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With local artist Steven as a guide, Shawneydepp and Toby explore Beijing over 48 hours. They start with luzhu, a stew of large intestines, tofu and doughy noodles, then visit the 798 Art Zone and discover dented luggage in a shop. The Temple of Heaven is closed on Monday, so they admire it from a distance before visiting another temple at sunset. They eat Peking duck and stay at a courtyard hotel in a hutong. The next day they take a Didi ride to Mutianyu, walk along the Great Wall and descend by toboggan. Their route continues with spicy crayfish suggested by the driver, a view from Jingshan Park, Nanluoguxiang Hutong and a tripod mishap involving street spit.
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Food, art and a closed temple
Shawneydepp and his friend Toby explore Beijing with local artist Steven as their guide. Their 48-hour visit starts with luzhu, a hearty stew of large intestines, tofu and doughy noodles. Shawneydepp describes the intestines as plump and juicy, and compares this meal favorably with versions from street stalls. They continue to the 798 Art Zone, where galleries and industrial buildings sit alongside quirky shops, including one selling dented luggage.
The Temple of Heaven is closed on Mondays, the only day they have in Beijing to visit, so they can see its round silhouette only from a distance. The disappointment is softened by a visit to a smaller temple at sunset. Dinner is Peking duck: they describe the thick skin, wrap it with condiments in a pancake and also try soft pork liver and pear soup. They stay in a courtyard hotel in a traditional hutong.
The Great Wall and a final food stop
The following day they travel by Didi for about 1.5 hours to Mutianyu. The group walks along the Great Wall and talks about its scale and the labor involved in building it. They then descend by toboggan, which they describe as fast and exciting, with sunset views. Their driver recommends spicy crayfish at Huda, including garlic and mala flavors.
The group later visits Jingshan Park for a view of the Forbidden City but does not have time to enter it. They stroll through Nanluoguxiang Hutong and try lamb tripe with peanut and chili sauce. A tripod accidentally lands in spit on the street, becoming an unpleasant but funny end-of-trip mishap. The 48-hour itinerary mixes local food, historic sites, modern neighborhoods and practical travel moments. Their reflections focus on the Great Wall, the food and the conversations they shared along the way.
The group is accompanied by Steven, a local artist who guides them through the city and helps with decisions along the way. Their time at the courtyard hotel gives them a look at a traditional hutong stay before they leave for Mutianyu. The Didi trip takes about 1.5 hours and costs around 30 Singapore dollars, according to the travel tip. On the Wall, they discuss its scale and the many laborers involved in its construction, then take the toboggan down rather than retracing the same route on foot.
Food appears throughout the itinerary, from the luzhu brunch and Peking duck to spicy crayfish with garlic and mala flavors. The local driver suggests the crayfish restaurant, and the group uses his recommendation for dinner. On their last morning, Jingshan Park gives them a view over the Forbidden City, although they do not have time to go inside. At Nanluoguxiang Hutong, they try lamb tripe with peanut and chili sauce and walk through the narrow streets. The tripod mishap happens during this final stretch, when it lands in street spit. The two-day route combines food, art, historic landmarks and unplanned moments, leaving the group wanting more time in Beijing.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What was the luzhu brunch like?
- A: It was a hearty stew of large intestines, tofu and doughy noodles. Shawneydepp found the intestines plump and juicy, and liked this version better than the street-stall versions he had tried.
- Q: Why couldn't you visit the Temple of Heaven?
- A: The Temple of Heaven was closed on Monday, which was the group's only day in Beijing for that visit. They could admire it from a distance, then went to a smaller temple at sunset.
- Q: How was the toboggan ride at the Great Wall?
- A: The ride down from Mutianyu was fast and gave them a different way to descend, with sunset views along the route. The group described it as a thrilling part of their Great Wall visit.
- Q: What did your Didi driver recommend for dinner?
- A: The driver recommended spicy crayfish at Huda, including garlic and mala flavors. The group followed the suggestion for dinner after their Great Wall visit.
- Q: What was the gross mishap at the end?
- A: Shawneydepp accidentally set his tripod down on a patch of spit on the street. He found it disgusting but also treated it as a funny, unfiltered moment from the trip.
