Beijing: Where Empires Are Remembered
The Great Wall of China
The start of our journey through China. We arrived early at Beijing's airport, from where we took the bus directly to the Great Wall. Once there, we took the cable car up, and stepping onto the Wall itself, the scale of it hits immediately. The Wall stretching endlessly in both directions, cutting across mountain ridges as far as you can see.
Temple of Heaven & Peking Duck
After our first Chinese meal, a sharing experience, dishes placed in the centre of the table for everyone, we visited the Temple of Heaven, an ancient complex once used by the emperors of China for ceremonial worship. Walking through the grounds, the architecture and the sheer scale of the space make it easy to understand why emperors chose this place for ritual.
For dinner, being in Beijing, there was only one choice: Peking duck served with a full spread of side dishes. Exactly as good as everyone says.
Exploring the Old City & Hutong Neighbourhoods
With no fixed plans for the day, we decided to explore central Beijing on our own. We took the metro to the old city, full of charming old buildings and small winding streets. We wandered, exploring buildings, shops and restaurants, and found a local food hall for lunch with food that was very tasty.
After lunch we walked through one of Beijing's traditional hutong neighbourhoods, low, grey buildings packed tightly together, a striking contrast to the modern city just around the corner. One of those moments where old and new China exist within metres of each other.
The Commercial District
We made our way to Beijing's commercial district, a mix of European, American and Chinese brands side by side, with a separate section dedicated entirely to luxury shops. After taking it all in, we headed back to the hotel, found a small restaurant nearby for dinner, and ended the day with a short evening walk through the neighbourhood.