As the capital of China, Beijing is a must-see. If you haven’t been to Beijing, you don’t know what kind of luxurious metropolis it is. You only know that there are many people with dreams in Beijing, many “North Drifters” who are working hard for their future.
Transportation
Round trip
Fuzhou – Tianjin (Airplane) 3h
Tianjin Station – Beijing South Station (High-speed rail) 30min
Subway
Binhai Airport – Tianjin Station Single ticket 3 yuan
Beijing Transportation Card Deposit 20 (Can be used for subway, bus, and tourist buses)
When transferring to Beijing subway, be sure to pay attention to the subway lines, it’s too confusing!
It’s important to mention that shared bikes are super convenient now. I went around the small alleys, from the hostel to the subway station, all on Ofo!
Accommodation
【Qianmen Inn】Female Quadruple Room 110/bed (booked on “Feizhu”)
Because I went to Beijing to play with my classmates, I chose the female quadruple room in the hostel.
I stayed at the Qianmen Inn in Dashilan, next to Yangmeizhu Lane.
It is a 5-minute walk from Qianmen subway station, a 10-minute walk from Tiananmen Square (I walk fast, but it is very convenient).
You can ride Mobike! Ofo! Ofo often offers free rides for various reasons!
The overall environment of the inn is great. It was once a pub. If you are staying in the quadruple room, the shower and toilet are public with partitions!
There is uninterrupted hot water and a hairdryer provided. Other toiletries should be brought by yourself.
At first, I thought it might not be very convenient, but later I realized that everyone came to play by themselves. The time they go out and come back will be different.
If roommates come back late and leave early, washing up in the room will affect the rest~
The alley next to the inn has been partially renovated into shops. Further inside are the old alleys where people live.
I also found a vegetable market inside, selling fruits, pancakes, and cold dishes, which are much cheaper than those on the commercial street!
Day 1
It was already 4 pm when I got to the inn, tidied up, and freshened up.
First, I walked around Yangmeizhu Lane and nearby alleys, buying cherries at the vegetable market inside (it was cherry season, 13 yuan/jin).
In the depths of the alley, I came into contact with local houses that hadn’t been commercialized, and it felt great.
Later, I went to Tiananmen Square and Wangfujing.
When Tiananmen Square, the Great Hall of the People, the Monument to the People’s Heroes and other buildings truly appeared before my eyes, it felt magical.
Wangfujing is a pedestrian street with many department stores. There is a snack street, but the things sold there are quite ordinary.
For dinner, I had Xiabu Xiabu, the dipping sauce was authentic, and the price was affordable, costing less than 50 yuan per person.
After dinner, I went to see the night view of Tiananmen Square~ It’s beautiful!
Day 2
After watching the flag raising, I went back to the alley to have breakfast~
【Gui Street】Lao Yu’s Intestine, it seems to be a genuine Beijing snack. It’s a kind of deep-fried noodle that is very crispy, topped with garlic sauce. 20 yuan/portion.
Beibingyang, only available in the north!!!
This is the lock from the Forbidden City. I really want to buy one just like it. It’s so beautiful!!
Day 2!
4:00 Get up to watch the flag raising. When I went out after ten minutes, the front desk girl said that everyone was waiting there at four o’clock.
Suddenly I was very nervous, and I ran all the way. When I arrived at Tiananmen Square, there were already three layers of people. It was still dark!
4:50
The national flag guard entered, and the national anthem played, making my blood boil. The whole process of raising the flag was from the moment the sun was about to rise to when it fully came out, which was different from the flag raising ceremony we held in school. If you want to watch the flag raising, remember to check the sunrise time for the season you’re visiting.
9:00 Go to the Forbidden City! It was the first day of the Dragon Boat Festival, and there were so many people. While in the Forbidden City, you can’t help but be amazed at the luxury of the royal family’s life.
