Dave's Faves Beijing

Get up early and eat a street food breakfast
At 5 am the streets are very quiet with few people out, but you will find the breakfast tables set up on the sidewalks near the bridge to the Forbidden City at Donghuamen Street.

Walk all the way around the Forbidden City
Peek in all the hutong doorways, pass soldiers parading down the sidewalk, watch the old men fishing in the moat, listen to the street sweepers sweeping with their bamboo brooms.

Eat scorpions at Wanfujing
Be daring! My son describes the experience as similar to eathing sunflower seeds.

Pose for a photo in the brass rickshaw in Wanfujing

Have a picnic on the Great Wall
I paid for a tour that included a driver and tour guide. The guide stopped with us to pick up a picnic lunch near the wall, which we had to carry ourselves. Now that I know it is not too scary I would hire a driver myself and buy my own picnic lunch and champagne, which I would pack in our backpacks. I would also pack a blanket and umbrellas for shade.

Ride the toboggan down from the Great Wall at Mutianyu
Lots of fun! But don’t get stuck behind a slow driver….

Take a 3-wheeler motorcycle taxi
The best way to travel through the city.

Chat with your cab driver
Use Google translate to learn enough Japanese to have a simple conversation with your drivers, who often will speak little English. Phrases such as, “I like China,” “I am from America,” “I want to learn Chinese,” “How do you say…” are good starts. You can talk about cities: “I like / Do you like… Beijing… Nanjing… Xi'an… etc. Or “Seattle… New York… Los Angeles…” Food is good: “Do you like Haidilao… Dadong…” 

Stay in a 5 star hotel for much less than you would expect
At the Peninsula Hotel, a luxury room that might cost $800-$1000 in the states will cost you half as much.

Buy Chinese language t-shirts at Nanluoguxiang Hutong
Plastered 8 is a great store for quality Chinese language t-shirts.

Enjoy the set meal at Dali Courtyard in Nanluoguxiang Hutong

Take a selfie with the Chairman Mao portrait at the entrance to the Forbidden City

Buy a chrysanthemum bouquet and place it in front of Mao’s statue at the Mao Mausoleum
We did not do this, but all the Chinese tourists around us did.

Buy souvenirs at the Temple of Heaven
We searched and searched for the best small souvenirs – and found them here!

Play games while waiting and order noodles at Haidilao Hot Pot
Always packed and so much fun! Little English is spoken, so be daring!

Cross major intersections amidst the crazy Beijing traffic
The picture does not do justice to the experience!

Hike up the hills at Jingshan Park above the Forbidden City

Ride the dragon boat at the Summer Palace

Eat Dadong Roast Duck and Quanjude Wanfujing Roast Duck
At Quanjude, we ordered the Peony duck which is carved and presented like a peony flower.

Pose as the token American in photos with Chinese tourists
We were often asked to pose in photos, and we always agreed, while saying in Chinese, “We are American. We love China!”

Visit the Lama Temple and Confucius Temple

Savor Dim Sum lunch at Huang Ting at the Peninsula Hotel

APM Shopping Mall

Eat okonomiyaki at Dohton Bori with dessert at the Ice Monster

APM Shopping Mall

Drink chrysanthemum tea with dinner at The Grandma’s

APM Shopping Mall

Enjoy dessert honey chips (pieces of honeycomb) on a soft ice cream cone at Softree