Beijing: What to see

So we had already decided to start our trip in Beijing and we had given ourselves a month. So I started to think about how much is there to see in one city. I got out lonely planet guide out and started to leaf through the Beijing area. I knew we would want to do some everyday type things like visit the library (for homeschooling purposes), find out where the health clinic, grocery stores and things were, but I was astounded at the number of site seeing opportunities that were available in just one city!

At the top of the list of course is the Great Wall of China, Tianamen Square, and the Forbidden City, but there are also all kinds of gardens, an aquarium, a zoo, science museums, temples and places, bike tours, Chinese puppet theatre, Ming Tombs, and "Le Cool Ice Rink". I've listed about 20 different things that we need to see or do while in Beijing. I hope we can fit them all in. We are also thinking about day trips to Tianjin, a coastal town about 1.5 hours away, and to Chengde which is about 250 km away and boasts the largest regal gardens.

We are still debating about how to get from Beijing to Vietnam. We could take a lengthy train ride, and get off for quick stops in one or more of Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Macau, or we could take the much quicker method of flying, but then we do miss out on the other places.

CM