My Perfect Day: In Beijing

During my recent trip to China, I had the chance to catch up with Iain Swain, a well-connected Scotsman who's been living in the country for six years and acts as the deputy editor for travel and nightlife at The Beijinger, the excellent and informative local city guide. I asked him to share his perfect day in Beijing.

If you can get up early, go to a park and watch as the old people do Kung Fu, Tai Chi, and practice their ballroom dancing. Grab a baozi -- a fluffy bun stuffed with meat and/or vegetables from a street vendor -- and wander around the hutongs for a while. For lunch, head  to Tang Yuan for dim sum, it's great. During the afternoon, explore the galleries in the 798 arts district or Caochangdi -- a rawer art section of the city. It's less well-known and has been in the news recently because it's slated for demolition.

If it isn't dark yet, visit Jingshan Park, which is just north of the Forbidden City and has offers amazing views of the Imperial Palace and the hutongs to the east and west. If you feel like having a drink with your view, visit the Atmosphere Bar in the China World Summit Wing hotel -- Beijing's tallest building (above) -- and watch the sunset.

My Perfect Day: In Beijing

Backlink: http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/intelligenttravel/2010/12/my-perfect-day-in-beijing.html