[Uberschaf]

My kids just moved to Beijing.Anyone been there? Thinking of going there this next spring.

[rhsgypsylady]

I spent 2 wks in China in 2002 and it was very educational - went to Great Wall, Tianonmon Square, Terracotta Warriors, took a river cruise down the Yangtzee, etc. China is very, very crowded and polluted, lots and lots of cars and bicycles. I was so sick of Chinese food when I got back that I didn't eat Chinese food for a year (even though it was different than American Chinese). We had a guide with us from the time we landed until we left. Can't remember what time of year I went but I remember it was very humid and hot. If you've never been, I would definitely go for the experience, especially while your kids are there.

[The20Percent]

Originally Posted by rhsgypsylady

I spent 2 wks in China in 2002 and it was very educational - went to Great Wall, Tianonmon Square, Terracotta Warriors, took a river cruise down the Yangtzee, etc. China is very, very crowded and polluted, lots and lots of cars and bicycles. I was so sick of Chinese food when I got back that I didn't eat Chinese food for a year (even though it was different than American Chinese). We had a guide with us from the time we landed until we left. Can't remember what time of year I went but I remember it was very humid and hot. If you've never been, I would definitely go for the experience, especially while your kids are there.

Ditto to all the above. We were there in 2011 and saw & did everything (minus the river cruise) as the poster above. It was a cultural experience and we were thrilled to see these sites but Bejing is not one of those places I would want to return to anytime soon. We were there with a Princess tour group for five days and the guides tried their best to take us to restaurants for food they thought we might like but they still failed miserably! I was never so glad to get onboard the ship off the coast of China and eat all the foods we are all so familiar with!

[Sable99]

I was in China in either 2003 or 04 for about 17 days. We traveled all over China and I also went to Hong Kong for a few days. The above posters are correct, Beijing is very polluted with a lot of cars and bicycles. Not to mention the street vendors with their food! I could look down at the Square from my hotel room to see the soldiers marching.

The China Sea was beautiful

I am sure my trip was a little slanted as we went to many meetings and dinners with their Government officials

I would definitely go again. But it is a long flight!

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Ask them about the traffic. It's worse than Manila and yes, China is very crowded and very dirty.

[billethkid]

No thanx......too many nice places left to go to on the planet!

[Baboon]

As far as smog levels go, April and May are the best times to visit. The levels will only run 8-10 times higher than the average for Los Angeles, but still several times higher than "Dangerous" according to the US government.

[maddie101]

Went in 2000 when there were mostly bikes and push carts. Cars were just becoming more popular. Went back a few years later and was amazed at the changes. Very dirty and many bathrooms were still holes in the ground. Some shots were required, but others recommended by my dr, but they should have been mandatory. We were in a decent restaurant and the waiter needed to tie his shoe. He put the tray of food on the floor! Tied his shoe, and then served the food. I remember the wonderful parts, too

[Bonanza]

It's an incredible country with many differences if you plan to use Bejing as a base for travel. Go! Don't think twice about it. And since you have family there, you have even more of a reason to visit. You will never be sorry for going and hopefully you can take your time and not pack too many places into a short time span.

They even have McDonald's and WalMart, if you get homesick!
UGH!

[Lark7]

In 2008, my wife and I visited China for three weeks. While Beijing was not my favorite city, China, as a whole, offers a wonderful cultural experience.

[Xcuse]

We did a two week bicycle tour in southern China in 2004 followed by flying to Beijing for several days and then overnite train to Xian before returning to Hong Kong and getting a flight back to Chicago. It was a wonderful trip that we enjoyed immensely and still talk about. The air was polluted to the point of seeing any blue sky was so rare as to be remarkable. Beijing was very interesting to visit although the roads reminded us of L.A. with all the traffic.
We enjoyed trying all the different foods available,but it was definitely not like American style as your dinner was often walking around in front of the restaurant when you walked in. I'm sure the ten years since we visited have seen a lot of change, but we would return without hesitation if we had the opportunity.