Arrived in a new environment on Day 88

After the first day of getting used to the new environment and the first timid attempts at orientation, today I went out on my bike to admire the sights of Beijing. I drew on a map what I wanted to visit and how to get there. The hotel provided free bicycles, so off we went on the road. Bicycles or generally two-wheelers are very popular in Beijing. There are theoretically wide bike paths on the streets. But they are often blocked by vehicles, pedestrians stroll on them, or anything else comes towards you. Concentration is required. The bell is important, as it is used very often. But once you get used to all the hustle and bustle, you can somehow recognize a flow.

My first stop was the Confucius Temple. A huge complex with beautifully decorated buildings and statues. I can't really say the exact story behind it, signs and plaques did tell it, but only in Chinese.

There was also a book to admire. What was special about this book was that it was not bound, but the story was engraved on rock slabs. Quite special.

It was also special that I was asked by a group of excited Chinese girls if I would take a photo with them. Of course, I gladly fulfilled this request.

My second stop was the Bell and Drum Towers. On the square between the two towers, different groups were practicing morning exercises. They were using a type of badminton (just a bit larger) and kicking it to each other with their feet, without letting the shuttlecock touch the ground. It was fascinating to watch them.

The two towers had great significance in ancient China. On the one hand, they indicated the time to the residents. The drums were used in the morning and the bell in the evening. On the other hand, the drums were also beaten in case of danger or attacks to warn the population.

The small disadvantage of towers is that you usually have to climb many stairs to admire the object in question. And it was the same here. At a humid 35°C, it made me sweat quite a bit. When I reached the top of the Drum Tower, I had the pleasure of watching a performance.

On the Bell Tower, you could admire the huge bell. I was quite glad that there was no performance here when I was so close.

Finding the other sights in Beijing of ancient China was not difficult. The Bell and Drum Towers, the Jingshan Park, the Forbidden City, the Tian’anmen Square, the Monument to the People's Heroes, and the Zhengyangmen Gate are all on the same line.

For my tour today, I decided to visit the Jingshan Park and the Tian’anmen Square with the Monument to the People's Heroes, in addition to the two towers.

As I rode down the road towards the park, I passed by a small lake. A very idyllic spot amidst the many houses and streets.

The park is important in history because this is where the last king of the Ming Dynasty hanged himself.

In the middle of the park, there was a small hill. At the highest point, there was a small temple with a huge golden Buddha.

Furthermore, from up here, you had a good view of the Forbidden City.

My final stop was at the National Square, the Tian’anmen Square. A huge square where regular gatherings as well as demonstrations take place.

But today it was quiet. I strolled around the square at a leisurely pace, visited the Memorial for the People's Heroes, which was built in memory of the victims of various wars (Opium War, World Wars)

and the Zhengyangmen Gate, which was the gate of the inner city wall.

After visiting the various attractions, it was not easy to find my bike again. As I mentioned before, cycling is very popular in Beijing, and accordingly, the bike parking lots are full.

Sweating from the various activities, I made my way back to the hotel, looking forward to a shower and a cold beer.

After a short rest and a refreshing shower, I went to see a Kung Fu show in the evening. I took a taxi, as the hotel had kindly written down the address of the theater in Chinese, as the taxi drivers don't speak a word of English. There, I had the pleasure of a 70-minute performance of various Kung Fu arts.

For dinner, I had the spiciest meal I had ever eaten up to that point. I took a taxi back to the vicinity of my hotel. There, I went to a nice-looking restaurant. Although it was advertised outside that the menu was in English, I only received one in Chinese with occasional English words.

It turned out that I had ordered a fish with shrimp in a spicy sauce. The sauce was so spicy that my lips went numb. But the food was very good, and with the rice, I was able to tone down the situation a bit.