# Need Help with China



## jerseygirl (Apr 23, 2007)

I've got this great opportunity to go to Beijing for a business meeting -- I'm so excited!  My daughter (19) will be traveling with me, and we need some help choosing optional activities.

She gets to choose 5 and I get to choose 2 (I have meetings during 3 of the times that she gets to go sightseeing).  I want to pick the best 2 for both of us to see together, then the next best 3 for her to see with the other guests.  I know nothing about China, so I'm hoping some experienced Tuggers can help me choose.

#1)  Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square
#2)  Summer Palace
#3)  Temple of Heaven and Rickshaw Tour in Hutongs
#4)  Lama Temple and Confucius Temple
#5)  Chinese Opera Experience
#6)  Beijing Capital Museum with Museum Curators
#7)  Tea/Caligraphy Appreciation at Traditional Chinese Tea House
#8)  Chinese Cooking Class (probably not my thing -- I prefer takeout!)
#9)  Art Walk at 789 Beijing Arts District

We have some free time and probably will stay an extra couple of days (or arrive a couple of days early), so please tell me your "don't miss" items (even if they're not on this list).

Also -- if you had 2-3 extra days, would you stay in Beijing, or try to get to Shanghai or some other place?  They have some great "add on" tours available, but unfortunately, they're for the days following the meeting and my daughter has to get back to school.  But, we can go early -- school won't have started.  We just have to make our own arrangements.  This is probably a once in a lifetime trip to China for me, so I want to make the best of it.  

One final note -- the entire group is going to The Great Wall for a special dinner, so we've got that covered.

Please help -- I have to submit our choices in a couple of days.

Thanks so much!


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## jerseygirl (Apr 23, 2007)

Moderator -- should I have posted this on Travel?  Please feel free to move if you think I'll get more responses there.  Thanks!


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## middleoforchid (Apr 24, 2007)

*Beijing sightseeing*



jerseygirl said:


> I've got this great opportunity to go to Beijing for a business meeting -- I'm so excited!  My daughter (19) will be traveling with me, and we need some help choosing optional activities.
> 
> She gets to choose 5 and I get to choose 2 (I have meetings during 3 of the times that she gets to go sightseeing).  I want to pick the best 2 for both of us to see together, then the next best 3 for her to see with the other guests.  I know nothing about China, so I'm hoping some experienced Tuggers can help me choose.
> 
> ...



Hi jerseygirl, been to Beijing many times,just came back late March......I really love the Summer Palace but it does take up a whole day to walk around so remember to bring a snack w/you( maybe a Danish or 2 from the hotel's bakery).I've also done the Hutong(old alleyways) tour on the rickshaw---this has a lot of the old Chinese culture interwoven into it so it's best to read a little background history on the Hutongs first,thus enabling you to understand more from the tour! There are also fantastic shopping at the Silk Market and the Pearl Market which your daughter will find interesting and they are both huge!!Now Shanghai is my favourite city in China,glitzy and fun.Yet when you take a bus tour 40 minutes away you would come to a tiny village built on the water called Chouchang w/old old stone houses,it's so picturesque! Another bus tour  an hour away will bring you to HangChow,the city that has the most beautiful lake where little tug boats take you onto the little different islands in the middle of the lake.....I think I'm getting a little carried away. If you do join a tour to Shanghai from Beijing,make sure you go to the 2 villages that I mentioned.Otherwise Shanghai city is just a "weternized" big city.......If you need more info,pls PM me. BON VOYAGE!   Angie


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## jerseygirl (Apr 24, 2007)

Angie --

Thanks so much!  Summer Palace and the Rickshaw Tour both sound great.  I'm definitely leaning toward the "Art Walk at 789" for one of my daughter's chocies -- sounds like she can do some shopping on that one.  Hopefully, we can hit the silk and pearl markets during some of our free time.

You weren't getting carried away!  I loved your descriptions of the 2 villages.  They sound wonderful!  And, I'll definitely PM you if I can make the Shanghai side tour happen - I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

- Jerseygirl


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## Jya-Ning (Apr 24, 2007)

It probably will cost you at least 6 hr to Shanghai.  If just 2 or 3 days, not really worth it.  Although it will be very different then Beijing.

I did not see the Great Wall, it should be in the day trip range.

The 1st 3 items will probably takes you one day unless you just plan to be there take a picture and goto next place.  Some of the rest depends on how interest you are, if you like them, one day may not be enough.

