Beijing: My First Visit & A HUGE Disappointment!

[Lucille Borer]

I've got to tell you, when I first made it to Beijing, I realized that Southerners (who are used to a humid and warm climate and tend to prefer lighter flavors) might not find the adaptation so easy here.

• Weather and Environment:

  • One word: dry! The air is very dry. People who come from the South should drink more water and have body moisturizer and lip balm ready.
  • For the National Day Holiday in early October, the city was teeming with visitors, I mean people were everywhere!
  • The temperature difference between day and night is quite huge too. Although it still feels somewhat warm through the day, the night could instantly become chilly. Plan on bringing multiple layers of clothes.

• Food:

  • The taste preferences are quite different.
    • Luzhu: This snack features pork offal such as intestines and lungs, alongside soybean curd and flatbread which is stewed in a thick sauce. The flavor is rather intense, so some people may find it repulsive at first.
    • Zhajiangmian: It’s noodles topped with a sauce made from diced pork and fermented bean paste, typically with shredded cucumber and bean sprouts mixed in. The quality of the dish can vary widely from store to store. But apparently, the place called “Fangzuan Factory” makes a pretty good one.
    • Beef Pies: They’re everywhere, but Beijing isn’t famous for this dish and they’re nothing special.
    • Yogurt: The local yogurt sold in porcelain jars is pretty decent. You might want to give it a try for sure!

• Sights:

  • A lot of Beijing's attractions mainly focus on ancient architecture and historical relics, like the Forbidden City or Great Wall. These places should be delightful for people who enjoy historical and cultural aspects.

• ️ Reminder/Hazards Avoidance Guide:

  • Buying souvenirs:
    • Beware of items like "orange cakes" (made with oranges) or bottles and jars of sauces. Their prices are often unusually high and could be a rip-off.
    • Recommendation: It's best to search online if you decide to buy these kinds of products, usually their prices would be more reasonable.
  • Traveling during the National Day:
    • Issue: There were simply too many people at every attraction.
    • Recommendation: If possible, avoid this time frame. Should you choose to visit anyway, please book any popular attraction entrance tickets in advance and get prepared to queue for a long time.
  • Dry weather:
    • Issue: Dry weather will lead to discomfort in your skin, lips, throat.
    • Recommendation: Drink plenty of water! Always carry body moisturizers and lip balm.

• Heartfelt Recommendations:

  • I'd like to single out the restaurant called "Yue Zhen Ya Yuan"! (Note: I mean the barbecue next door, and not the fancy restaurant.)
  • Their sweet glutinous rice cake and double-skin milk pudding (a creamy, milky dessert loved by all) are absolutely delicious. I still miss them now!

[Lorena Runolfsson]

Orange cakes and crispy beef pastries aren't Beijing local snacks.

[Franklin Weimann IV]

What are orange cakes? I've never even heard of them.

[Helen Gleason]

Beijing is like a multi-layered, hourglass society. In its everyday guise, most outsiders don't quite take to it. But in its 'special' mode, the refined, cultured Beijing is the best in the country. The catch? The entry barrier is incredibly high, so high that even many locals (those with the '110' ID prefix) can only glimpse it from a distance. Autumn in Beijing is the most pleasant season. You can catch a play at the People's Art Theatre, visit an exhibition at the National Art Museum of China, and perhaps even run into a retired professor giving a volunteer lecture. Strolling along Huangchenggen or Wusi Avenue, passing Peking University's Red Building, Jingshan Park, and Beihai Park, is truly relaxing... Changpu River, Nanchizi, Zhengyi Road, and Dongjiaominxiang are also fascinating places to explore. Oh, and the best Zha Jiang Mian (noodles with soybean paste) isn't found in restaurants, but in every Beijinger's own home.

[Lucille Borer]

Exactly! As a Beijinger, I absolutely love my hometown. The education, culture, entertainment, leisure, and healthcare are all top-notch.

[Frank Cole]

Isn't the point of traveling to experience food and sights different from what you have at home? If the food is just like what you eat at home, can you even call it traveling? Besides, you probably learned about places like the Old Summer Palace, the Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven in school, right? Didn't you know they were ancient architectural sites before you came?

[Terrence Beer]

Hey, don't paint everyone with the same brush. We also visited during the National Day holiday and have unforgettable memories of Beijing. We loved the food too!

[Ada Muller]

Orange cakes and what sauce now??? You've got this Beijing gal completely baffled!

[Morris Schneider]

Who knows what random stuff they were eating. They clearly didn't do any research before their trip and now just blame the place for not meeting their expectations. They would've been better off staying home.

[April Corwin]

So, 'most of the attractions are ancient architectural sites'? Seriously, what else did you expect to see in Beijing?

[Ms. Alberta Moen]

Beijing in autumn is Beijing at its best.

[Rafael Rau]

Well, first off, the attractions are mostly ancient architecture. What else would you expect to see? Coming to Beijing and not wanting to see ancient architecture is like going to Xi'an and then complaining that Xi'an is full of ancient sites. What's the difference? As for the food, OP, you either like it or you don't; there's no guarantee you'll enjoy it just by visiting. Orange cakes and some sauce? Beef pastries? None of these sound like Beijing specialties to me. Were you scammed, perhaps?

[Dr. Ruben Larkin MD]

I saw orange cakes at Qianmen and was quite shocked. I've seen persimmon cakes, though.

[Melody Jacobi]

My gut feeling tells me you're from Guangdong...

[Arnold Predovic]

Don't bother with those 'Beijing snacks' recommended online; even we locals don't really eat them. When my relatives from Guangdong visited during the summer break, they absolutely loved the breakfast at Nanchengxiang, and Ju Bao Yuan's hot pot and grilled skewers also got rave reviews.

[Mr. Jody Bednar]

Are weather and food really things you only find out about once you get there?

[Dallas Durgan]

Southerners wouldn't know how to appreciate it anyway.

[Mrs. Beverly Glover-Crist]

I feel like if you're visiting Beijing as a tourist, it's mainly to see ancient architecture, museums, Tiananmen Square, and such, since it's the political capital. If you're coming for the food, well, you might be a bit disappointed as options can seem limited and we might not be the best hosts in that regard. (Though personally, I think Peking duck and copper pot hot pot are incredibly delicious, and Zha Jiang Mian is my absolute favorite!)