Great Wall and Summer Palace bus tour(July of 2008) -- Beijing Badaling Great Wall and Summer Palace Travelogue -- Beijing Badaling Great Wall Tours

Great Wall and Summer Palace bus tour(July of 2008)

We got up at 6:30, ate a tasty buffet breakfast in the hotel and boarded the tour bus at 8:00. Off to the Great Wall! From this point in the wall you can go right or left. Right is an easier incline, but left has a better view and there are fewer people. So we chose left. Oye.

It was extremely hot and humid. I'd like to say that's the only reason I had such a hard time. But alas, I must admit, I am WAY out of shape. (I don't even know where the gym is on Camp Hovey!) After what seemed like a few minutes I was panting, sweating, feeling dizzy and nauseous.

But we made it to the step that says "1000" (don't know if that's 1000 steps, or feet, or kilometers- I personally think kilometers, because that's what it felt like, although that might not be reasonable). But the view was stunning and I took a few moments to sit and take in the idea that I was sitting on the Great Wall of China. I knew I'd never be back and I just wanted to enjoy the feeling.

After a well deserved ice cream at the base of the Wall we boarded the (air-conditioned!) bus and headed for lunch at the "Friendship Store" which was just a large building with lots of Chinese arts, pottery and cheesy trinkets tourists should be ashamed to buy. But I DID buy some gorgeous paintings. (We try to buy at least one nice piece for our home in every city we go to- I'll take a picture of them and add it to this blog.)

Next stop was the Summer Palace, where the Dragon Lady lived out her eccentric days. We took a ferry boat across the river and docked in front of the amazing palace. We didn't go inside (there wasn't that much time, and it was probably much like the other palaces we have seen) but instead walked up and down the world's longest corridor, ate a popsicle that tasted like peach/pear/cotton candy and people-watched. Or, I should say, people watched us. We were often stared at, which I thought we had gotten used to in Korea, but this was a little more blatant.

Next, the Pearl Factory. Instead of listening to the demonstration and sales pitch, we sat at a small table and chatted with another couple who were there with their three children. He is prior-service Air Force and working as a government contractor. Dan and he spoke while I talked with his very nice wife.

After a spicy Suchuan meal we went to Wangfujing Street where you can buy snacks not offered in restaurants. Such as starfish, snake, scorpion, octopus, sheep testicles, bee cocoon, Eupolyphaga beetles, water beetles, centipede, Longhorn beetles... I had some fried dough. Boring, but safe.

>>> Post by Adil Hajjoubi from United Kingdom

| Back |

About Great Wall

History of the Great Wall

"If you haven't climbed the Great Wall, you haven't seen China."

Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway

Badaling Fortress

Meng Jiangnu's Bitter Weeping (A Legend Story of Great Wall)

Great Wall at Badaling Section

Great Wall at Mutianyu Section

Great Wall at Simatai Section

Great Wall at Jinshanling Section

Great Wall at Juyongguan Section

Great Wall at Huanghuacheng Section

Great Wall at Jiankou Section

Great Wall at Gubeikou Section

---

Beijing Badaling Great Wall Tours

Badaling Great Wall & Ming Tombs Bus Tour --- from US$17
As a Chinese proverb goes, 'If not been on the Great Wall, not a great man.' On this full-day tour, you will climb the Badaling Great Wall, visit Ming Tombs unbeatable Beijing Coach tour package, Departure daily.

Badaling Great Wall & Summer Palace Bus Tour --- from US$30
This one-day bus tour includes visits to the most famous section of the great wall + royal garden. Departure: daily.

Badaling Great Wall, Forbidden City & Tiananmen Square Bus Tour --- from US$41
Not have much leisure time, but eager to catch the highlights of Beijing, join this, enjoy the three most popular scenic spots in a one-day bus tour. Departure: daily.

Badaling Great Wall & Summer Palace Private Day Tour --- from US$45
Badaling Great Wall, the most popular site, Summer Palace is the largest imperial garden of Qing dynasty, enjoy this one day private tour package.

Badaling Great Wall & Temple of Heaven 1 Day Private Tour --- from US$50
Badaling Great Wall, the most popular site, The Temple of Heaven is located in southern Beijing. It is included in the UNESCO world heritage list in 1998. With an area of 2.7 million square meters, it is the largest of its kind in the country, enjoy this one day private tour package.

Badaling Great Wall, Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City Private Day Tour --- from US$52
This 1 day private tour covers the trip to the most popular sites of Badaling Great Wall, Tiananmen Square and Fobidden City, enjoy your own car or van with your own tour guide and driver.

Badaling Great Wall and Hutong Private Day Tour --- from US$53
This 1 day private tour covers the trip to Badaling Great Wall, the most popular site and to the hutong to explore the real life of ordinary people in Beijing.

Ming Tombs (Changling), Sacred Way and Badaling Great Wall Private Day Tour --- from US$54
Valuable one day private tour package covers the trip to the Badaling Great Wall, Ming Tomb (Changling Tomb), Sacred Way and Olympic Stadium (exterior visit) enjoy your own car or van with your own tour guide and driver.

Badaling Great Wall & Underground Palace (Dingling - Ming Tombs) Private Day Tour --- from US$55
Private tour package covers the trip to the Badaling Great Wall, Underground Palace (Dingling - Ming Tombs), Sacred Way and Olympic Stadium (exterior visit) enjoy your own car or van with your own tour guide and driver.

Badaling Great Wall & LongQing Gorge Private Day Tour --- from US$76
Visit Badaling Great Wall and LongQing Gorge, enjoy this one day private tour package.

More Beijing Great Wall Tours


	\| Home \| Beijing Group Tours \| Beijing Private Tours \| Beijing Hutong Tours \| Chauffeur Service \| Beijing Great Wall \| Beijing Destination Guide \|