http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19777 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19777 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18003 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18003 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17937 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17937 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17438
One of the best things I did was to take a bicycle around the backstreet hutongs of the city, true Chinese style. The architecture is from Imperial times and it really feels like you're stepping back in time to when the Forbidden City was still really forbidden to mere mortals. This way you can escape the crowds too, and find some street markets where you can bargain to buy anything from knockoff designer clothes to Chairman Mao alarm clocks and the ubiquitous Little Red Book. And make sure you have your hotel's business card so you can show it to someone when you get lost!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17438 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17403 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17403 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17402 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17402 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17401 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17401 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16786
What makes the temple unique is the century-old trees - line upon line of Chinese cypress, Chinese juniper and scholar trees. Some of the cypresses are more than 600 years old. Dr Henry Kissinger, when he visited the temple, stated that while the USA could recreate the Temple of Heaven if it desired, it could not create the trees!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16786 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13301
The flood of tasty restaurants, cosy bars, and unique shops that run up and down the hidden street will no doubt remove the lane from the list of Beijing's best- kept secrets. Still, despite the renovations and ongoing grand openings, this area has retained its original essence of an inner-sanctuary. The fact that public toilets outnumber the private ones also add a certain cultural authenticity.

If in the area, this hutong is definitely worth wandering around aimlessly, day or night, ohhing and ahhing along the way.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13301 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9198 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/9198 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4334
It should be noted that you're not always following the path of the wall itself, and if you want to get the 'classic' wall experience (and photos) take another tour instead of, or as well as, this one. On the other hand, you will definitely avoid crowds and hawkers.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4334 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/902 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/902