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  • 4
    Peking advice!

    Hello!
     
    I am going on a tour of China at the end of the month, please can I ask for some advice for Beijing: we have a whistle stop tour of Beijing, the tour covers Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, unfortunately I only have a spare afternoon to fit everything else in (which is not going to happen!). I want to see the Summer Palace, take a tour of the Hutongs and visit the Lama Temple… what should I spend my spare afternoon doing? I am in a bit of a pickle!
     
    Also any good advice on where to eat their traditional roast duck?
     
    Thanks! Mik

    Report as inappropriate
    Mik

    12 posts | 50 responses

    Posted 21 May 12

Responses

  • 1

    Hi Mik, what a nice dilemma to have!
    I have no clue about China (had to look Hutongs up!), so I don't know why I'm trying to help, but what do you have in the rest of your itinerary?  If there's a chance you'll find yourself thinking 'if I see one more temple I'll scream' then go for something different in Beijing. Whatever you choose, enjoy it and don't worry about what you can't fit in to your trip.
    Good luck with the roast duck quest!

    Report as inappropriate
    EHalford

    10 post | 165 responses

    Posted 21 May 12
  • 2

    Tip one, don't call the city Peking. Just kidding. I spent a happy afternoon being photographed by a whole school-load of Chinese kids at the Summer Palace, but when they had finished with me, really enjoyed its grounds. The hutongs were disappearing fast, and that was 2002. Whatever you decide, have fun!

    Report as inappropriate
    Julia69

    19 post | 638 responses

    Posted 21 May 12
  • 3

    *rubs hands* Right! First things first, do you have your evenings accounted for? If I were you, I'd do the Summer Palace, or if you're looking for something a bit quieter do the Old Summer Palace (subway Line 4 - Xiyuan, or Yuanmingyuan for Old SP) then head to the Lama Temple (Yonghegong Lama Temple, line 2/5) if you've got time - last admission is about 5 if I remember rightly. I guess it depends if you want to "do" it or take it in a bit more reflectively. It's the nicest of Beijing's temples, but temples do just start being temples after a while.  Subway is seriously the best way to get around - it's 2RMB for a ticket, and signs, announcements and ticket machines are in English as well as Mandarin.

    As I say, if you've got your evenings, grab some food and wander around Nanluoguxiang or Houhai Lake - you'll need taxis for these - not sure whether the new subway stops are finished yet, but they were being built when I left last summer. If you don't mind a bit of a walk, you can walk to Nanluoguxiang from Lama Temple, and you can cut through hutongs though they're not as scenic as you imagine. As Julia69 said, hutongs are disappearing, but you'll get a good glimpse here and a double whammy of evening entertainment. Pretty much restaurant will do you a roast duck, but Dadong Roast Duck is pretty ace - google it, there are 2 locations. Also, try hot pot while you're there if you like spicy food and street food if you get the opportunity - cookshops with baozi/jiaozi (dumplings) are AMAZING.

    Man, I miss Beijing...

    Report as inappropriate
    clarewilson86

    3 post | 20 responses

    Posted 22 May 12
  • 4

    Thanks guys! We have a really varied trip, so I don’t think we will be too ‘templed’ out! Our evenings are free, so I have an afternoon and 2 evenings free in Beijing.
    Thank you for your advice Clare, I am going to squeeze in a visit to the Summer Palace in the afternoon, followed by a visit to the Lama Temple and then a wonder around the Nanluoguxiang Hutongs that evening. Thank you for the tip for Dadong Roast Duck, it looks excellent, the dumplings also sound divine! Eeek, so excited!!

    Report as inappropriate
    Mik

    12 post | 50 responses

    Posted 22 May 12

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