Beijing: My First Visit & A HUGE Disappointment!
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Orange cakes and crispy beef pastries aren't Beijing local snacks.
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What are orange cakes? I've never even heard of them.
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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.
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Exactly! As a Beijinger, I absolutely love my hometown. The education, culture, entertainment, leisure, and healthcare are all top-notch.
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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?
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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!
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Orange cakes and what sauce now??? You've got this Beijing gal completely baffled!
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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.
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So, 'most of the attractions are ancient architectural sites'? Seriously, what else did you expect to see in Beijing?
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Beijing in autumn is Beijing at its best.
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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?
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I saw orange cakes at Qianmen and was quite shocked. I've seen persimmon cakes, though.
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My gut feeling tells me you're from Guangdong...
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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.
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Are weather and food really things you only find out about once you get there?
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Southerners wouldn't know how to appreciate it anyway.
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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!)