I had the pleasure of visiting Beijing last month; a city filled with some of the most historic and iconic sites. This year, China seems to have re-become a popular travel destination for many after covid as everyone seems to be going there. With the 20c+ sunny weather most days over there I was not complaining, although I found out Beijing also has all day rain showers just like back home if you are ever feeling homesick.
I visited the forbidden city which was home to the emperors for over 500 years. Then the Temple of Heaven, a Qing dynasty building used to host annual ceremonies of prayer. One of my favourite places which felt like a haven from the crowds was the Summer Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site showcasing the masterpiece of Chinese landscape design with over 2.9 square kilometres of land, hilltop views, a vast blue lake, palaces, temples, and beautiful bridges that took a whole day to walk around. The sunset view over the lake was worth it.
From all the wonderful restaurants I visited, I would highly recommend the ‘LiQuin roast duck’ an authentic Beijing Peking duck restaurant founded in 1864 located in a traditional hutong, producing a very rich and smoky aroma duck. It can look a bit daunting entering through a small door next to the kitchen. Then as you enter, you see all the pictures of world leaders on the wall that have visited before you and start to feel a sense of ease. The ordering process is very fast and simple, but it was one of the best Beijing ducks I had. It certainly felt like a whole different world over there with all western social media sites being banned and having to navigate through their system. In the end it turned out to be quite a nice destination once you get used to it.
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