Journey to Beijing, Day 1

Arriving at the new terminal of Beijing Capital Airport was rather refreshing, compared to what they'd had before. You could tell they spent a gigantic amount of money to have something grand, airy and impressive. I remember the old terminal well: it had worn linoleum floors, wooden benches and was rather reminiscent of a provincial bus station.

Upon arrival, we were met by our driver and we set-out for Badaling, the most touristy of the Great Wall sites north of the city.


I suppose this made the most sense. Had we gone into the city, checked into the hotel and gone to Badaling, it probably would've added about 3 hours. Upon arrival at the Great Wall, we naturally opted to go on the easier slope...

It was an obligatory kind of visit, really. That evening, we had our Peking duck dinner and checked-in to the Beijing International Hotel, which is conveniently located on Jianguomen Avenue.

Coming-up: The Beijing Zoo, the Summer Palace and a spot o' Uighur cuisine.