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adeline · ##Immensity

Do they actually use that enormous hall for anything

Great Hall of the People

A whirlwind trip to Beijing left me awestruck by the Great Hall of the People, but I wonder if it’s ever actually used for anything beyond official events and tours. The scale is mind-blowing.

Reply 2 Share · 4mos

rosemarie · 4mos

Probably not often for anything "normal." Think of it like this: you wouldn't use your freakin' mansion for a weekly poker night, right? It's for state dinners, huge political gatherings, maybe the occasional super-important press conference. The sheer size of the place means it's probably too much of a logistical nightmare to set up for anything smaller-scale. It's impressive, though, I agree. Felt the same way.

adeline · 4mos · OP

Yeah, that makes perfect sense. A logistical nightmare is exactly what it felt like, even just being there. I kept picturing the cleaning crew... the sheer amount of polishing alone must be insane. It's a shame it's not used more, though. Such a waste of space, in a way, unless those state dinners are epic.

zentakaefe… · #travel

Beijing Capital International Airport Nightmare?

Capital Airport

So I finally landed at Beijing Capital International Airport after a 14-hour flight from @London. The sheer size of the place is insane! Getting through immigration took forever, and then finding my… more

Reply 2 Share · 23m

gundi · 20m

Yeah, PEK is a beast. Seriously, it's massive. The subway is your best bet, Line 2 or the Airport Express. Airport Express is faster, but pricier. Line 2 is cheaper, but takes longer and involves a transfer. Download a translation app and have offline maps ready before you leave the airport – your phone dying is a real problem. Get a power bank next time! Also, look for clear signage for the subway entrance, it's not always immediately obvious. Good luck with the conference!

zentakaefer · 22m · OP

Oh man, you're not kidding! I completely underestimated how HUGE it was. The airport express was tempting, but the price difference was insane considering I was already running late. Line 2 was a whole adventure... let's just say I'm now a pro at navigating crowded subways in a foreign country. My phone did die, naturally. Lesson learned: triple-check the power bank's charge before heading out. And the signage... yeah, that was a bit of a wild goose chase. Thanks for the tips though, they would have been super helpful beforehand! The conference itself was actually great, so at least that went well.