BEIJING, CHINA

Without a doubt, one of my biggest surprises! 

There are plenty of amazing places to visit in Beijing but, in my humble opinion, nothing can compare to a tour to the "Great Wall of China". It is one of the most amazing structures I've ever seen. It's definitely worth the trip. Just be advised that temperatures will easily go below 0F in the winter and the ground is extremely slippery (I almost fell on my face several times), hiking shoes or sneakers are highly recommended.

The Great Wall

When you come from a country with a strong currency, like I do, shopping in Beijing can be quite appealing. Even though my husband got a little freaked out by how brazing the sales people were in the beginning (they literally grab you by the arm), by the end of the week, we were quite comfortable with the grabbing and sharp at the art of "haggle". 

Definitely the best Chinese food in the world. Completely different from the "Chinese Food" we have outside China. Although the "Eccentric" dishes they offer were a little too much for me, my husband, was delighted to try them out. 

It is amazing how "Different" we look to the Chinese people. My husband and I were stopped by locals several times only because they wanted to take a picture with one of us. Even though the language barrier in China is unbelievably high (only hotel workers can get by with basic English), it was an amazing experience.

Cabs can be extremely cheap (compared to NYC) but you should be careful and ONLY catch cabs that accept turning on the meter. They usually don't speak a word of English and most of them refuse to turn on the meter to charge as they please. Besides that, cabs were the best bet for us. I found the subway system quite scary and dirty so that was a big NoNo for the neat freak that I am. 

Bathrooms in China were a little bit of a shock to me at first but I got passed that (apparently, it's an Asian thing). They only have "Latrines" and even though there are public bathrooms in every corner in Beijing, there's NEVER toilet paper so, you better carry your own.

Forbidden City

The "Forbidden City" and "Tiananmen Square" we're some of our favorite places to go. Our hotel was about a 10min walk and even with the "airport security" they have to get in, it's worth the wait. 

The "Summer Palace" is a little bit far but it's beautiful and worth the time. 

The "Beihai Park", "National Stadium" and "Aquatic Center" are also a good bet.

Temple of Heaven 

The temples, OMG, so many gorgeous temples! Our favorites were "Temple of Heaven" and the "Yonghe Temple" (also known as "Lama Temple") so beautiful and peaceful. 

The air quality was only an issue on the first day, after that, it cleared out and it was just like anywhere else. We didn't even got to use our masks. Definitely a country worth exploring!