This day was packed! Our first stop was the Temple of Heaven. This was a religious temple used by the Ming and Qing Emperors for yearly prayers for the harvest. The complex was absolutely beautiful and the area is free for “senior citizens” to visit. In the park, there were groups of seniors doing exercise, playing cards, knitting, and I even saw one man drawing his friends as they played cards. Our tour guide told us that on certain days, the parents with “single children” will gather and have matchmaking sessions (kind of like a match.com without the internet).
From the Temple of Heaven, we had a short walk to the Pearl Market. Before we jumped into haggling for “high quality reproduction” handbags, we stopped at a tea house for a tea ceremony. We got to try several flavors of traditional Chinese tea and they explained the health benefits that each tea can provide. The tea was delicious and it was a great opportunity to try a few different kinds. (This stop isn’t always on the China Highlights agenda. They do offer tea for purchase and it is a bit pricey. I know several members of our group spent quite a bit extra on tea. This is another area you may want to add to your budget if you are interested in tea. I did not purchase tea at this particular location because I was already going a bit over my budget).
The Pearl Market was filled with all kinds of little shops. I have traveled quite a bit and am more or less familiar with the procedure of haggling, but I was not prepared for the haggling here. First, the vendors are VERY aggressive. They will follow you around and really pressure you to buy. We found a building set (similar to Lego) that my son liked, but the price was almost 2000 CNY. Also, I knew that we did not have room in our suitcase for the box and there was not going to be enough time for my son to assemble it before we needed to leave (it would have fit better assembled). The sales lady was very pushy. I told her I only had 200 CNY thinking that since that was a serious lowball offer she would leave me alone. She came back with 350 CNY! I realized then how seriously marked up the original price was on the products. We continued looking around and she followed us eventually getting to 150 CNY for the set. (We still couldn’t get it because that would mean getting luggage too!) I did eventually bargain for a purse that I liked (not a knockoff…a simple embroidered design) and a few souvenirs, but the pressure of the haggling was too much and we left the shopping early and sat outside to rest our feet.
From the Pearl Market, we went to a restaurant near our hotel that served the famous Peking Duck. I had tried Peking Duck at some point in my life (I believe in Disney World) but it was not in any way comparable with the meal we were served in China. First, the duck I was served here in the US did not have the delicious crispy skin nor the “dressings” that were available to us in China. I will say that the video showing the process of making Peking Duck was not exactly what I wanted to be watching at the table. Nevertheless, the meal was fabulous and I highly recommend that even if you aren’t a fan of duck, you need to try this dish if you visit Beijing.
We had just a bit of time to relax at the hotel before we set off for the evening activity – our Beijing Student Meetup. I will discuss the meetups in a separate article. But the event was held in a beautiful upscale apartment complex and we were served another amazing meal. By the time we were back to the hotel we were more than ready for sleep. My app says that we walked 3.75 miles this day (if we would have continued shopping, I’m sure we would have done more)!
Take Aways:
- The Temple of Heaven is beautiful. Spend some time watching all the activity in the area.
- Do a tea ceremony if you get a chance! (Make room in your budget if you want to buy some).
- Haggling is pretty aggressive and expected. Do not pay asking price on anything!
- Make sure to try Peking Duck if you are ever in Beijing!
Introduction to VIPKid Field Trip (November 2019)
Day One – Beijing – The Great Wall and the Golden Mask Dynasty
Day Two – Beijing (Summer Palace, VIPKid Headquarters, The Legend of Kung Fu)
Day Three – Beijing (Temple of Heaven, Tea Ceremony, Pearl Market, Peking Duck)
Day Four – Beijing (Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Hutong, Olympic Park)
Day Five – Bullet Train from Beijing to Shanghai
Day Six – Shanghai (Disneyland and VIPKid Meetup)
Day Seven – Shanghai (Bund, Yu Garden Shopping, Zhujiajiao River City)
