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changing capital of China |
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Beijing
(North City) being the capital of China, is well known as
a political, cultural and international exchange center. Their best historical
resources, 12 million populations, a history of 3,000 years and the biggest
number of relics and cultural attractions has made them one of the hottest
tourist destinations.
For
the past three years the tremendous changes make Beijing very impressive.
The city was once the imperial capital for kings and khans, then proclaimed
the capital again when Mao Zedong founded the People's Republic in Tiananmen
Square on October 1, 1949.The current changes made are more than cosmetic.
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the heart of the city lies The Wangfujing Street (literally Royal
Well Street) name after the ancient well, which was rediscovered in
1998 during renovations, had been hidden for more than 70 years. This
place was once scruffy with pothole pavements and packed with fume-belching
cars and trucks. It's now a gleaming retail boulevard! The new Sun
Dong An Arcade is a jumbo multi-stories-shopping arcade, packed with
luxury designer labels. The traditional Chinese medicine shops, tea
emporiums, bookstores and state-run Friendship Stores were fully renovated.
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Shopping Boulevard |
From the
start of this new millennium, vigilant traffic police had stopped all
private transport and only public buses are allow to drive through the
heart of the 700-year old landmark. Pedestrians can stroll leisurely and
admire the bronze sculptures or sit at pavement cafes.
Apart from
being a historical city, this place serves mouthwatering and "yummy" Chinese
cuisine. Dining options are affordable and varied. Noodles and stuffed
buns, favorite snacks for the Northern Chinese and familiar western logos
of Starbucks, Pizza Hut and Parks'n Shop are place in juxtaposition. Food
court concepts are now common in new shopping arcades. While you eat,
you can watch indoor activities like rock-climbing, roller-skating and
swimming.
The subway
is slick, swift, safe and cheap, with fixed fees of 40 cents for the circular
route (hitting all the major Chinese and English tourist locations) and
30 cents going east to west. Nowadays, signage in Chinese and English
can be seen through out the city.
Planning
a short sightseeing vacation in Beijing? Try hopping into a cab, as it
is one of the most economical and convenient ways to travel.
Beijing, with so many attractions within a city is a place that you would
definitely enjoy visiting. More
on Beijing...
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