Smog in Beijing, China

After five days in Shanghai, the boyfriend and I took the five hour, high speed train to Beijing. The train was packed with adults, children and tons of luggage. After a fourteen hour flight, a five hour train ride felt incredibly short. Upon arriving in Beijing we grabbed a taxi in the incredibly smog-filled garage and made our way to our hotel near Wangfujing.  (NOTE: be sure to wait in the taxi line and do not accept rides from the soliciting drivers. They will just rip you off) We stayed at the Novotel, I wouldn't reccommend it but it wasn't the worst hotel I've ever stayed at.

Beijing has most of the "must see" locations in China. We only had four days to see it all, so we hit the ground running as soon as we arrived. Up first, a walk down Wangfujing and dinner on the street. Wangfujing is a pedestrian only street, lined with shops and restaurants. At the southern end is the entrance to the food stalls and small vendors. You can be adventurous and try some deep fried scorpion, or live life in the slow lane and enjoy sugar-coated hawthorne fruits. We filled up on fried noodles and dumplings and got to bed early.

Hitting the sheets early was important because we needed to get up early to see the Forbidden City! Tickets are limited to 80,000 people per day and surprisingly they sell out each day. Be sure to get there early to avoid the major crowds and avoid waiting in an insane line. It takes several hours to walk through the palace, especially if you want to take it all in. You can certainly rush through the grounds, but you will likely miss out on the amazing details all around.

The majority of people visiting the Forbidden City on any given day will be native Chinese tourists. Being tall and blonde, several people wanted to add my photograph to their vacation albums. It is very easy to avoid the crowds, most of the native tourists crowd together and follow each other. The palace is so large if you just break from the line of locals, you will enjoy a quiet walk around the edges.

After walking through the palace, we didn't feel like we were sweaty enough (we visited in July), so we walked across the street and entered the Jingshan Park. It costs 10 RMB and gives you amazing views the Forbidden City.

Or at least there would be good views, if there wasn't so much smog!

After a shower and a change of clothes, we headed to central Beijing via metro. The subway system in Beijing is just as clean and fast as the one in Shanghai. As a consistent rider of the NYC subway, I am ashamed at how dirty our subway is in comparison to the Beijing subway! There are three times as many people in Beijing and the system is nearly spotless. Anyways...

Since it was such a nice day and the sun was trying to peek out from behind the smog, we headed to the Temple of Heaven Park aka Tiantan Park. For 30 rmb (about $5) you get entrance to the park and tickets to visit all of the sites. You could get a map, but it's more fun to just wander around the park. The temples were built over the course of several hundred years and show a nice variety of architectural styles.  

WARNING - There is very little shade in this park. They could really use some more trees around the buildings. Be sure to slather on the sunscreen. Smog is not a good UV blocker!

Our last stop in Beijing was Tienanmen Square. It is apparently the worlds largest city square and it certainly feels that way. There could have been thousands of people in the square and there was room for a few thousand more.  At least twenty of them wanted to take their picture with me in front of the photo of Mao.

The rest of them were hiding under umbrellas from the midday sun...

Our final day in Beijing was actually spent outside of the city, exploring the Great Wall! An experience like that needs a post of its own, so be sure to stop back Friday for a full recap of our trip to the Wall!

Have you been to Beijing? What were some of your favorite things to do and see?

Getting to China - The Visa Process

China was always on my travel bucket list, but I never thought that I would make my way there. It's such an overwhelming trip to plan! China is about the same size as The United States and just as diverse. Well, culturally diverse. The population itself is approximately 90% Han Chinese. As a 5'9" blonde American, I was expecting that I would not be blending in with the crowd.

Last year I finally had the opportunity to go to China. My company has a Shanghai office and it was finally time to visit the team over there. Unlike most of my vacations, this one took a little pre-planning. As citizen of the USA, you can't just buy a plane ticket and then fly to China tomorrow. You actually need to procure a visa to enter China!

I have heard horror stories about sending documents to the consulate multiple times, only to be denied time and time again. I started the visa process about six weeks ahead of time. Since we live near New York City, I have the benefit of being close to the Chinese consulate and going in person to drop off my documents. Since I was going to China for work (and play), all I needed to present was the invitation letter from my company and my completed form.  The boyfriend was applying for a travel visa and needed to bring a lot more documents (flight itinerary, hotel reservation, etc).

I headed to the Chinese consulate right around opening time, only to discover a line nearly 50 people long. Good thing I brought a book. You stand in line, wait for the (not so cheerful) security guard to invite you inside, but be sure to you the in door and not the exit. You will get yelled at. Be prepared to wait for another hour while they call number after number, somehow skip your number, then get back to your group of numbers. If you have all of the correct paperwork then you can be on your way. Turnaround time was about 5 days (you'll be given a pickup ticket with the date).

