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RussianMysterious China: 12 days of discoveries, tastes and surprises
My name is Anton, I am 34 years old, I live in St. Petersburg and work in the field of interior design. This trip was special for me — for the first time I decided to go so far and for so long. My girlfriend Irina, with whom we had long dreamed of seeing China, went with me, a country where antiquity and technology coexist so closely that sometimes it seems as if you have entered another world. We chose a route in advance, booked accommodation and outlined the main points that we would like to visit. However, everything didn't go exactly according to plan —and that, as it turned out, was the real magic of this trip.
Beijing. Day One: The first breath of the great capital
Our flight from Moscow arrived in Beijing early in the morning. We got out of Beijing Stolichny Airport, and the humid, warm air immediately enveloped us. Despite the early hours of the morning, the city was already bustling with life: taxi drivers scurried around the exit, crowds of people with suitcases hurried to the subway, and the aroma of fried dough and spices wafted from the street. It was decided to take the subway to get to the hotel, because we read that the Beijing subway is one of the most convenient in the world. Indeed, despite the language barrier, navigation was clear, and the carriages were clean and modern. Our hotel was located near Qianmen Station, in a historic area where ancient temples, narrow Hutong alleys and the spirit of old Beijing have been preserved. The hotel was small, in a traditional style, with a courtyard, red lanterns and wooden carved doors. Irina and I didn't waste any time and immediately went for a walk. The first thing we did was head to Tiananmen Square. Its scale is impossible to convey in words — it seems to expand space, taking the gaze into infinity. We stood in front of Mao's portrait and felt like grains of sand in this gigantic system. Then we went to the Forbidden City, the heart of Imperial China. It's hard to describe how impressed we were by these walls, roofs, gates, and courtyards. Each hall is like a separate stage of a historical play. You can walk there all day, but we limited ourselves to three hours — the heat was becoming noticeable, and we were very hungry. On the advice of the hostess, we found a small dining room on a side street near the Houhai Lakes. The menu, of course, is only in Chinese, but we just poked our finger in a couple of lines — and we didn't lose. We were served noodles with beef fried in oyster sauce and baozi steamed buns with meat. It was just great. The taste is bright, full—bodied, slightly spicy - not at all what we are used to at home. In the evening, we went up to the observation deck in Jingshan Park, which offers a stunning view of the entire Forbidden City. The sun was setting, turning the roofs golden, and we stood there, unable to look away. It had been a long, eventful day, and returning to the hotel was a real relief. We fell asleep as soon as we touched the pillow, and dreamed of red gates, pagodas, and endless streets.
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