You’re in Beijing. For the first time.
Excited to see the city and probably to see the Big 5:
– Tiananmen Square & Mao’s Mausoleum
– The Forbidden City (Imperial Palace)
– The Egg
– The Pavilions of Jingshan Park
– Olympic Park

The only problem is, everyone else is excited to see those places too.

You decide to spend a day exploring the Forbidden City, home of emperors and political power in China for over 500 years. Sweet!

“This place is huge. Sure there are a lot of tourists, but its not that bad,” you tell yourself as you’re herded shoulder to shoulder through the Meridian Gate into the Outer Court.

And there before you stands a stunning display of palatial buildings, halls and terraces. And you get to experience it all – along with hundreds of your nearest and dearest fellow travelers.

Don’t forget to stop at one of the many kiosks to buy some authentic Chinese souvenirs.

Want a closer look inside any of the halls? Say to see the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Tai He Dian)? Or the throne in the Hall of Central Harmony (Zhong He Dian), where the Emperor would rest on his way to attend important events or hold court? Get in line.

And then start throwing elbows, if you actually want a chance to see anything. Or, stand on your tip toes, raise your camera overhead and snap a few shots. Obviously, this is a moment you’ll want to be able to revisit through pictures in the future.

Done with the Outer Court? Head to the Inner Court which was the living quarters for the Emperor and his family.

But be warned – this is just like a Disneyland ride; keep your arms and legs close to your body and hold on tight as you’re moved by the crowd through the Qianqing Gate.

Once in the Inner Court, you can linger close to any number of tour groups to learn something new – just look for 30-50 people wearing matching shirts and/or hats or for someone yelling while holding an umbrella or flag in the air. That’s your tour guide!

Want to know why this building (which looks exactly like every other building) is so special? Luckily, there are descriptions outside each one (courtesy of American Express – obviously?).

Assuming you can push enough people out of the way, you might be able to read it.

If you have any energy left, be sure to accept an invitation from one of the pleasant, English speaking “students” who want to show you their artwork. Follow them to the “gallery” and have your pick of anything you’d like to buy. All authentic paintings by “students” – so authentic you’ll see them in shops all over the city.

That should be enough to leave you feeling like an accosted, pushed, hassled, scammed, claustrophobic mess.

Man-o-man, this is real Beijing!

And just think, you get to have this exact same experience at every other tourist attraction in the city! Happy Travels!