Bit of an old thread to be responding to, but in case you're still
looking for suggestions, Andrew:
>
> We're spending 2-3 days in Beijing so I will have some free time I
> think. I know the day we arrive has nothing planned but I might be
> wiped out from the plane trip (flying from the east coast of
> Canada). I'm pretty sure that we're going to hit the summer palace
> and the temple of heaven.
>
The Summer Palace is very nice, and you can combine this with a visit to
the nearby Old Summer Palace (buildings mostly destroyed by those
feckless cultural vandals the British, but the grounds are very nice).
However, the Temple of Heaven is not that great, I don't think. When I
went it was unpleasantly crowded and not really worth the crush of
people to see it.
My two top recommendations for Beijing are 1. the Central TV Tower,
which has superb views over the city especially at night. It's the
tallest building in Beijing, and costs 50Y to go up. And 2. Xiang Shan,
the Fragrant Hills park. Very tranquil, not too busy, and more great
views from the top of the mountain.
I presume you're visiting the Wall? At Simatai the wall is awesomely
steep and dramatic, and there are not too many visitors, but if you want
to get really off the beaten track, go to Huanghua, where the wall is
unrestored and the number of visitors very small. Badaling and Mutianyu
are to be avoided if you don't like tourist hotspots.
Roger
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