Beijing, China Part 2

Happy New Year my dear followers!


In case you got to this part of our review / tips in Beijing, it is recommended that you first check out the first part here, where we talk of the Great Wall and all things history in the capital.


While this part still talks of some attractions that depict Beijing's long history, we turn our attention to one of the most recent must-go places in the capital.

Just a portion inside this huge palace, and a lot of people here!
Right at the center of Beijing lies this old Chinese imperial palace - the Forbidden City. This is the official home of the emperor and the seat of political governance in China for over half a millennium. Once literally "forbidden" for anyone except those in direct connection with the emperor, the City was finally opened to the public in the early 20th century and it currently holds the Palace Museum, a collection of artifacts owned by the old Chinese empire.




Escaping the crowds? Try exploring the City by the side.
Just how big is this Forbidden City? This UNESCO World Heritage Site covers over 70 hectares of open space, with probably around a thousand standing buildings surrounded by a moat. Talk about a very well protected home for the emperor all year round! The consistency of the design of the buildings is well evident, and in some ways the government has managed to restore and improve the place over the years, making it still one of the must-go attractions in Beijing.

Walking towards the exit, or so we thought. This place is huge!
Admission to the Palace Museum is 35 Yuan. Again, do not be surprised if there are crowds of Chinese people and foreigners everywhere! With the number of people coming in and out of the Forbidden City each day, I guess it is safe to stay it is the most visited museum in the world.

Finally at the exit. This moat surrounds the City
The walk from north to south of the Forbidden City is almost a kilometer long, so expect a very long walk, and if weather conditions are favorable (not to hot, not that cold like our experience), then there is nothing much to worry.

Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake in one
Based from the openness of the Forbidden City, one can only imagine how cold the winters are going to be and the summers are going to be so hot.

According to our tour guide, a long, long time ago, one newly crown emperor came from a province northern China, one of the coldest places in the country. When he realized how hot the summer can be at his Forbidden home, he actually found and built a place that is actually a favorable condition to him during the summer, thus the name of this nearly 3 square kilometer park and UNESCO World Heritage site, Summer Palace.

One of the pavilions in Summer Palace - and people!

The beautiful landscape of the hills and the open water in Summer Palace is definitely a great place to go in Beijing. Often it is hard to imagine that this place is actually just minutes away from the center of the capital.

Nature abounds this once home of the emperor

The bedroom of who knows who.
There are a lot of things to do in Summer Palace. Being the emperor's second home during the summer, take a peek through the rooms, the gardens, the pavilions, palaces and statues all around (in short, you can spend the whole day walking around because of the immense size of the park). The most notable of these parts is Longevity Hill, where a Buddhist tower stands, and Kunming Lake, where you can hop on a boat for a cruise around this huge body of water. Admission to Summer Palace is 35 Yuan, but there are separate fees to be asked when engaging some of the activities inside, like the boat cruise.

Overall, Summer Palace is a great stamp to your collection of UNESCO World Heritage sites, while it is also a definite part of your itinerary in Beijing.



There are also a lot of notable parks in Beijing for your relaxation. One of them is Beihai Park. Even with a very populous city, the government has managed to allocate a number of different parks around, although most of them have been around for hundreds of years.







The famous "Bird's Nest" Stadium...
It was not too long ago - 2008 to be exact - when Beijing hosted the Summer Olympics. Upon winning the bid to host the games, the capital city immediately began doing a major face-lift, improving everything in its path, culminating in the Olympic Village that comprises two of the most modern architectural designs in sports stadiums today - the Beijing National Stadium and the Beijing National Aquatics Center.

The National Stadium is also famously known as "Bird's Nest" for its unique stadium design that rivals almost any other sports arena on earth. During the Olympics, the stadium hosted a bunch of sporting events like athletics and football. We did not get a chance to get inside the stadium as there was a sports event happening at the time.

... and the "Water Cube"
The National Aquatics Center, also known as the "Water Cube" for its sophisticated, bubbly look, plays host to swimming events, until recently it has become a mixed use building, conducting conferences and meetings, and also has a water park inside. Admission to the Cube is 30 Yuan.

We actually got in. We got another event coming up instead of water
At night, expect the Olympic Village to illuminate, changing in a variety of colors that light up the park.

Big major sporting events await the stadium in the years to come.
There is definitely a lot to be proud of for China in the world of sports, having been selected to host the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2019 and the Winter Olympics in 2022.





Shop all you want here in Wangfujing
Shanghai has the world-famous Nanjing Road. Beijing has its own true shopping street in Wangfujing. Surrounding this walk way street are shopping malls left and right, food stalls, souvenir shops, and people. The place is a great place not just for shopping - as it almost has it all - but also for walking and sightseeing. More often you get to see a mix of foreigners traveling to Beijing mixing well with the locals.

A souvenir shop right behind those malls on the main road
We did mention food stalls, which leaves us to our gastronomic suggestion...

Ever heard or tasted the famous Peking duck?

Peking is one of Beijing's old names. In Beijing we got a treat on the all authentic duck feast that we have looked forward to. While the duck back home has a more Filipino taste, this one was the all original, and it's got a more delicious and Chinese taste.

A Peking duck feast fit for an emperor
Not to be left behind, authentic Chinese cuisine is real good! We rocked the chopsticks during our feasts in Beijing, and in China as a whole.

Speaking of exotic, are you up to eating a starfish?

The food's on me. What you got?
In Wangfujing road, there are a number of food stalls that actually "sell" some of the most unique selection of unorthodox food, which to the vendors are just ordinary food to them! See the photo for yourself to choose. These vendors only happen to "fry"these live animals straight, and and maybe put on some seasoning for taste.

Still feeling the appetite to try out one of these?

Where to Go Next



See you again!

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