Answered by Mrs.Violet from USA | Oct. 02, 2009 08:12
We just came back yesterday from China.
We saw the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xian and was fortunate enough to see the farmer (who discovered the army)sitting inside signing autographs. The Terra Cotta Warriors were very impressive. Please buy your Terra Cotta Warriors at the Government Official Gift shop inside and not the vendors outside even though it costs a fraction of the gift shop price.
The Great Wall was a very hard climb but none the less beautiful. The steps up the Great Wall varied in height, and the passage gets narrower as you ascend to the upper towers. Be prepare to sweat, wear very comfortable shoes and bring bottles of water with you.
The Forbidden City is massive. We wandered around it for hours and hours. Be especially careful of your surroundings when at the Forbidden City because our friend had his passport pick pocketed there. All the openings to the buildings are normally crowded which makes it easy pickings for them.
We also went and visited the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace. Everything was beautiful!
It is advised that you leave your passport locked inside your hotel when visiting the historical sites in Beijing. We were told that by our Tour Guide only after the pick pocketing experience, that passports are not needed to be shown in Beijing to get into the attractions. You will need it for Xian though.
We also walked all around the Hutongs and had snacks. We spent an entire afternoon there. Make sure you have a guide or a map since the Hutongs have many many alleyways and one can easily get lost.
Have fun and be safe!