2008 Olympics: Advice to travelers attending the Beijing Olympics – Part 1

All Olympics lovers around the world are curiously waiting for the upcoming Olympics. Their minds are filled up with all events, games that are going to be held in the Olympics. First and the foremost is to know well about the Olympics. The Olympic Games are considered as an international multi-sport event with various sporting events. In this Olympics, most of the countries look forward for their participation. These Olympics are usually held for every four years. The logo of the Olympics includes five rings in different colors. Many Athletes participate in these Olympics.

The 2008 Summer Olympics will be held in China based Beijing National Stadium during the month of August. Beijing is the capital city of the People’s Republic of China. This Olympics is called as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad. The Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee is making the feel of this Olympics by selling over 10 millions of Tickets to the public through different ways. The travelers who are eagerly waiting to show their participation in the upcoming Olympics can also take their great advantage of traveling by visiting China’s most popular tourist attractions such as the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven, the Forbidden City, and many others. Travelers to China can book the four-star or five-stars hotels that are near to the venue of the Olympics.

Most of the tourist operators of china are providing large facilities for the travelers visiting China to participate in Olympics. For example, Cavalier Travels based in China has made well-arrangements for the travelers. The arrangements include the booking of flights, hotels and cruise ship rooms, visiting wonderful places in China and other facilities. An wonderful opportunity for people who cannot travel to China is that they can feel the original experience of Olympics in their home by watching the television. They can avail full opportunity at their home itself.

Hence, the upcoming Olympics in China is expected to be a great remarkable event around the globe. People staying in China can avail this wonderful opportunity in their beautiful life. Though there may be a language problem for non-Chinese people, but there are many Chinese translations to aid the outside Chinese travelers.

Visiting Beijing

People flocked to see the Olympic Games which ended on 24th of August at Beijing and were enthralled by the whole event, from its grand Opening Ceremony, depicting the culture and trations of China, to the Bird’s Nest and all the exciting sporting events that took place. Now the whole Olympic excitement is over, and the most of the tourists still remain to enjoy the beauty of China.

There are many attractions and destinations to be explored in Beijing. The ideal place to learn about the Imperial Chinese court during the height of its power is by visiting the Forbidden City. The gates open at 8.30 am. The famous Tiananmen Square is the largest in the world and is Mao’s mausoleum. A flag raising and lowering ceremony is held there every day at dawn and dusk respectively.

The Summer Palace is known for its gardens and palace ruins, while a public park where locals practice tai chi in the mornings surround the Temple of Heaven. The zoo and the aquarium are also places of tourist interest. The best known attraction in the country is the Great Wall of China, which is located out of the city and takes about an hour and a half to reach. A visitor can climb the steps and go around it or can take a ski lift to go to the top.

Shopping in Beijing is also interesting and fun, with many places available for the shoppers to indulge themselves in. Xi Zhi Men is a clothes market where the Chinese themselves shop. The Silk Street is a five-story air-conditioned building, while the Malls at the Oriental Plaza, east of Tiananmen Square is an expensive shopping area. The Golden Resources Shopping Mall is the largest mall in Asia and is 690,000 square meters in size. Beijing is considered a safe city, but counterfeit currency is rampant and tourists are given prior warnings to check their bills and currencies when purchasing items from Chinese shops, especially street markets.

When it comes to Chinese dining, the Beijing Roast Duck is the specialty in food. Restaurants offer traditional and modern Chinese cuisines, but an abundance of Western food chains such as McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, are also available. Chinese tea is a favorite among tourists. The tea is full of flavor and is considered healthy.

Beijing also offers many accommodation facilities. Staying at a luxury hotel in Beijing will allow tourists to relax in comfort after an exciting day in the city of Beijing. Tourists are also encouraged to stay in a Beijing hotel near the Forbidden City as this will provide easy access to the main attractions and destinations in the city.

Begin in Beijing – Travel Information

Orange County Meets Ming Dynasty in Beijing

When many travelers think of Beijing, they imagine the dictatorial atmosphere of Mao Zedong or television images of protesting citizens; however, Beijing has a tremendous history beginning as early as the 1st century BCE and has persevered through Kublai Kahn’s Mongols, Japanese invasion, and the Communist Civil War victory in 1949.

The Forbidden City is a fascinating journey through 500 years of Imperial secrecy. The head of state no longer resides here and the beautiful buildings and breathtaking gardens are open to the public year-round. The entrance to the Forbidden City is the infamous Tiananmen Square and gate, protected by four formidable marble lions. Nearby, the Temple of Heaven is another sublime representation of an era of dynasties and royal architecture. With airfare to Beijing, you also have the extra opportunity to see the Great Wall of China, which is only one and a half hours away by bus.

Although there are hundreds of historical sites in Beijing, the rapidly sprawling metropolis is also overflowing with contemporary wonders and luxuries. The National Zoo houses the largest inland aquarium in the world as well as China’s famous pandas. Next to the Imperial Palace, the Wan Fung Art Gallery provides insight into the artistic transition from regal and traditional to cutting edge contemporary. Most interestingly, the suburban sprawl has witnessed the creation of a $60 million American-inspired community called Orange County, complete with town homes and tract housing.

Chinese Cultural Centrifuge in Beijing

Experience two cultural traditions in one at the Laoshe Tea House where you will be both charmed by Chinese opera and soothed by a variety of traditional teas. For world-class shopping in Beijing, visit Wangfujing, or you can find your way into the many enchanting smaller districts for traditional Chinese shops and boutiques. Beijing is also home to several notable temples like the Miaoying, and even a mosque that was built in 996.

With such dynamic experiences to offer and the immaculate preservation of its past, Beijing is truly an international city and there’s no wonder the cosmopolis has been chosen for the Olympics. Get your airfare to Beijing now or wait for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.