Beijing (Peking) is a monumental city, in terms not only of its size and population of 12 million inhabitants, but also its cultural richness. This fascinating capital literally overflows with history. The central districts were formed from the juxtaposition of the Chinese city and the Tatar city. Here, the Imperial City encloses the ancient Forbidden City, once reserved for the Imperial family but now serving as a museum. In the old part of town, you will find traditional houses hiding behind porches, and the “hutongs”, ancient alleyways unique to Beijing that fan out from the Forbidden City. By rickshaw is perhaps the most pleasant (and practical) way to discover the numerous curiosities of the city. Add to this the excitement stirred up by the preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games… it’s all going to happen here! When you want to take some time out from the enormous human ant-hill that is Beijing, take one of the 140 line buses or one of the 60 000 taxis and enjoy a moment of reflection in the beautiful Zhongshan Park.
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