Destination Beijing, China

The phrase “made in China” took on a whole new meaning for me when I arrived in the capital city, Beijing. 

The dull, grey, buildings that once were the embodiment of China have been replaced with skyscrapers that are works of art in themselves. Modern shopping malls have sprung up. Gucci and Louis Vuitton stores – the originals – are almost as common place as Starbucks. Most of the old hutongs, once overcrowded slums, have been converted into high-rises or luxury homes that anybody would be proud to own. 

Red Square and the Forbidden City


 

The Chinese, renowned for their ability to copy almost anything, have gone into creative mode to produce a no expense-spared futuristic-looking city that will sweep away any preconceived ideas you may have of this country.

There are so many cars clogging the roads that it makes driving through New York seem like a picnic. Bicycles are a convenient way to dodge the traffic which constantly snarls up. I stuck to taxis – a cheap and convenient way to get around the city – and the subway, when I was with my Chinese friend. In the city itself, I tended to walk everywhere – the best way to discover the hidden small pockets where China’s traditional way of life, almost oblivious to modernity, still continues.  

Beijing

As for the pollution haze that hangs over the capital. Well, I didn’t feel compelled to wear a mask before I hit the streets. Walking around of Beijing felt safer than London. However, not everybody speaks English so don’t go out without having your hotel name and destination in Chinese, especially when taking a taxi.

Standing in Tiananmen Square, Beijing’s pulsating heart, watching the red flag of China fluttering in the breeze, I began to comprehend China and its people. 

Getting ready to climb the Great Wall of China

Mao Zedong, whose giant portrait still hangs over the gate of the Forbidden City, might have been dead for decades, yet he continues to draw in crowds that a pop star could only dream about. The longest queues I have ever seen snake past his embalmed remains. 

Not wanting to join them, I headed to the Forbidden City, so called because only the emperors and their servants were allowed to live there. Like a scene from a film, this labyrinth of rich red walls and bright yellow roof tiles played out a bygone era. 

The next day I took a three-hour drive to The Great Wall of China. This jaw-dropping sight is more inspiring in reality than in pictures. Avoid touristy Badaling and go to Jinshanling.

View from the Great Wall

The climb maybe arduous, but it is extremely rewarding as you can see the sentry stations at the top and the wall zig-zagging across the mountain ridges stretched out in front of you as far as the eye can see. 

Getting down is the hardest part. When I encountered some steps where the gaps were so wide, that my short legs couldn’t reach the next one, half of me wished I had taken the cable car. Necessity… as they say, so I ended up sliding down on my backside. Mao said you are not a hero until you have climbed the Great Wall. I now know why!

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

British Airways (britishairways.com)

I stayed at the Grand Hyatt Beijing (hyatt.com)

First published in All About Hair (All About Hair UK), the travel and lifestyle blog with a luxury twist