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BangAverage wraps up a 10-day trip in Beijing by wandering Dashing Lane and enjoying a meal of Peking duck, sweet and sour pork, spring onion noodles, and beer for about £20. Johnny and Vicky appreciate the city’s architecture and slower pace, and describe locals as curious but welcoming. Later they visit the Temple of Heaven after dark, when many scenic areas are already closed and the park is very dark. Their advice is to go earlier, while the temples are open, and use bug spray at night.
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Wandering Beijing and finding dinner
Johnny and Vicky of BangAverage finish their 10-day transit-visa trip in Beijing. They wander along Dashing Lane, a lively street market where they look at beef jerky, postcards, and the architecture. They enjoy moving without a strict itinerary and taking in the city at a slower pace. They find taxis and meals affordable, and notice that local people are curious about them as foreign visitors. The attention is friendly, and several people are happy to take photographs together.
Food becomes a highlight of the day. The couple share half a Peking duck, sweet and sour pork, spring onion noodles, and two large beers for about £20. They enjoy the crisp batter on the pork and the duck dipped in oyster sauce. They discuss different ways to eat the duck and call it one of the best meals of their trip.
An evening at the Temple of Heaven
Later, they visit the Temple of Heaven. Although the park stays open until 9 p.m., the main temples and many scenic areas close earlier. By the time they arrive, the park is very dark and they cannot see much of the temple itself. They still enjoy the unusual experience and find it funny, but recommend visiting earlier in the day to see more of the park.
They also encounter older local residents dancing in the park, a spontaneous moment that adds to the day. The couple suggest wearing bug spray at night to avoid mosquito bites and say a flashlight may help in dark areas. Their final Beijing outing combines a market walk, an inexpensive dinner, and an imperfect but memorable visit to the Temple of Heaven.
Food and value
The couple’s meal includes half a Peking duck, sweet and sour pork, spring onion noodles, and two large beers. The total is about £20, which they consider excellent value for two people. They enjoy the crisp coating on the pork and discuss how to eat the duck, including dipping it in oyster sauce. The food becomes one of their strongest memories from the trip, and they rank it among the best meals they have had while traveling.
Their walk along Dashing Lane gives the day another texture. They look at the street market, beef jerky, postcards, and the elaborate details on the surrounding buildings. Rather than following a fixed itinerary, Johnny and Vicky take time to wander and absorb the city. People notice them as foreign visitors, but their interactions feel curious and friendly; some residents ask to take photographs together.
At the Temple of Heaven, the couple discover that the park’s closing time does not mean every scenic area remains open until then. The main temples close earlier, leaving them in a dark park with little to see. A group of older residents dancing becomes an unexpected highlight. Their experience supports the practical advice to arrive earlier and bring bug spray if visiting at night.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: How much did the Peking duck meal cost?
- A: The meal for two cost about £20 and included half a duck, sweet and sour pork, spring onion noodles, and two large beers. BangAverage consider it very good value.
- Q: What was the Temple of Heaven like at night?
- A: The park was open, but it was very dark and most scenic areas had closed. The couple could not see much of the temple itself. They still enjoyed the visit but recommend going earlier in the day.
- Q: How did locals react to them in Beijing?
- A: The couple found people friendly and curious. Some locals stared, but not in an unfriendly way, and several wanted to take photos with them. They felt welcomed during the visit.