Beijing Welcomes You

Probably the biggest tourist stop in Beijing besides the Great Wall of China is the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. We went to the Forbidden City on our first full day during our stay in the center of Beijing. However, we did not get to the Forbidden City early enough. We also did not know how things worked. Tickets for the Forbidden City had been sold out for the day by the time we got there. It was a long walk to get to the entrance, so that was annoying. We had to walk back out to the north side of the Forbidden City.

Ticket entrance to the Forbidden City

We got on a tourist bus that looped the Forbidden City. We got off in a shopping district and wandered around until we found a place for lunch. We had Peking Duck which was excellent.

A pedestrian street in Beijing

Cows in the pedestrian street

After lunch, we decided we would go to Tiananmen Square which is south of the Forbidden City. We got off the subway near the square and got directions. Since the directions were in Chinese, I just had to follow the crowd. Long story short, we were given directions to Tiananmen Gate which took us back into the Forbidden City. Of course once we were through the gate, we were not allowed to go back. All of the exits were to the north. So we had to walk to the north side of the Forbidden City again.

Me in front of Tiananmen Gate

Following the crowd

The outside wall of the Forbidden City

The mote around the Forbidden City

Shenwumen (Gate of Divine Prowess) is the north gate of Forbidden City

Rather than trying to go back to Tiananmen Square, we went to Jingshan Park which is across the street from the Forbidden City on the north side. Jingshan Park had a hill in the center of the park that had nice views of the Forbidden City and Beijing. It was good place to visit. It was just a roundabout way to get there in the heat and humidity.

Me after entering Jingshan Park

Jingshan Park

Stairs on the way up the hill in Jingshan Park

The skyscrapers of Beijing

Looking up at the top of the hill

View from the top

Lots of people at the top, but the view was great

The Forbidden City. The oval building in the background is the National Centre for the Performing Arts

Looking south at the north gate of the Forbidden City and beyond.

Me at the top

Me with Beihai Park behind me

Mountains are visible from the hill.