Travelling : Beijing

Hello!I've been back for a few days now and am still pretty tired from the rather intense holidays I had and (probably) still slightly jet lagged.For those who didn't know, as I did not really write about it on the blog, I went to visit one of my very best friends who is currently living in Shanghai. Since I had to fly for 11 hours to go there and 12h40 to go back, I thought I might as well visit a few places while on the other side of the world and picked Beijing and Tokyo.Travelling alone was a wonderful experience in China, as you tend to be an attraction when you don't look asian and people keep on talking to you in a very natural manner. All in all, I actually felt most at ease with the Chinese folk, as they don't care much about conventions and seemed overall rather chilled. Yes, they do talk loudly and yes they spit (which is well... eww) BUT they are also warm and laugh easily and always help even if they don't know how to speak english.

FORBIDDEN CITY

Forbidden City

the Summer Palace

From Exit C of Dongzhimen Subway Station, take Bus 909 (2yuan) for about 6km northeast to Dashanzi Lukou Nan, where you'll see the big red 798 sign. Buses run until 8h30.

found one that beat all expectations

On my last day in Beijing, which I left in the afternoon, I went to visit another temple that was recommended to me, the temple of Heaven.Also in a huge (beautiful) park, this temple is cylindric and very blue, so it could only please my eye.

And that's it! I arrived there on Monday afternoon and left on Friday afternoon but managed to see quite a lot, which involved an enormous amount of walking and photo shooting.I loved Beijing and feel that I could have stayed a few days more to see even more.The only "regret" I have it the pollution haze that never left. If you can go there in spring or early summer, the view should be a lot clearer and maybe the sky blue. But those are details, the building are always magnificent, no matter what the weather looks like.xxStéphanie