I am there on Sunday, one day off before work starts. 🙁
The employer is offering a car to take me to Great Wall – but its 3+ hours away (after flying out), and a couple of reviews are ‘tourist crowds’ – which I hate.

I had planned on simply visiting some parks around Beijing. I found a Chinese site listing some lovely sounding parks and places. Maybe some of the outside of the old city / Tienanmen Square (avoiding crowds inside…).

Any suggestions? Should I take up the wall visit offer?

I’m staying out at airport area.

Forbidden City is a good place to visit (wasn’t hugely crowded), and then just wander around taking in the sights and the street vendors.

I went to a touristy bit of the wall, it’s fine but a long way if you only have one day.

it’s fine but a long way if you only have one day.

This is my feeling – would rather have the time in a car spent wandering around some nice places…

A long way for outdoor sports instructors training 😆

Isn’t it?
Trip includes Singapore and Myanmar too… And next year’s invite is even more geographically spread…

Sounds like a funded holiday Matt 🙂

@matt – I am there on Sunday for a day – I was planning to see Tienanmen Sq, Forbidden City, Drum Tower, hutong, lakes.

Then a week of meetings 🙁

STW Beijing meet Up?

DrJ, you don’t work for an international school do you…? Wondering if you’re in my meetings…

Haha – that would be too weird!! In fact I work for a gigantic Chinese company so probably we are in different meetings!

I am leaving LHR on Friday afternoon. You?

Trip includes Singapore

I’ve got a lot of recommendation for Singapore if you need/want them.

Beijing rather less so, I’m afraid! I wasn’t paying attention.

Edinburgh Friday evening.

Singapore is a four day with no break trip – and the school has me out for a meal each night it seems…

In that case come and see our wall, you can’t see it from space but on a clear day you can see it from Edinburgh

Forbidden city was good.

Try and borrow one of the employers locals as a guide and explain that you want to see the street food and markets.

As a word of advice don’t eat anything that isn’t cooked and served hot, particularly salads. If in doubt neck a bottle of coke after eating. I was fine but half the people I was with got ill from incautious eating.

I was taken to the park that backs onto Hidden city (ace!) and some touristy old streets (fascinating, but sooo busy).
Totally bonkers place – its 34*c and humid, apparently its ‘clear air’ although I can taste pollution, more cars, bikes and people than I have ever seen. Rose gardens and trimmed box hedges down middle of city motorway (complete with gardener standing in edge of the lane…). And the cyclists/moped/drivers are all utterly nuts – i’m glad the traffic is so slow or else it would be lethal rather than small bumps 😯

I’ve got a lot of recommendation for Singapore if you need/want them.

Singapore is lovely! From the welcoming and happy taxi driver, beautiful tree and flower filled streets, amazing botanical gardens (complete with crocs and turtles in the pond) and chilli crab (who knew?!), the cars stop and let you cross the road (unlike the guy at Beijing airport this morning who tried to run me over, even though I was already halfway across the crossing) – I’ve only been here 4 hours and loving it.

Only downside is I know what this fella and his mates felt like now.