Day 9 February 21st Exploring Beijing – Summer Palace, Art District 791
Another experience of the hurly burly of Beijing rail station as we merged from train to Beijing once more. Despite designating a specific meeting area we still had trouble finding Eric in the swirling mass of people.
Great local breakfast – one that seemed like a local version of fast food but much more delicious. After agreeing (I don’t think that was me!) to breakfast at McDonalds – a reprieve. Eric mentioned there was a very good local breakfast place close by – we both readily agreed. It was another ‘point and get’ meal, this time with Eric to explain the dishes. The place was full of local people particularly older people eating an array of dumpling and pancake looking treats. We settled for one sweet and one savoury puffed pancakey-thing and I had delicious noodles and soup.
An appropriate start to our touring after breakfast – a park set up for exercise. The park was filled with an array of inventive colourful exercise equipment and with people – mainly older people many of whom were extremely fit and agile. It was like a vibrant gym-cum-social gathering where the equipment encouraged interaction. Nearby were rows of older people enthusiastically playing games of cards and board games.
A short walk and we came to the Temple of Heaven now a designation UNESCO site. Built as a place to pray for a good harvest and an extensive history. A magnificent complex that includes The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, The Imperial Vault of Heaven, and the Circular Mound Altar.
“The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests (祈年殿) is a magnificent triple-gabled circular building, 36 meters in diameter and 38 meters tall, built on three levels of marble stone base, where the Emperor prayed for good harvests. The building is completely wooden, with no nails. The original building was burned down by a fire caused by lightning in 1889.[3] The current building was re-built several years after the incident.”
Close by was the Summer palace a glorious testament to the excesses of past rulers. One story recounted to us was Empress CiXi would lunch in her onsite Mongolian BBQ restaurant with 120 courses. The palace included a 700+metre covered walkway filled with individual paintings depicting life in early China and early myths and children’s stories.
Lunch was in a large busy restaurant where we asked Eric to order for us and what a treat – superb dumplings, a delicious pork dish – tender pork with star anise and other delicate flavours, crisp broccoli with garlic. The young waiter with dyed geometric cut hair, pointed toe shoes stood by our table for sometime on his phone. Eventually he played us “How long have you been in China”. The joys of modern translation apps with the difficulty that follows when one tries to respond.
After lunch with snow falling more heavily and the temperature definitely dropping we headed to Art District 791 and old factory warehouse area converted in to studios for a range of artists. Here outdoor art works topped with snow and even cafe chairs had a magical air. Galleries that were open were welcoming, warm and vibrant. Can imagine a summers day would be a lot of buzz and fun!!
On arrival back at the Penta we decided to eat in given the wind, snow and cold outside versus the cosy warmth and bustling life inside the hotel. We managed to run next door to the supermarket to gather supplies for the train including the recommended 2minute noodles!
