Blackity BLACK in Beijing

Baybeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee being BLACK in Beijing was an adventure in itself. All I could do was laugh. As if the stares weren’t enough, they started touching me. They were curious how my skin and hair felt. WAIT, WHAT?

I mean, it was funny at first. But, after a few days, I had to cover my head with a scarf. If you think New York is crowded, hunny…you ain’t seen nothing. Those Beijing streets are crowded as hell.

Everyone kept asking if my husband was a famous basketball player. Hahahahaha And they thought I was famous. Chile. They said they don’t get to see us…not even on TV. Ummmm, OK. The little children stared the hardest. Poor babies were confused. The high school kids wanted to take pics to show their friends. The fasciation was real. My husband lost me a few times in the crowd and went into a total panic. People just kept bombarding me in packs!!! It was a whole mess. I felt like a pet or a zoo animal. LMAO It was cool. They didn't mean any harm. But geeeeeesh. 

We literally could not take two steps without being stopped for pics. 

Anyway, I took a direct flight from Dulles. It was about 13 hours on United. Black folk don’t go there much. We were the ONLY ones on the flight and everyone kept asking if we were going there to shop. Ummmmmm, no! I’m going to see The Great Wall of China, duhhhhh! LOL

We went in November and it was a bit chilly; especially at night. I would recommend going when it’s warmer.

Here’s some info:

• Beijing, the capital of China, sprawls across the northern tip of the North China Plain.
• Its history stretches back three millennia and with the grand Forbidden City complex, the imperial palace built during the Ming and Qing dynasties,  the massive Tiananmen Square, Mao Zedong’s mausoleum, the National Museum of China, Temple of Heaven, and modern architecture it has an irresistible mixture of styles that no one can stay indifferent to.
• For budget travelers, a good option to get to the Great Wall of China is by public transport but you can also take a tour. It is 60 – 130 km away from Beijing. FYI- I hired a private tour guide who spoke good English.
• If you visit it in the winter, take warm clothes, because the weather is sunny but usually cold. In the summer, you will experience hot and rainy Beijing months.
• Once in Beijing, be sure to try Beijing Roast Duck (Peking Duck), Jiaozi – Chinese Dumplings, Jing Jiang Rou Si – Shredded Pork in Beijing Sauce, Gangou Potatoes. Feel free to slurp up soup and noodles as it is the norm. Look for restaurants frequented by locals – you will get tastier food at better prices.
• The official language is Mandarin. They say a lot of people speak English. I did not run into those people.