Beijing: Great. Never Again.
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It was so painful. I'm definitely never going to Beijing during summer vacation again.
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That's just how it is around Tiananmen Square. That's why so many people put it on their must-see list, thinking it's just a quick walk-through. I went three times in five days, and I felt each visit was a little different. But even after going three times, I still couldn't get my bearings and tell which entrance was which. I was constantly alternating between being lost and finding my way.
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It was genuinely too painful. There's absolutely no way I'm going to Beijing during summer vacation again. Not a chance.
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Girl, you're hilarious! That bit about the 'rat crossing the street'—I can totally picture the scene.
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If it weren't for the armed police or traffic police constantly telling us to keep moving forward, I would have genuinely thought we were being scammed! It was always 'you can turn at the next intersection,' and two hours later, we still hadn't made it in.
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When I saw that part about cycling, I admit I had a bit of a mean laugh, because it reminded me of myself. Yesterday at the Forbidden City, I was halfway through and absolutely exhausted and starving. Turning back wasn't really an option, so I just had to tough it out and keep going.
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Honestly, I'm speechless. Maybe I should count myself lucky I didn't manage to book the Forbidden City? Otherwise, it would have been two days straight of being this exhausted. The mere thought is unbearable.
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Our original plan was to see the flag-raising ceremony, the Tiananmen Rostrum, the Great Hall of the People, the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, and the Palace Museum. However, we left late, and on top of that, there were road closures. So, with two elderly folks and one child in tow, we ended up power-walking for over half an hour, completely exhausted, and managed to perfectly miss the flag-raising. Afterwards, we decided to queue for the Chairman Mao Memorial. Initially, staff said people over 65 could use a fast-track lane, but by the time it was our turn, the rule suddenly changed to 70 and over, wasting another hour of queuing time. We had no choice but to rejoin the regular line. After another two and a half hours baking under the scorching sun, we finally saw Chairman Mao. By then, we had absolutely no energy left for the rest of the itinerary. The whole family just went back to the hotel and slept until evening.
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Seriously, just thinking about it makes me break out in a sweat! When did you all go? Was it during the summer vacation too? It must be much easier to visit these past couple of days. Some friends of ours went after school started and were able to hit up all the spots. I, on the other hand, didn't manage to make it anywhere.
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You set off without proper preparation and didn't plan your itinerary well! Just a spontaneous 'let's go' trip! All I can say is, you reap what you sow.
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Tell me about it!
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It truly is a bit of a food desert. The Peking duck from a place near my home is tastier than what you get at Siji Minfu, and it costs less than 20% of their price. It really feels like you're just paying to suffer.