Thank you for the heads up on Kaifeng, I looked them up on tripadvisor and such and I thought it looks corny and kitschy enough to be worth a visit, because it looks really colourful and shows everywhere. Plus the Iron Pagoda looks interesting. But I will think about it, as like everyone is saying, it's backtracking a lot.
Like I said, Kaifeng is an awesome city, but it is a lot of back tracking. If they have their weekend night market when you visit it might be worth it though.
I was thinking of taking it easy in PingYao, like a mid break so that I can maybe spend a day or two just chilling somewhere and reading/sketching, that is why I allotted quite a lot there since it looks like a beautiful old city.
Pingyao is not a place to chill and rest. I would head all the way to Beijing and then spend a few extra days there.
I know camping is considered illegal on some parts, that's why I'm want to go somewhere that is okay to do so.
It is illegal to camp on the entire great wall. Some areas you are more likely to get caught/detained while others you could probably get away with it.
Beijing, I want to visit all the big spots and taking it easy too, with all the history and grandeur, I thought I'll need time to take it all in. As for the museums, I'm still planning my days in Beijing. Which one do you think is the best?
You currently have 3 days in Beijing city, 2 days getting to and from the great wall, 1 day getting up super early to try and catch a ferry in another town. To do Beijing's big spots, 3 days is enough but you will not have enough time to take it easy. The forbidden city and summer palace take most of a day each leaving you little time for Beijing's other sites.
As for museums, like I said not many of them are really world class. The Shanghai Museum is still China's best museum and it lags behind even other asian countries.
I believe the "National Museum of China" is Beijing's largest museum. It is on Tian'anmen square but is largely devoted to Chinese revolutionary history.
"Beijing Capital Museum" is perhaps Beijing's best appointed modern museum.
"The Military Museum of the People's Republic of China" is of interest to some people. It also reads like a revolutionary history museum, except with tanks and destroyed american aircraft. It also has a floor of kitchy gilt gifts given to China from corrupt governments around the world.
Technically the "Forbidden City" is called the "National Palace Museum" but do not get confused. It is not a museum.
