Beijing is our capital city. I’ve always wanted to see the Great Wall that Meng Jiangnu cried down, the looted Yuanmingyuan, and the essence of palace architecture, the Forbidden City. Do you also have a yearning for Beijing? Then I will take you to see it together.
I’ve always wanted to visit Beijing. So my husband and I decided to go on a whim. We checked the weather forecast and prepared a few sets of clothes, brought some daily necessities and set off. We only took photos with our phones the whole time, haha.
Airplane meal
Fuzhou Changle Airport 7 am – Beijing Capital Airport 9.50, ticket price plus fuel surcharge and insurance 900 yuan per person.
After getting off the plane, we picked up our luggage and went straight to the airport metro line. We transferred to Line 2 at Dongzhimen and got off at Qianmen Station. The Beijing subway is very convenient. It will remind you when you reach the transfer station. You can get to most of the basic attractions by subway and bus.
We arrived at Qianmen Station. Exit B. Walk a few steps along the road and you will reach Dashilan. Dashilan is a lively street. There are many delicious snacks and express hotels.
We chose to stay at the Motel 8. I feel that Motel 8 is quite formal. You must have security when staying out. The single bed in these express hotels in Beijing costs about 300 to 400 yuan. Of course, if you have the financial means, you can stay in a star-rated hotel. That will be more secure.
Beijing roast duck, oily but not greasy
Zhajiangmian
We had a quick lunch. We thought we would go for a walk nearby. As we walked, we reached Tiananmen Square. It was our first time seeing Tiananmen Square. We were both very happy. It was raining in Beijing that day. The sky was gloomy. We even felt like the weather was a downer. We had checked the weather forecast before we came and it said it would be in the 30s, sunny and bright!
Tiananmen Square is truly the essence of the capital of a great empire. Security is very tight. There is a soldier on duty every ten steps. You need to show your ID card to enter the square.
Because we got up early to catch the plane today. So we just walked around the perimeter in the afternoon. We went back to rest early. We need to be full of energy to play tomorrow! PS. We bought a foot basin on the way back. We need to walk a lot in the next few days, haha.
The moat around the Forbidden City
The sky was grey and gloomy today because it was raining.
Tiananmen Square
The sun was shining brightly today. We got up early and had a quick breakfast on Qianmen Street. We walked to the Forbidden City. We booked the tickets for the Forbidden City in advance on Ctrip the day before and entered with our ID cards. 60 yuan per person.
The Forbidden City is beautiful and magnificent. I don’t know how prosperous it was thousands of years ago, through the blood and storms! The three main palaces, the six courtyards on the east and west sides, and the Imperial Garden behind. Since we were traveling independently, we visited every palace slowly. We walked and stopped, and reached the Imperial Garden by noon. We ate some snacks. We exited the Shenwu Gate and across the street is Jingshan Park.
Jingshan Park is not big. The main reason to go in is to climb to the top of the pavilion to get a panoramic view of the Forbidden City. The ticket is 2 yuan per person.
Jingshan Park is connected to Beihai Park with a joint ticket of 20 yuan per person. Next to Beihai Park is the Prince Gong Mansion for 30 yuan per person, which is He Shen’s mansion. These attractions are all within walking distance. You can take your time to enjoy the scenery along the way.
The Forbidden City
A corner of the Forbidden City
Taken from Jingshan Park
Jingshan Park and Beihai Park
We wandered around Beihai Park and it was already 6 o’clock. The sun was still strong at 6 o’clock in Beijing, I thought it was only 4 o’clock in the afternoon, haha. We exited the park and had a quick dinner, then went straight to the subway, Shichahai Station, Line 8, to the Olympic Sports Center Station.
We went to see the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube at night.
Water Cube
Today was another sunny day. We planned to walk to the Temple of Heaven according to the navigation on our phones, about half an hour. The combined ticket is 34 yuan per person.
By the time we got to the Temple of Heaven, our feet were already sore. We should have taken the subway according to the strategy. The Temple of Heaven is a very large park with many elderly people doing morning exercises. They are in groups of three or five, very lively.
We came to the Temple of Heaven mainly to see the place where ancient emperors worshipped and prayed for good harvests. So we didn’t go to other corners of the park. It’s tiring to walk!.
Temple of Heaven, praying for blessings and good harvests
The subway route from the Temple of Heaven to Yuanmingyuan
Time flew by and it was noon. We exited the Temple of Heaven and took the subway to Yuanmingyuan. Yuanmingyuan is a big round thing, unimaginably big. We walked for a long time and only visited a small corner of the garden.
The scenery is picturesque, with lotus leaves all over the lake. How beautiful it will be when the lotus blossoms in summer. You can imagine the prosperity of the Western-style buildings at that time, the luxury of the imperial family. It’s a pity that Yuanmingyuan was looted, losing countless precious Chinese cultural relics.
Looking out, your heart feels at ease
Black swan viewing area
Western-style buildings ruins
When we exited the garden, we took a small boat. The sun was setting in the west, the boat swayed gently, the breeze was blowing softly, it was beautiful.
Sunset in the west
The boat is swaying
We are going to the Badaling Great Wall today. When you come to Beijing, you must climb the Great Wall. I will talk about this in particular. There are many black tour guides on the side of the road in Beijing, yelling about day trips and all sorts of things. Don’t pay any attention to them. They are all scams. They will take you to other places. It’s the Great Wall, but not the Badaling Great Wall. They will also make you go shopping to finish things off. The service staff at the hotel lobby also said this, so definitely don’t pay any attention. Beijing’s transportation is very convenient. You can take the subway to get anywhere, it’s safe and convenient.
It’s the same as before. We took Line 2 at Qianmen Station to Jishuitan. Then the key thing comes. As you exit the subway, there are black tour guides who look like staff members a few steps away, yelling “877 fast behind, slow ahead”. Remember, don’t pay any attention to them. They are all scams. Just walk forward firmly, exit the subway station, cross the road and walk towards the Arrow Tower. Take the official 877 bus at Deshengmen to go straight to Badaling.
The ones yelling along the way are all fake 877s. They look quite convincing, but they are all local black tour guides.
How to distinguish between real and fake 877s? Just ask if they can be paid with a travel card.
Badaling
The Great Wall
The weather is great
End of trip.
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