I’m glad that we found a haze, I mean, “day”, to Smog, cough ... I mean “log” in and talk about Beijing. Was it really that bad? ... Well .... Yes and No. The pollution during our first day far exceeded our expectations. Visibility stopped at around 1 kilometer. You could smell it and at times it bordered on unbearable. The first pictures below were 500 meters from the Olympic Park. That isn’t fog.

 

However, our first night in Beijing was full of high winds and rain (possibly brought on by hundreds of miniature rockets that the government uses to promote rain) that blew away the foul air until it was completely sullied up two days later.

 

All that aside, Beijing is a must see because of all the cultural sites, and even though it was a challenge to navigate at times, I’m glad we went there.

What We Learned

 

1. Don’t even bother with the buses if near a subway. The traffic is slow and the buses are usually packed with people. They cost about the same and the subway is much faster.

 

2. There are great eating options in Beijing. Explore and find a place with pictures.

 

3. The Forbidden City is a great value compared to other sites in China. (must see)

 

4. The Summer Palace is difficult and timely to get to. The hoards of people made it less enjoyable. Arrive early to get a “through ticket”. They will nickel and dime you inside otherwise.

 

5. The Olympic Park lights up at night but you can only get in the stadiums during the day.

 

6. Wait for a clear day to visit parks because otherwise the pollution detracts from the experience.

 

7. Peking Duck isn’t really worth the tourist price, so find a locally recommended restaurant to enjoy it.

 

8. Don’t bring valuable lighters or utility tools on the subway or to sites because there are metal detectors everywhere and they could be confiscated.

 

9. Be sure of which train or bus station you’ll be leaving/arriving from because there are many of them.

 

10. You may have heard the song “There are nine million bicycles in Beijing”, Yes, there are a lot of them. We found it comforting that most of them aren’t locked up. That shows trust.