For the less temple-y adventures in Beijing we checked out the zoo, olympic park, silk museum, tea shop, and hutong village.
Beijing Zoo
The pandas were the main attraction of course, so here’s one in “I’m so stuffed, IDGAF” mode:
Olympic Green
The sprawling site of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics which was quite daunting to walk all the way through. This is the Beijing National Stadium aka the Bird’s Nest:
And the Beijing National Aquatics Center aka the Water Cube:
One of the sculptures in the park:
The dragon building seen in the distance:
Silk Museum
Chinese silk is quintessential and in this place you’ll see how they’re spun from the silkworm cocoons to blankets, clothing, tapestries, and other goods.
Tea Shop
Every imaginable shape and size of tea, you’ll find here. Where large means as tall as a person, cups are dainty, and flavors range from flowery to fruity.
Hutong Village
The equivalent of “eskinita” or narrow alleyway, hutong has now come to mean the traditional neighborhoods joined by multiple courtyard-style homes. We shared lunch in one of the residents’ houses, and it felt just like home.