Early start today so we can enjoy a less crowded visit of the Jingshan Park immediately north of the Forbidden City. We climbed up all the way to the top the hill to enjoy a breathtaking panorama of the Forbidden City. On our way back we caught up with the elderly. They gather in the imperial park for their morning routine of relaxing, dancing or performing the slow and graceful movements of tai chi.
The next highlight of our Beijing exploration was the Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum. The north gate is exit only as the museum operates a one-way policy since 2011. So we walked to the South Gate also called Meridian Gate. Soon enough, we were queuing at the ticket office. The tickets in our pockets and the audio guide in our ears, we were ready to explore the 8000 rooms. You can spend an hour or a full day within those walls. We settled for a few hours as we felt hungry.
For lunch, we tried the famous Pekin duck. It's very different from the crispy duck we eat back home. Full of flavour, tender and juicy but not really crispy. Elegantly carved at your table, the skin and the meat are separated. The skin is accompanied by white sugar. The meat, on the other hand, can be consumed with garlic and the delicious plum sauce. So yummy.
After such a lunch, we felt the need for some exercise. The Summer Palace, considered one of the grandest Chinese gardens, was the perfect afternoon spot. As we arrived late, most of the museums and attractions were closed but the crowd was also gone. The deserted park was just for ourselves. The scenery is gorgeous from dawn to dusk. So there is no best time to see it. With the sunset coming fast, we end up in the dark and in the middle of nowhere. We had to walk through the park with the flashlight of our smartphones. That was the perfect way to finish a busy but brilliant day...
