A history‑soaked day exploring the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City, followed by silk shopping, haggling in a knock‑off market, and an adventurous evening tasting Beijing’s more unusual street‑food delicacies.
Exploring Beijing.
Today felt like walking through the pages of a history book. We visited some of Beijing’s most iconic sites and navigated some of the busiest, craziest roads I’ve ever travelled on.
The Temple of Heaven.
I’d always assumed the Hall of Prayer was the Temple of Heaven. I didn’t realise the Temple of Heaven was an entire complex of buildings surrounded by a vast, beautiful park.
The buildings were impressive, but the locals in the surrounding grounds were even more fascinating. Everywhere you looked, people were doing tai chi, dancing, playing instruments, singing, playing cards, or taking part in huge games of keep‑it‑up football. One group was practising tai chi with giant swords, something that would probably get you arrested in England.
It was here that I made my first purchase of the trip: a large bamboo hat to shade my head and neck. It turned out to be an excellent investment, saving me from sunburn and, later, from getting soaked when the rain came.
Tiananmen Square.
Tiananmen Square was enormous. Our guide, also called Alan, talked us through its history. The good and the uncomfortable. I found it odd that an Emperor supposedly wanting to “look out for the people” demolished thousands of homes to build a square where the newly homeless could gather and celebrate.
On an ordinary day, the square felt like a giant empty car park with a few oversized video screens. It was hard to reconcile this quiet space with the scenes the world remembers from 25 years ago. We were told that no one died in the square and that the killings happened a few streets away. This didn’t match the footage the rest of the world saw at the time.
The Forbidden City.
As we approached the entrance, a group of monks was waiting to enter. Some of the girls in our group asked for a photo, and the monks happily obliged. As I took the pictures, several Chinese girls jumped in to pose with the English girls too.
Inside, the Forbidden City was vast. The buildings were magnificent, but we had very little time to explore. Many of the halls we entered were empty, leaving me a bit sad. Over the years, countless objects have been stolen, destroyed, or moved elsewhere. Many artefacts that should have been there were apparently on tour around China or abroad.
About the Forbidden City.
The Forbidden City sits at the centre of Beijing’s Imperial City. Built between 1406 and 1420, it served as the Imperial Palace and the Emperor's winter residence from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty. For over 500 years, it was the ceremonial and political heart of China. Since 1925, it has been managed by the Palace Museum, and in 1987 it became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Silk Store.
Before lunch, we visited a silk store where we were shown how silkworms and their cocoons are transformed into silk. Amazingly, every part of the worm and cocoon is used, even the worm itself, which ends up in makeup.
I bought a silk duvet, pillow, and shirt. The girl serving me was beautiful, and when she helped me try on a shirt and then undressed me again, I jokingly asked if she’d come to England to dress me. To my delight, she said she’d happily come and be my maid.
Lunch and the Knock‑Off Market.
We were taken to a market selling fake goods, with a large food hall attached. Sadly, we were marched past all the good‑looking places and into a terrible buffet. The food was cold, bland, and forgettable. The beer wasn’t much better; the staff took ages to pour it and produced more foam than liquid.
After lunch, I accompanied Tracy to buy a dress for her granddaughter. She hated bargaining, so I pretended to be her husband and told her she had a strict budget of ¥80. After plenty of negotiation and a dramatic walk‑off, we got the ¥200 dress for ¥80. My new “wife” was delighted, and Mel decided she would now have to be our daughter.
We returned to the hotel for a rest before dinner.
Food Market Adventures.
On the way to dinner, we stopped at a Chinese food market. I decided to try three of the more unusual offerings.
First up was a starfish. Not knowing any better, I tried to eat it raw. The horrified stallholder snatched it from me, plunged it into hot oil, and deep‑fried it. I took one leg, handed the others to Mel, Dave, April, and Rob, and offered the body to Tracy. Everyone with a starfish leg polished it off quickly, except Tracy, who spat hers out.
Mel then returned with a spicy snake skewer. It was a bit chewy, but the sauce was excellent.
Finally, I insisted we try a large scorpion skewer. Tracy refused, but after I swallowed the first scorpion, Mel happily ate the second. We then took a short walk through Beijing for our main meal of the day.
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