Beijing: A Tour Experience
Despite having been to Beijing on a business trip in the past, I took my mother's advice to join a tour for a sightseeing trip. You don't speak the language...you can't read the signs...you better join a tour. Visiting the travel agencies cemented the decision - turns out that these full-board tours cost less than a hotel and flight package.
From the time we got Hong Kong airport where we met our tour guide, it was like our self-initiative switch turned off. We were given badges, bags and tickets; told when and where to meet. The minute we got off the plane in Beijing, the tour began. The first day was action-packed - guided walk around Forbidden City, an acrobat show and dinner in the downtown shopping district. Alot of the sightseeing was done from the comfort of the tour bus - looking at a city from a goldfish bowl. The commentary was at times interesting, at other times surprisingly conducive to napping.
We didn't get to our "luxury" five-star hotel on the first day until 10pm. The Loong Palace Hotel certainly appears to be a five-star hotel on first appearance but don't be fooled. The lobby was certainly large and marbled, the breakfast buffet generous and varied. But this is China's version of a five-star hotel. Smoking is allowed everywhere. The waitresses at breakfast wore garish multi-coloured blouses. You could not adjust the temperature in the rooms - and unfortunately the central heating was at full blast - a hot and stuffy 87F. I thought it was just me but then I looked into other rooms' from our 22nd floor room and could see people were walking around in vests and shorts. Luckily, I found a way to sleep in this crazy heat - by heaving all the soft bedding onto the floor next to the tiny window. The next morning, with a sore back, we were told this is the temperature the local Bejingers like and no, the hotel wasn't going to adjust the central heating for a bunch of Hong Kong tourists.
Well, enough of the complaints. Did I mention how beautiful some of the sights were? The Forbidden City lived up to its name and reputation. The architecture was magnificient though the thrones looked a little uncomfortable. Beijing is working hard to renovate some of the key buildings (in time for the Beijing 2008 Olympics) so a couple were under wraps. We visited on a sunny day - but since this in Beijing in cold February, the afternoon light seemed to shine through a grey filter (by smog/pollution?) - it was very pretty though, a subtle light.
The Great Wall was great fun. I climbed my way up the mountain at Jutong Pass (passing three watchtowers). I could have walked further but decided I had to start the descent journey before our 2-hour allotment was up.
We also visited Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace and Tiananmen Square. The rest of the 5-day tour was spent visiting pre-selected tourist rip-off centres where you could spend a lot of cash on silk bedding, jade, chinese medicine. If you didn't feel like it, you could stay on the tour bus and nap.
Since the price of the tour was so reasonable (HK$2,700 per person), we did not have any high expectations for the food. We guessed right. The food was oily and greasy, the vegetables didn't look too fresh at times. It was eating to feel full, not to taste or enjoy the local delicacies. Luckily, we had stuffed our suitcases with biscuits and snacks, pot noodles aplenty.The restaurants we were taken to were totally empty when we arrived- it seemed they only catered to tour groups. The food was not representative of what Beijing has to offer though - I had eaten at some incredible restaurants in Beijing - easily accessed with a corporate credit card - but I guess these are not on the tour group circuit.
So that was my first tour experience. We didn't get lost, we didn't have any mishaps, we didn't make any amazing food discoveries, nor interacted with the locals much. Strictly no adventures allowed.
From the time we got Hong Kong airport where we met our tour guide, it was like our self-initiative switch turned off. We were given badges, bags and tickets; told when and where to meet. The minute we got off the plane in Beijing, the tour began. The first day was action-packed - guided walk around Forbidden City, an acrobat show and dinner in the downtown shopping district. Alot of the sightseeing was done from the comfort of the tour bus - looking at a city from a goldfish bowl. The commentary was at times interesting, at other times surprisingly conducive to napping.
We didn't get to our "luxury" five-star hotel on the first day until 10pm. The Loong Palace Hotel certainly appears to be a five-star hotel on first appearance but don't be fooled. The lobby was certainly large and marbled, the breakfast buffet generous and varied. But this is China's version of a five-star hotel. Smoking is allowed everywhere. The waitresses at breakfast wore garish multi-coloured blouses. You could not adjust the temperature in the rooms - and unfortunately the central heating was at full blast - a hot and stuffy 87F. I thought it was just me but then I looked into other rooms' from our 22nd floor room and could see people were walking around in vests and shorts. Luckily, I found a way to sleep in this crazy heat - by heaving all the soft bedding onto the floor next to the tiny window. The next morning, with a sore back, we were told this is the temperature the local Bejingers like and no, the hotel wasn't going to adjust the central heating for a bunch of Hong Kong tourists.
Well, enough of the complaints. Did I mention how beautiful some of the sights were? The Forbidden City lived up to its name and reputation. The architecture was magnificient though the thrones looked a little uncomfortable. Beijing is working hard to renovate some of the key buildings (in time for the Beijing 2008 Olympics) so a couple were under wraps. We visited on a sunny day - but since this in Beijing in cold February, the afternoon light seemed to shine through a grey filter (by smog/pollution?) - it was very pretty though, a subtle light.
The Great Wall was great fun. I climbed my way up the mountain at Jutong Pass (passing three watchtowers). I could have walked further but decided I had to start the descent journey before our 2-hour allotment was up.
We also visited Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace and Tiananmen Square. The rest of the 5-day tour was spent visiting pre-selected tourist rip-off centres where you could spend a lot of cash on silk bedding, jade, chinese medicine. If you didn't feel like it, you could stay on the tour bus and nap.
Since the price of the tour was so reasonable (HK$2,700 per person), we did not have any high expectations for the food. We guessed right. The food was oily and greasy, the vegetables didn't look too fresh at times. It was eating to feel full, not to taste or enjoy the local delicacies. Luckily, we had stuffed our suitcases with biscuits and snacks, pot noodles aplenty.The restaurants we were taken to were totally empty when we arrived- it seemed they only catered to tour groups. The food was not representative of what Beijing has to offer though - I had eaten at some incredible restaurants in Beijing - easily accessed with a corporate credit card - but I guess these are not on the tour group circuit.
So that was my first tour experience. We didn't get lost, we didn't have any mishaps, we didn't make any amazing food discoveries, nor interacted with the locals much. Strictly no adventures allowed.
Comments