Weekend Breakaway
Linda Furiya | First appeared in Hemispheres Magazine, Beijing, May 2000

For a break from business while in Beijing, leave your laptop and bike the Great wall, pedal the Second Ring Road, or take a run near the Summer Palace. Getting out and about in China’s capital is an invigorating treat that connects you with the people and culture of this ancient city.

For many business travelers in Beijing, finessing a workout can be a major challenge. Between a drum-tight schedule and language challenges, a fitness routine is easily postponed until after the journey home.

But don’t give in too easily. With a day off or even a two-hour window between meetings, the intrepid fitness-minded traveler has a trio of unique outdoor options in or near Beijing.

Hike the Great Wall at Simatai / Near Beijing there are three tourist-accessible portals to the Great Wall-Badaling, Mutianyu, and Simatai. The popular question locals ask guests who want to visit a section of the 10,000-kilometer Great Wall is: “Do you want to walk or do you want to hike?”

The Great Wall at Simatai is for the serious hiker and is just a two-hour ride northeast of Beijing by public bus. But the most direct and dependable way to reach this isolated part of the Wall is to splurge on a driver who will take you, wait, and bring you back at your convenience. For around 1,500 RMB (US$150), your hotel can arrange a roomy full-size car. The price is about half that if your hotel doorman hails a taxi and haggles on your behalf. One of the beauties of traveling in China is that most things are negotiable.

When you arrive at the small parking lot at the base of the mountain, there will be an entrance fee of 20 RMB (US$2). Opt for the gondola lift (50 RMB, US$5) that will deliver you to the base of the Wall rather than walking the hour-long switchback trial. Once you reach the peak, there are two directions to go. The western section has fewer hikers but is less striking. The eastern section, with steeper and narrower terrain, appeals to thrill-seekers.

Once you’re up where, as the Chinese say, “the earth touches the ski,” the view is breathtaking- stark, crumbling gay walls and guard towers snake across the landscape like the sawtooth spine of a dragon. If you work up an appetite, the best spot to sit for lunch is on the outer wall of a watchtower, where you can glory at being on top of the world.

Great Wall at Simatai, Miyun County, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. With only one-restaurant and instant noodles as options, it’s a good idea to request your hotel kitchen to pack a sandwich and a piece of fruit for lunch. Bring your own bottled water. Sturdy biking boots and a backpack to free your hands are a much on this challenging terrain.

Powerwalk or Jog Around Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) / Nestled away in Beijing’s northwest corner is the local runner’s best-kept secret. Away from the smog and near the breezy Western Hills, Kunming Lake is four miles in circumference and located within the 290-acre Summer Palace estate- a runner’s oasis and history-lover’s paradise.

Rebuilt in 1903 after the first Summer Palace was burned to the ground during an Anglo-Chinese war, the northernmost area of the property showcases the ornate temples and imperial residences where the royal family retreated during the humid summer months. It took a full day for the sedan carrying the emperor to get to the palace; today a cab ride gets visitors to the East Gate of the Summer Palace in about 30 minutes.

Once inside the congested main East Gate entrance, walk south and soon you will reach Kunming Lake. Look northward for your reference point. Longevity Hill. It will serve as a directional marker as you run around the lake circuit.

One hundred thousand laborers in the 18 th century worked to expand Kunming and to create miniature islands as a sanctuaries for contemplation and meditation. At the eastern side of the lake, the Seventeen Arch Bridge leads to a secluded isle distinguished by a solitary pagoda.

The serene southern area of the lake, with its cobblestone walkways and lush weeping willows, is a favorite spot for locals. Families stroll, old men fish, and swimmers enjoy the canal near the steep Humpback Bridge whose reaction on the water forms a perfect circle- the Chinese sign of good luck.

At the northwest area of the lake, don’t miss Empress Dowager Cixi’s infamous marble pleasure boat built from funds purloined from the navy. As a grand finale, sprint up Longevity Hill, where you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of the entire picturesque Summer Palace estate.

Have hotel staff or the doorman indicate to your cab driver in writing or in Mandarin that you wish to go to the East Gate of Summer Palace (Yiheyuan), Haidian District, 7 a.m.- 6:30 p.m.; extended hours in summer.

Bicycle Historic Beijing / Bicycling the tangle of streets and alleyways of Beijing is not as overwhelming as it may appear from the confines of an automobile. Street signs are written in both hanzi (Mandarin characters) and Pinyin (Romanized characters). Pick up a city map at your hotel gift shop and draw out you route or have hotel staff outline a trail hitting the local highlights within the Second Ring Road, which is the older, historical area. The hotel may have bicycles to load. If no, ask for a recommendation of a reputable bike rental store within walking distance.

An interesting bike route, rich in both recent and ancient Chinese history, begins south of Tiananmen Square along Qianmendong Daijie. Stop at Tiananmen Square and watch kites paint the sky with exotic shapes and colors. Across Tiananmen Boulevard is the famous gate of Heavenly Peace leading to the entrance to the Forbidden City. Here you can see the famous painting of chairman Mao. Head right of the gate (east) until you reach a tree lined street. This corridor holds one of the larger communities of hutongs (alleyways) where you’ll find little shops purveying items from the performing arts, such as Beijing Opera stage makeup and costumes.

At Donghuamen, turn left and cross the Palace Moat. Once protected by palace guards, the perimeter outside the Forbidden City Walls serve as a quiet hangout for clusters of elderly men concentrating over games of xianqi (Chinese chess.) At the northernmost part of the Forbidden City, cross Xianmen Dajie to Beihai Park where you will pass the 36-meter-tall white pagoda, which oddly resembles a monstrous spark plug, situated on a man-made lamasery in the middle of Beihai Lake.

If you find yourself in the middle of nowhere and don’t want to backtrack, hail a taxi to transport you and your bicycle back to the hotel. If you get a flat, there is an enterprising young man at almost every corner with extra inner tubes and tools who will happily patch your tire for a couple Mao (cents).

Two things to consider when bicycling in Beijing First, there is safety in numbers, to stay in a group when crossing intersections and traffic circles. Second, don’t hesitate to ditch the map- the best treasures are most often discover when you’re lost.

Beihai Park, Xicheng District, 6 a.m.-8 p.m. always carry a hotel card with its name and address written in Mandarin.

Work Out a Workout / If time doesn’t permit outdoor exercise, there are several well-equipped fitness facilities in Beijing that don’t require a full club membership.

Hilton Hotel: Cardiovascular machines include treadmills and rowing machines. Weight training selection includes free weights. Tennis and squash courts available. Tel: 86-10-6466-2288. 1 dongfang Lu, Dongsanhuanbei Lu. Hours 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Cost 150 RMB.

Kempinski Recreation center: 20-meter pool, cardiovascular fitness equipment, tennis courts, and daily aerobics classes. Tel: 86-10-6465-3388. 50 Liangmaqiao Lu. Hours 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Cost: 140 RMB daily.