It’s important to mention the Forbidden City’s creative cultural and tourism souvenirs. I wanted to buy every single one! I bought tapes, fridge magnets, a fan with the words “I really don’t know how to spoil you”, which is so sweet!
14:00 After visiting the Forbidden City, I went for a walk around Nanluoguxiang, which is next to the Grand Canal. If you take a tricycle, it costs 120 yuan/hour, it will take you around Nanluoguxiang and give you a very detailed introduction!
In the evening, I went to eat 【Jugi】, you can check it out on Dianping. I had roast duck, rabbit idol mashed potatoes, and other dishes.
21:30 Back at the hostel, the girls in the same room were going to 【Gui Street】, so I went with them. It’s actually a street of crayfish, food stalls, and hot pot.
Coming to Beijing, I just wanted to do three things: watch the flag raising, visit the Forbidden City, and eat roast duck.
I got it all done in one day!
Cining Palace
Day 3
I found a breakfast stall in Yangmeizhu Lane where many local grandpas were queuing up. Thinking it must be authentic, I went to eat!
Two sets of soy milk for 5 yuan!!!!! It’s super cheap!!! One set = fire bun + oil cake + pickled vegetables, the portion is super generous.
The mountains are covered in maple leaves. If it’s autumn, they’ll be all red. Just thinking about it is beautiful.
Going to the Great Wall was a bit of a twist in this trip.
I was supposed to take the S2 train, but when I got to the station at 10:30, I already had to wait until the 13:30 train to get a seat.
So I went with a “black car bus”, 60 yuan/person, round trip. The tour guide took a 10 yuan/person tip. They charged 5 yuan for the handling fee when the tour guide helped me buy the ticket.
But! That’s not the point. The point is that when we were about to return, the bus left without waiting for us. Fortunately, I caught the last Great Wall shuttle bus.
If you are going to Badaling, it is still better to take the 877 from Deshengmen!! It’s very convenient! Reliable and safe~ It takes about an hour and a half.
The whole process of climbing the Great Wall, from going up to coming down, took 3 hours. There were many people, I moved up slowly, but there were fewer people coming down.
Actually, it wasn’t as tiring as I imagined. Everyone should hold on to the handrails, otherwise it’s easy to slip when going down. The wind is strong up there, it’s a little chilly.
For dinner, I had Nanjing Grand Cuisine. The pan-fried dumplings and Mei Ling porridge are super delicious!!
Day 4
Morning: National Museum (Free)
Be sure to make an appointment in advance for the National Museum!!
It took me 2+ hours to roughly tour all the exhibition halls.
Afternoon: Yonghe Temple (Ticket: 25 yuan)
Transportation: Today I took the bus the whole way. There are many double-decker buses near Beijing’s scenic spots. It’s hot, so sitting in the bus and blowing air conditioning is like sightseeing.
Day 5
Today was a super free day to let loose! I did whatever I wanted!
I wandered around Xidan, took a boat in the Summer Palace (20 yuan/person), took Line 3 of the sightseeing boat to see the scenery, took pictures of the corner towers of the Forbidden City, strolled around the streets next to the Forbidden City,
saw street photography in Sanlitun, rode Ofo to see the night view of the National Grand Theatre, and went to World Trade Center to see the luxurious Tianjie.
It is best to hire a tour guide in the Summer Palace, otherwise you won’t be able to see many scenic spots and it’s easy to get lost. It is really too big!
Day 6
The morning alleys have old Beijingers lining up to buy oil cakes and children eating breakfast on their way to school.
I also heard the grandpas greet each other with “Good morning!”.
I grabbed a pancake on the way and then I had to go back.
Finally, let me say a few things~ Many scenic spots, such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the National Museum, can be booked online, which can save you time queuing.
Students get half-price tickets with a student ID.
Be sure to get a transportation card! You can get one at the entrance of the subway! It’s very convenient.
Photography equipment: iPhone 7; Fujifilm x100t
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