Swissotel Beijing

Travel Blogs from Beijing

Shopping, shopping

A travel blog entry by carpefeline

I currently have 7 years used out of my 10 year passport. During that time, I have gotten 7 Chinese visas, most of them good for two entrys at a time because I could never get the embassy in Seoul to give me a longer visa. So I have spent some time in Beijing and on each visit, some time has been devoted to shopping. I love Ya Show Department …

The Dead World Leader Tour

A travel blog entry by carpefeline

As far as I know, there are 4 world leaders who have died and their bodies have been put on display for the adoring masses to come see them. There is Vladimir Lenin in Moscow, Ho Chi Min in Hanoi, Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang, and Mao Zedung in Beijing. It is interesting to note that both Ho Chi Min and Mao Zedung requested cremation after death and …

Panjiayuan delights

A travel blog entry by carpefeline

Panjiayuan

My tour today involved seeing Mao's tomb (check, accomplished), hitting the Panjiayuan flea market and going to Jinshanling section of the Great Wall as I have not been on this section. Originally when I contacted Bespoke Beijing, the tour company recommended by Koryo tours, I had a whole different itinerary set up as I had …

The Wall at a Crawl

A travel blog entry by carpefeline

The Wall at a Crawl

My tour company, Bespoke Beijing, had recommended going to the Simatai section of the Great Wall but it turns out that Simatai was closed and being renovated. I had already been to Badaling and didn't feel like battling the hordes of tourists there or climbing straight up the mountainside via all the Wall steps. I&# …