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Mike and Ashley arrive in Beijing after years of hoping to visit China. They find the metro easier than expected and use Alipay, WeChat, MetroMan, and Apple Maps, while noting that Google Maps, Instagram, and YouTube may not work. They also mention TravelSpend for their budget, Didi for rides, and the practical challenge of renting shared bikes. Their day includes coffee and baked goods at With Wheat Cafe, friendly greetings from residents, and an older man who brings his dog over to say hello. At Din Tai Fung, a Michelin-starred restaurant, they try soup dumplings despite expecting to eat more street food. They learn to open a small hole, sip the soup, and then eat the dumpling. The restaurant gives them an unexpected gift. They explore a riverfront area and finish with cocktails at a bar in Soho. The couple say the streets feel clean and that they did not feel unsafe walking around at 3 a.m. after landing. The experience changes their expectations, and they look ahead to visiting an ancient town, Lost Plate, Shanghai Disney, the Great Wall, and the Terracotta Warriors.
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Getting around and meeting people
Mike and Ashley arrive in Beijing after years of wanting to visit China. They find the metro easier to use than expected and use Alipay, WeChat, MetroMan, and Apple Maps for payments and navigation. They note that Google Maps, Instagram, and YouTube may not work there. Ashley has trouble completing an Alipay payment, and their attempt to rent shared bicycles brings another practical question: whether one account can unlock more than one bike. They also use TravelSpend to track expenses; the source suggests a daily budget of $50 to $60 while noting that accommodation may require an adjustment. Didi is another transportation option. Their first attempts with the apps and shared bikes are part of learning the city as they go, alongside the practical advice they share about payments and getting around.
The couple notice how clean the streets are and how readily residents greet them with smiles and waves. An older man brings his dog over to say hello. At With Wheat Cafe, they stop for coffee and enjoy the aroma of baked goods. These ordinary encounters help replace their worries with their own impressions of the city. They also mention the clean plate initiative and advise ordering responsibly; some places charge for packaging, so those details are useful to check when ordering.
Soup dumplings and the evening
At Din Tai Fung, the Michelin-starred restaurant, they order soup dumplings after expecting to eat more street food. They look at the folds in the dough and learn to make a small opening, sip the soup, then eat the dumpling, with or without sauce. The meal gives them a close look at a dish they had not expected to try that day. A restaurant gives them an unexpected gift, another moment that stands out from the meal.
The day also includes a riverfront discovery and cocktails at a bar in the Soho district. Mike and Ashley say they walked around after landing at 3 a.m. without feeling unsafe. They compare that experience with warnings they had heard from people who had not visited. Their first day combines getting used to transit and payment apps, meeting local residents, stopping for coffee, and trying a carefully prepared meal. They end the evening looking forward to the rest of their trip, including plans for an ancient town, Lost Plate, Shanghai Disney, the Great Wall, and the Terracotta Warriors. Their reactions shift from excitement and laughter to feeling moved by the people they meet, adding a personal thread to the practical details of the day.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: Which apps do Mike and Ashley mention using in Beijing?
- A: They mention Alipay, WeChat, MetroMan, and Apple Maps for payments or navigation. They also use TravelSpend for their budget and Didi for rides.
- Q: How do they eat the soup dumplings?
- A: They learn to make a small opening, sip the soup, and then eat the dumpling. The source also says they can be enjoyed with or without sauce.
- Q: How did they feel walking around Beijing after landing?
- A: They say they did not feel unsafe walking around at 3 a.m. after landing and were surprised by the city’s cleanliness and friendly encounters.