I feel like twisting my hair, something I do when I’m nervous or vaguely uncomfortable. And as usual, I’m obsessing over inconsequential things. It must be a coping mechanism—please tell me it is because right now, I’m losing sleep over selecting the perfect snacks for the long flight, which is utterly stupid because it really doesn’t matter that much.
Well, in my defence, this is the first time I don’t have the ham-and-cheese sandwich option considering there are no butter, ham, cheese and bread to be found in Beijing.
I think I’m just tired and I’m sad to leave China.
The last few days have been exhausting because Beijing is exhausting or maybe it’s me again because I wanted to go everywhere, see everything and make the most of the city.
Our apartment was further this time and it was a long walk to Sanyuanqiao, our subway station. It was a new neighbourhood with shiny tallish buildings and a huge construction site but very few eateries or convenience stores. So we were leaving for the entire day, coming back at night with take-out food sourced in Guomao or Jiangguomen—that alone was tiring.
We explored the Temple of Heaven and the Lama Temple. We never found a way to get tickets for the Forbidden City or the National Museum of China, both invariably packed. We found Zhongshan Park instead with a lovely view on Tiananmen Square. We spent time in Xidan and probably explored every hutong in Qianmen. We spent evenings and nights in Sanlitun, home of the young, hip Beijingers.
We also accidentally walked by Zhongnanhai (中南海), the current official residence of Xi Jinping and former residence of Mao Zedong. We were on Changan Jie, the long avenue bordering Tiananmen Square, and we had to show our passports to police checks every block or so. Then we stumbled upon this huge building with “Long Live the Invincible Mao Zedong Thought” written on one side and “Long Live the Communist Party of China” on the other.
I asked one of the guards if I could take pictures—“sure, no problem!”
“Gee, I have to put my day pack into the X-ray machine every time we take the subway but it’s okay to hang out in front of Zhongnanhai?”
I’m sitting at gate 14 at Beijing airport. It’s 10 p.m., boarding will (hopefully) start soon for our flight to Paris.
I’m so happy we reconnected with China.
Here are the people of Beijing, August 2024 edition!
Sanyuanqiao (三元桥), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingQianmen (前门), BeijingWangfujing (王府井), BeijingWangfujing (王府井), BeijingWangfujing (王府井), BeijingWangfujing (王府井), BeijingWangfujing (王府井), BeijingAround Tiananmen, BeijingAround Tiananmen, BeijingAround Tiananmen, BeijingAround Tiananmen, BeijingZhongshan Park (中山公园), China, Beijing, Xicheng District, Nanchang St, 天安门西侧中山公园 邮政编码: 100034Zhongshan Park (中山公园), China, Beijing, Xicheng District, Nanchang St, 天安门西侧中山公园 邮政编码: 100034Zhongshan Park (中山公园), China, Beijing, Xicheng District, Nanchang St, 天安门西侧中山公园 邮政编码: 100034Zhongshan Park (中山公园), China, Beijing, Xicheng District, Nanchang St, 天安门西侧中山公园 邮政编码: 100034Zhongshan Park (中山公园), China, Beijing, Xicheng District, Nanchang St, 天安门西侧中山公园 邮政编码: 100034Zhongshan Park (中山公园), China, Beijing, Xicheng District, Nanchang St, 天安门西侧中山公园 邮政编码: 100034Zhongnanhai (中南海), official residence of the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), 174 Chang’an Avenue, Xicheng District, BeijingZhongnanhai (中南海), official residence of the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), 174 Chang’an Avenue, Xicheng District, BeijingZhongnanhai (中南海), official residence of the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), 174 Chang’an Avenue, Xicheng District, BeijingChangan jie (长安街), BeijingChangan jie (长安街), BeijingChangan jie (长安街), BeijingChangan jie (长安街), BeijingBeijing subwayBeijing subwayBeihai (北海), China, Beijing, Xicheng District, 西安门Beihai (北海), China, Beijing, Xicheng District, 西安门Nanluogu, BeijingNanluogu, BeijingNanluogu, BeijingChaoyang, BeijingChaoyang, BeijingChaoyang, BeijingChaoyang, BeijingChaoyang, BeijingTemple of Heaven (天坛公园), 1 Tiantan E Rd, Dongcheng, China, 100061Temple of Heaven (天坛公园), 1 Tiantan E Rd, Dongcheng, China, 100061Temple of Heaven (天坛公园), 1 Tiantan E Rd, Dongcheng, China, 100061Beijing Book Building )西单图书大厦), 17 W Chang’an St, Xicheng District, Beijing, China, 100031Lama Temple (雍和宫), 12 Yonghegong Ave, 国子监 Dongcheng, BeijingLama Temple (雍和宫), 12 Yonghegong Ave, 国子监 Dongcheng, BeijingLama Temple (雍和宫), 12 Yonghegong Ave, 国子监 Dongcheng, BeijingLama Temple (雍和宫), 12 Yonghegong Ave, 国子监 Dongcheng, BeijingAround the Lama Temple (雍和宫), 12 Yonghegong Ave, 国子监 Dongcheng, BeijingAround the Lama Temple (雍和宫), 12 Yonghegong Ave, 国子监 Dongcheng, BeijingSanlintun (三里屯) Chaoyang, BeijingSanlintun (三里屯) Chaoyang, BeijingSanlintun (三里屯) Chaoyang, BeijingSanlintun (三里屯) Chaoyang, Beijing