After a flight long enough to be considered its own adventure, we had our first full day in China. Without hesitation we visited Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Nanluoguxiang.
Tiananmen Square is a 109-acre square at the heart of Beijing. It is named after the Tiananmen Gate of the Forbidden to its north. I was not fully prepared to what I was going to see behind the multiple gates of the Forbidden City.
Too large to capture on camera, the Forbidden City was mind-blowing. Wall after wall, room after room, and stair after stair assembled to create a private city and imperial palace for the Chinese dynasties.
Nanluoguxiang is a refurbished hutong – a series of alleys and streets that form traditional Chinese courtyard residences. Nanluoguxiang has been transformed into a popular shopping spot for local fashion.
-- Andrew Charette