This was a primary place of worship for kings throughout the Joseon Dynasty and has been registered as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.
Peking Duck is hands down the best thing I ate in Beijing. They sliced the duck at our table. We ate the meat with scallion, cucumber and sweet bean sauce in pancakes rolled around the fillings.
You can have some unique snacks like deep-fried scorpion or seahorse, but my favorite things were suannai (Old-style Beijing Yogurt) and tanghulu (traditional Chinese candied fruit).
They serve flaky pastry pockets, stuffed with lightly spiced shreds of donkey meat. The Chinese seem to view donkey-meat as a cure-all for depression, health, virility, etc. Tasted great to me.
Make time for at least 3 hours to explore the area and feel bewildered by the fact that this massive area was once just for royalty. It’s the most beautiful place I went to in Beijing.
The Temple of Heaven (TianTan) was where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would make offerings to heaven and pray for good harvests. The temple really is gorgeous.
The "big buddha" is really impressive and has a lovely mountain to climb. Take bus 24 here!
The 798 Art Zone (or Dashanzi Art District) are 50-year-old decommissioned military factory buildings that have been taken over by artists and turned into an art community.
Highly recommend a Thai iced tea and custard bun with pandan leaf flavoring. The buns sell out by noon but you can call to reserve some in the morning.
You'll need to put money on "rabbit card" (at the entrance) to buy food here. Each item ranges from 100-300 baht. Quick and tasty!
The drinks here are fun and inventive -- too bad they're not available anywhere else on this floor! Lovely place to enjoy the sunset.
What a fun market to explore for hours! Seriously, hours. So much to see and eat. Haggle everything but food!
Likely one of the best movie theaters I've been to in the world. Buy your ticket early to reserve a good seat, shop the mall or have a meal, and then arrive just minutes before the movie starts.
