Shaqeel conquered the Great Wall, woohooooo!
The thought of travelling with a 2 year old who can't sit still for 5 minutes was quite daunting at first, but thankfully Shaqeel behaved well throughout the 6 hours flight. Atuk suggested that we give him cough medicine so he'd sleep throughout the journey which we did not do lah. Somehow, we survived ;)
It was a 5 days vacation for us in which we spent all in Beijing alone. Food was not an issue at all as Beijing's population is 13 million and the 3rd biggest religion is Islam. Halal restaurants are everywhere and I was very relieved it suited my taste. It was also the beginning of summer, hence the weather was not too hot, very similar to Malaysia.
Of course no trip to Beijing is complete without experiencing The Great Wall. We had to climb countless stairs to finally reach a point where I can't feel my legs anymore. I carried Shaqeel up and down and was panting the whole way, all the time thinking how strong I am with additional 12kgs I had to carry. As Mao Zedong have said and depicted below, He Who Does Not Reach The Great Wall Is Not A True Man....and Shaqeel, ladies and gentlemen, is a True Man.
Mao Zedong's handwritingThe highlight of the trip for me was the Summer Palace. I have been obsessed with the life of the Chinese Emperor for quite some time then. I read a lot of historical fiction prior to the trip in which the author beautifully described the majestic palace that I thought, I have to experience it! It was breathtaking, really. No words can do justice to the resplendent architecture, nature and intricate details of the palace.
Lotus flowers at Kunming Lake, Summer PalaceI have only fond memories of Beijing. I recommend this city with 2 thumbs up. All the way to the sky.
Happy 2nd Birthday dear Shaqeel Aidin.