(not my visa, stock image!)

Returning a few days later, I got back in line and waited. People must arrive much before the opening hour! Luckily pickup is much easier. You head inside and get in line at the far windows. Pay the nice lady (all of the tellers seemed to be women) and she'll hand over your passport with the new Chinese visa inside! These days they are giving out 10 year visas, so at least it's worth the $140.

The boyfriend had to go back twice. He completed the form by hand the first go around. That's a faux pas. Be sure to type the form. Also, I've had friends that have sent their paperwork to the consulate (since there wasn't one near their hometown), but you need to be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get it back. You could also have one of those visa services complete all the legwork for you, but be prepared to pay between $75-150 for the service.

With my new visa in hand, along with a 15-hour plane ticket, I was ready to head to China for the first time. Luckily the boyfriend was able to tag along on my business trip and it was a much easier trip with him at my side.

Next up... our time in Shanghai!

Holiday Gift Guide - For the Traveler

With Thanksgiving next week, it's the beginning of the holiday season! Over the next week, I'll be bringing you different gift guides to help you shop for your special people! Today I'm bringing you a gift guide for the avid traveler. These are all items that I carry with me during my travels around the globe!

1. Ted Baker Floral Pouch - I use these pouches to keep my tote bag organized. Generally I have one with personal items, like aspirin and lip balm, and one with electronics, like cords and plugs.

2. Anker Astro E7 - This power pack will charge your iPhone 10 times. If you don't happen to have a seat with an electrical plug, this will be your life saver!

3. Bose Soundtrue Headphones - Truth be told, I got my "Bose" headphones in China. I would recommend this particular version for the sound quality and the color! The mint is so pretty and unique

4. Rebecca Minkoff Anytime Tote - A simple tote is the perfect travel bag. I either would go with this one, or the Kate Spade Harmony tote. Both options are big, light and washable!

5. Fintie iPad Case - For watching movies, reading books, playing games... I have no idea how we traveled lightly before the invention of the iPad. I love the Fintie case because it is sturdy and has a trusty stand.

6. Kate Spade Passport Holder - In reality, a passport holder is totally useless -When you get to customs you need to take your passport out of the holder - but this one is so pretty, I'm considering changing my view on them. Also, my passport is getting so beaten up with all this work travel!

7. Gap Slipper Sweater Socks - Fact - planes are cold. On a long haul flight, nothing is better than slipping out of your sneakers and putting on some fuzzy socks. These are great because they have a little grip on the bottom for when you want to take a walk around the cabin. Please though, put your shoes back on before you go to the restroom.

8. Lifefactory Glass Water Bottle - This bottle is a little heavy, but it is the best water bottle I own. Bring it through TSA empty and have a restaurant fill it up. Some airports have water fountains, but unless you're in Denver, the water is likely to taste a little off.

9. Joie Hadwyn Sweater - The last three travel sweaters that I have bought have been from Joie. They are soft and warm and make for a perfect blanket. I'm considering getting this one because it has a hood!

10. Samsonite Fiero Spinner - This is the suitcase that I'm currently using as my carry on. I never check luggage, even on three-week trips, because you can pack this suitcase to the brim! Yes, it will get heavy, but the hard case keeps the suitcase from getting massive. Fill it up and it will still fit comfortably in the overhead.

11. Dream Zone Sleep Mask - You'll look a little strange, but a sleep mask is a life saver when that one person decides they want to keep their window open for the entire 13 hour flight.

Still looking for something? Here are a few more ideas for your world traveler!

Lima, Peru

In late August, I had the chance to travel to the Southern Hemisphere for the first time! I've gotten close to the equator before (Singapore is right on the northern side), but never have I crossed the line. I ventured to Lima, Peru for a conference and spent four days in the hotel. This was the view from my hotel room...

Since it was August, Lima was just coming out of winter and transitioning into spring. Apparently the sun doesn't shine during the spring in Lima and my view looked like this all five days that I was at the conference. Luckily my hotel room was amazing (definitely stay at the Lima Westin if you want a gorgeous bathroom!) and the conference was interesting.

Even the food at the hotel was tasty. Their chef is Malaysian, so the menu was a fusion of flavors from Malalysia and Peru. Sounds strange, but it was totally delicious.

I spent three straight days in the conference and didn't leave my hotel. I was due to fly back the day after the conference, but not until 10pm. I actually got to spend the day in Lima, taking a tour of the city. While I didn't see that much, it was a nice introduction to Peru.

Next time I visit Peru, I'll be sure to stop by Machu Picchu!