A city of squares within squares, walls within walls. And at the centre of it all the Forbidden City. For centuries the seat of empire, and now the capital of a major and growing power, Beijing has all the hallmarks of an imperial city: wide boulevards, imposing buildings, priceless artefacts, and a mix of people drawn from the four corners of the globe to the rapidly spinning heart of the Chinese supernova.
The last 30 years have seen a sustained level of development in China that is unmatched in human history. At the centre of it all is Beijing. The energy on the streets here is electric, and addictive. Surrounded by Beijing's hundreds of years of history, it again feels like a time of momentous change with many of the decisions which will shape the world in years to come being made in a leafy compound, Zhong Nan Hai (中南海), next to the Forbidden City.
One of the charms of Beijing, which can come as a surprise, is its border-town feel. Perched on the top edge of the North China Plain, the city is in many ways a gateway to the wild lands beyond the Great Wall. Northern Chinese are a more rambunctious lot than further South, and the city can sometimes have a Wild West vibe which is energising for some and intimidating for others. A night out here can feel like a bar scene from a Western, and you never know if the strangers rugged up against the icy winds will turn out to be your best friends or worst enemies. That sense of the unknown, that you're not sure what will happen when you step outside your door but you are 100% sure that something definitely will happen, draws you into the Beijing bubble and is something that stays with you long after you have left.
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