named, where sacrifices used to take place. The colors and architectural details at each of these stops were magnificent; each of the four corners on many of the square roofs was adorned with several miniature dragons in single-file, and the ancient marble carvings of dragons were weathered but still impeccable.

Ni Hao, Mao

A moat near the entrance to the Forbidden City

I loved this dragon statue. But can you see the line of mini ones that flank the roof's corner?

The Temple of Heaven before day's end

What a day! We had gone from stressed to impressed in mere hours. We had the best weather, too: clear skies, warm temp, and a nice breeze. Finally, we had escaped the heat and humidity of Southeast Asia, thank goodness!

The next morning, we met with Chelsea and Eric at a bus station, mini picnic in tow. The day was here at last, and it was bittersweet: our last day in Asia would be spent at the Great Wall of China. I couldn't think of a more perfect ending to our epic adventure than at a site as ancient, impressive, and well-known as this Wonder of the world. It was the culmination not only of our month-long voyage, but also our entire year abroad. It may seem cliche, but to me it was perfect.

After an hour-long bus ride and a private transfer that ripped us off, we spent a great deal on the tickets (but really, how much money would actually be too much to see the Great Wall?) and boarded a shuttle that took us to a suspicious chairlift high above the treeline. The Wall sat, sprawled across the pinnacle of the mountain range, formidable, until it disappeared over a peak or around a bend on either side.

This was the Mutainyu visit site, and we were so glad to have chosen it over Badaling, which is closer to Beijing, but therefore also much more crowded. There were still many visitors alongside us, but not too many where our pictures were being ruined by unaware strangers. It was a perfect day, and I can say that over the years of hearing how magnificent the Wall was, I was afraid it wouldn't meet my expectations. Alas, it surpassed them.