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Cat's pick: Top cool things to do in Beijing

Catherine Wood: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, August 24, 2009

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Catherine Wood in Beijing subway. [China.org.cn]

My name is Catherine Wood and I am a 21 year old business student from North Carolina, USA. It has always been my dream to travel to China and this summer I had the honor and privilege of making my dreams come true. Although I have done some traveling around China, the one thing I have realized is that there is no place quite like Beijing. I have really loved my time living and working in the city of Beijing and hold this experience very close to my heart.

I have lived in Beijing for the past three months, which puts me somewhere between the labels of tourist and local. This has given me more than enough time to travel to all of the main sights and attractions in Beijing, plus a little extra time to revisit some of my favorites. I have learned a lot about this city and the specific culture that it embodies and as part of my experience. I feel it is my duty to pass along what I have learned with others along the way. So what if you are only in Beijing for a couple of days and not three months? What would you choose to see and what would you choose to leave out?

I thought I would help out by giving my personal Top 10 Things to Do in Beijing. This is what I consider the ultimate insider's guide to all of the "must-sees" of Beijing without the flowery tourist traps. My experience has let me see things I couldn't have imagined in my wildest dreams as well as friendships that will last a lifetime. They are as follows:

1) The Great Wall of China

2) The Lama Temple

3) Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City

4) Singing Karaoke with friends

5) Olympic Park

6) Peking Duck

7) The Summer Palace

8) Houhai Lake

9) Wangfujing Street

10) Markets

As a business student, I am trained to see the assets and liabilities of a company or a client. For Beijing though, the true asset it offers is the people that inhabit it and give it the culture and history that they so graciously share with the world. There are so many things to see in Beijing, so many friends to make; it is definitely a city that will call to me for the rest of my days.

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