CHINA SOJOURN: BEGUILING BEIJING

    Beijing, originally Peking, is one of the world's most famous cities, with ancient landmarks,     contemporary buildings, bustling avenues, and enormous cultural artifacts culminating in its historical renaissance. It is China's second-biggest city, and it was at the top of my bucket list.

I visited Wuhan, Chengdu, and Beijing during my three-week stay in China. But Beijing was the pinnacle of my trip to China. I happened to be there for a week after feeling driven to discover what lay beyond the mountains to Nepal's north.

Getting to Beijing from Wuhan, in a 12-hour train ride, I finally arrived in Beijing. I was ecstatic at the prospect of visiting one of the world's seven wonders, "The Great Wall." The northern frontiers of China flaunt these lengthy and massive walls that were once built to divide the Mongolian boundaries. This 13,000-mile-long wall is an emblem of Chinese culture.
As it was my first overseas trip, I became bewildered by Beijing's sophisticated infrastructure, unlike anything I'd seen in Nepal. I was prepared to fulfill a lifelong desire to see the magnificent historical marvels with my own eyes.

 

 A three-hour bus ride brought us among the crowds of tourists to visit the Great Wall in Badaling. I was there among the wanderers, predominantly   Chinese, unable to engage owing to the language barrier, ready to express my eternal yearning and delight to be there. On both sides of the strolling routes, little stores, food carts, and vendors selling sculptures and souvenirs persuaded passersby to buy their items. After around 15-20 minutes of walking, I arrived at an entrance to the Great Walls. My historical journey through the Way of Great Walls began here. I was overcome with pride that could not be expressed in words. People were shooting photographs all over the place to remember what they had just seen. I took the west pathways rather than the east routes, which were clogged with tourists. I wandered for over an hour along the walls, entranced by the hills and forest on the other side of the wall, and wondered how long it would have taken to create such massive fortifications. I was just stunned. Even though I trekked up some steep mountains, I didn't get fatigued. I snapped photos anytime I felt like it, and they were in practically every turn I made while strolling.

Nonetheless, I had to leave after around 3-4 hours. I returned with the individual who had just visited one of the world's seven wonders. I slept well that night in Beijing. The hotel where I stayed was fantastic, providing solace for my tired body. Finally, some much-needed rest was attained.

Forbidden Palace

    My next destination was the massive     Tiananmen Square, where I visited the Forbidden     Palace. There was a long queue, similar to our     Durbar squares of Kathmandu, rich in traditional     architectural palaces. I had some trouble as     Chinese people have difficulty with English. I     wondered if English was my mother tongue     because I found closeness to those speaking it. Besides, the management which upholds such flux of visitors was quite impressive. I had to walk along those streets of Beijing with confusion regarding the way after taking an exit from the Forbidden Palace.

Nevertheless, my eyes glared at the Streets of Beijing, the way of life, tall buildings, and the vibrant city. My stay until then had been successful as I had enjoyed every minute. It would only improve as I adjusted to the Chinese way of life. I was fond of Chinese street food, which reflects a different perspective of their culture and local taste. During summer, It's in the evening or early morning when China comes to alive. It isn't easy to roam around with extreme hot humidity in the afternoon.

 Being a sports lover, my desire to visit the gigantic "Birds Nest Stadium" was fulfilled the next day with utmost enthusiasm. I had never felt such awe. Also known as the National Olympic Stadium, which hosted the Beijing Olympic 2008, it is situated at the heart of Beijing. It was simply breathtakingly situated amidst a glorious lake that passes by and an organized entrance. Adults were seen skating those subways, and just in the middle of those lies the colossal piece of Masterpiece in the shape of a Bird's nest. I knew I would have great photos by the time I reached my hotel. Here it was, soothing music playing in every corner, giant statues, a clean environment, and happy-looking tourists everywhere sums up how big a moment it was to spend quality time there.

Roads in Beijing

Don’t get confused with all the good things I have to say about my Beijing travel regardless of how much I suffered when traveling by metros with my confusion of the routes and more so with Chinese language and letters. Metros are a boon to the flux of people to reach their destination in no time. I was left to ponder if such infrastructure could be built in Nepal. It reflects China's growing influence in economic and socio-cultural aspects, which has been the heart of Its prominent rise as one of the global superpowers.

Nevertheless, My first international visit was worth a lifetime experience. A neighboring country is worthy of a traveling destination by any means.