Private Beijing Tour: Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall, and Dumpling Lunch

Estivemos em cruzeiro e tinhamos apenas 2 dias (1 noite) em Beijing. O suporte desde o transporte, restaurante, hotel e especialmente a visita a cidade proibida e a grande muralha foi muito bem conduzida pela equipe do Leo. Estávamos em 3 casais e fomos guiados pelo Fernando, falando em português (auto ditada, porém com bom vocabulário) e conhecimento da história e cultura. Recomendo.

I was to be in Beijing for just one day. I found individual and group tours. Leo Chu From U China Travel Ltd. called to quote the cost of a single person tour. I found it was double of a group tour. After much thought, I decided it was the best way to see and experience the city my own way. A week before I left New York City, I booked the individual tour Leo had quoted me. On June 30/2016, Julian, my tour guide picked me up at the hotel at 8AM. We boarded a comfortable mini bus and headed for Tiananmen Square, our first stop. Unfortunately, it was barred from entry on that day. So, we continued our tour to the Forbidden City where we spent the whole morning. There is so much to see, learn and absorb a morning is just glimpse of the extraordinary beauty, craftsmanship and thought. As always it was crowded but one could find pockets of isolated places and focus on astounding specific details the long stones of bas-relief carved one in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony the other by the Hall of Preserving Harmony, the long colorful ceramic depicting Nine Dragons in front of the Palace of Tranquil Longevity, the Hall of Supreme Harmonys roof decorated with yellow tiles yellow being the emperors color with ten imperial figures adorning the roof ridge. We stopped at one of the imperial gardens which houses, very old cypress trees. At the gift shop, an artist delicately paints landscapes, flowers, animals, insects or your name, if you wish, inside miniature glass bottles. I bought a few as presents. Julian kindly reminded the scheduled lunch. He took me to a Michelin star dumpling restaurant. The food was superb. We then proceeded to The Great wall of China. I was driven to the Mutianyu area. Though it was very hot day, Julian and I walked for several hours the southward route from Tower 6, The Grand Zhengguan Terrace to the Big Corner Watch Tower 1, which is the place where East, West and south connect. The name derives from the fact that it looks like a cor

I was to be in Beijing for just one day. I looked for individual and group tours. Leo Chu From U China Travel Ltd. called to quote the cost of a single person tour. I found it was double the price of of a group tour. After much thought, I decided it was the best way to see and experience the city my own way. A week before I left New York City, I booked the individual tour Leo had quoted me. On June 30/2016, Julian, my tour guide picked me up at the hotel at 8AM. We boarded a comfortable mini bus and headed for Tiananmen Square, our first stop. Unfortunately, it was barred from entry on that day. So, we continued our tour to the Forbidden City where we spent the whole morning. There is so much to see, learn and absorb a morning is just glimpse of the extraordinary beauty, craftsmanship and thought involved in creating such a place. As always it was crowded but one could find pockets of isolated places and focus on astounding specific details; the long stones of bas-relief carved one in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony the other by the Hall of Preserving Harmony are just astounding! the long colorful ceramic depicting Nine Dragons in front of the Palace of Tranquil Longevity took my breath away, and much admired the Hall of Supreme Harmony’s roof decorated with yellow tiles (yellow being the emperor’s color) with ten imperial figures adorning the roof ridge; each one with a specific meaning. We stopped at one of the imperial gardens which houses, very old cypress trees. At the gift shop, an artist delicately painted landscapes, flowers, animals, insects or your name, if you wish, inside miniature glass bottles. I bought a few as presents. Julian kindly reminded the scheduled lunch. He took me to a Michelin star dumpling restaurant. The food and service was superb, We then proceeded to The Great wall of China. I was driven to the Mutianyu area. Though it was very hot day, Julian and I walked for several hours the southward route from Tower 6, The Grand Zhengguan Terrace to the Big Corner Watch Tower 1, which is the place where East, West and south connect. The name derives from the fact that it looks like a corner from any angle. My day of sightseeing ended with a speedy toboggan descent (even at age 65 one could enjoy this entertainment). At the end of a fabulous day, I was driven to my hotel. Julian gave me a present from Leo; a beautifully packaged scroll with the traditional art of China of paper cutting depicting the twelve signs of the zodiac. A present I will cherish for years to come as a memory of my only day in Beijing and a reminder of a worthwhile investment of a single person tour.