These list is pretty good.  Based on your plan, it should be enough.  Unless you don't plan to attend the meeting at all.

Jya-Ning


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## jerseygirl (Apr 24, 2007)

I definitely have to go to the meetings!  But, they've booked pretty generous time slots for the tours, so I think we'll get a decent overview.

I'm sad that the pre-packaged "add on" tours are all for the days following the meeting, but I need to make the best of it.  It's such a wonderful opportunity -- can't look a gift horse in the mouth!

Maybe I should just arrive in Beijing early and forego Shanghai??  I'm usually pretty whipped after an overseas flight -- the first day for me is usually a bust.   I love taking a city tour first thing after arriving in a foreign city for the first time.  It gives me the opportunity to find out which sites really interest me.  Perhaps we'll do that -- we can sign up for the group tours that we know we'll like, then arrive early and figure out what else we'd like to see.

Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated.  I have to register no later than Monday.


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## MULTIZ321 (Apr 24, 2007)

JerseyGirl,

While this previous Tug Thread about China and Bejing isn't directly related to your questions - there's some good info included


Richard


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## MULTIZ321 (Apr 24, 2007)

Also, if you've not already seen it - another Tug thread which recommends some China Tour Operators

Good Luck and have a great trip

Richard


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## middleoforchid (Apr 24, 2007)

*Beijing tour*



jerseygirl said:


> I definitely have to go to the meetings!  But, they've booked pretty generous time slots for the tours, so I think we'll get a decent overview.
> 
> I'm sad that the pre-packaged "add on" tours are all for the days following the meeting, but I need to make the best of it.  It's such a wonderful opportunity -- can't look a gift horse in the mouth!
> 
> ...


Hi again,forgot to mention to you,there are a lot of "touch ups" being done at the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Sq.so big  sections have been closed on a rotation basis in preparation for the 2010 Olympics.Find out from the hotel concierge first.If your daughter is artzy,the big antique mkt may interest her.Remember though you'll just be scratching Beijing's surface w/ a few days.So just take in a few sights, stroll the city a bit,sip some tea in a teahouse and then relax in the hot tub back at the hotel.Life is good  Angie


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## jerseygirl (Apr 24, 2007)

Thanks everyone for your replies and for the references to the two other threads -- great information.

I was able to confirm today that we can go as early as we'd like.  We're pretty sure we're going to leave on Friday ... arrive around noon on Saturday (and probably sleep Saturday away).  We'll then have Sunday - Wednesday on our own.  The official event starts with a dinner Wednesday evening, and ends with the Great Wall on Saturday.   Much more time than I originally thought, which opens up the possibilities considerably.  I'm sure we'll still only scratch the surface, but I'm feeling a lot less pressure to choose tours carefully.

Thanks again!  Additional suggestions welcome and greatly appreciated.


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## cathyv (Apr 24, 2007)

#1) Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square
#2) Summer Palace
#3) Temple of Heaven and Rickshaw Tour in Hutongs
#4) Lama Temple and Confucius Temple
#5) Chinese Opera Experience
#6) Beijing Capital Museum with Museum Curators
#7) Tea/Caligraphy Appreciation at Traditional Chinese Tea House
#8) Chinese Cooking Class (probably not my thing -- I prefer takeout!)
#9) Art Walk at 789 Beijing Arts District

I think you have them in a good order.  I would go on the rickshaw ride with your daughter.  Definetly go to the first four.  Also fun is cheap shoping and watching some chinese acrobats.


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## Zac495 (Jun 7, 2007)

jerseygirl said:


> I've got this great opportunity to go to Beijing for a business meeting -- I'm so excited!  My daughter (19) will be traveling with me, and we need some help choosing optional activities.
> 
> She gets to choose 5 and I get to choose 2 (I have meetings during 3 of the times that she gets to go sightseeing).  I want to pick the best 2 for both of us to see together, then the next best 3 for her to see with the other guests.  I know nothing about China, so I'm hoping some experienced Tuggers can help me choose.
> 
> ...




I went there when I adopted my daughter!!! Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square are a must. WOW. Go SHOPPING!!!!!! I don't remember the summer palace - pretty - not a must. I went to Shanghai and Guango (sp???) - it's where the consulate is (we got Zoe's passport there) . There is a hotel called The White swan which is considered to be one of the best hotels in the WORLD. We loved it there.

Have fun.


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