A couple of months ago, for the first time ever, I traveled outside Europe. My destination was Beijing, but not for leisure. Nevertheless, there was that Friday available in my schedule, and despite the freaking -7 degrees, I decided to visit the most touristic part of the city: The Forbidden City of Beijing.
Arriving at the area (being prepared with maps and everything, as you much be really lucky to find a local speaking English), I went through the security control and arrived at the well famous Tiananmen Square. I noticed there were many Chinese people from other parts of this huge country visiting in order to see the square and have a couple of selfies :)
The square is world widely known due to the "Tiananmen Square protests of 1989".
Even though I was really like with the full sunny day, the cold in Beijing was unbearable! I was not prepared for such cold, and I could barely stay outside long enough to take more photos. The water that is circulating the Forbidden City was completely frozen!
Among the hundreds of tourists (mainly inland tourists I could say), there were also some Europeans. It was such a relief hearing some English every now and then, knowing that you can communicate with someone if needed. Reminder: No google translate in China! You do not use their Nr1 app (We-chat) ? Then you are in trouble :)
Beijing is, after all, a massive capital with millions of people. The oasis of the Chinese culture (The forbidden City), come with a huge contrast against the recent westernization of the city. Huge buildings are rising everywhere, visible from the inside of the Palaces' yards.
Even though the days I was there were considered "clean" as for the atmosphere, there were many people walking around with their masks. This girl on the photo below was standing there admiring the palaces, with her mask on.
I remember though, that the night before this picture was taken, while leaving work I thought there was heavy fog outside. But no. It was pure, dense pollution!
If watching this you think I am a bad person putting this on, you are wrong! I on purpose chose to demonstrate only the scorpions, since cockroaches and spiders are less... appetizing, right?
You know, I believed from years that Greece is a chaos when it comes to transportation. Then I visited China (and Naples, but that is a different story).
It is very common that people are using their phones (the all-in-one-app: WeChat) to scan and unlock these bikes, drive them to another spot, scan again to lock them and pay. I did not dare though to get any, and I instead was robbed off some taxi drivers instead.
