Winter time. The nights are longer than days.
Should
I sleep more? No. It is a wasted
opportunity.
But
how can you stroll and wander when temperature makes you shiver and leaves
frost bites as souvenir. To drink
alcohol in the likes of vodka, tequila and beer is a given in warming up the
body but there is more than being bed-ridden the following day and nursing a
hangover.
Here
are some of the best spots to loiter on one winter night (alcohol-free).
OLYMPIC PARK
Taking
the subway line 8, we disembarked at the Forest Park South Gate or the Olympic
Sports center station. It was quite
different now as compared to my last visit.
More commercial buildings built, hence, more spaces to shelter with from
the coldness of the night.
But
the inevitable is to walk down the open park and have a glimpse of the famed
National Stadium (Bird’s Nest) and the Aquatics Center (Water Cube).
These
structures were built during the 2008 Olympic Games and remain functional even
at present. Visitors can actually enter
the said structures but definitely at imposed fees.
DONGHUAMEN NIGHT MARKET
For
the more adventurous food lovers, Donghuamen Night Market is a sanctuary. On aligned stalls set up fronting the gutter
of the street. The array of Chinese food
delicacies in the most exotic sense are being offered.
I
for one loves barbeque or any
skewered meat for that matter. But would
you dare eat sheep’s penis, deep fried crickets, centipedes, silk worms,
scorpions, lizards and snakes on a stick?
No without reservations for me.
Displayed
food are raw and deep-fried in a large Wok upon request. I’m not that adventurous when it comes to a
culinary discovery. I could have tried
it if it’s the only means of survival.
But there are other options, so we opted for other Western foods
available.
Getting
there is easy, just take the subway and get off at Wangfujing Station. The food market is open from 4PM until 10PM
daily and average cost of snacks ranges from RMB5 to RMB50.
DONGHUAMEN STREET
Apart
from the night market where diners are obliged to stand while eating as they
need to move from one stall to another, a walking distance from the said night
market are restaurants that closes late and offers a variety of authentic
Chinese cuisine.
I
may have forgotten the name of the restaurant and the name of the dishes, but
the same are memorable for me and served as comfort food for the night. I am not into spicy food but our dinner was
served good. Hotel Kapok is the landmark,
since the various restaurants aligned are situated on a street across the said
hotel.
WANGFUJING STREET
Right
at the center of Beijing, the Wangfujing Street has the best location for
hotels and the shopping area. It is a
walking distance to landmarks and heritage sites. On the said street, there are aligned
restaurants and a mall that offers varied shops of known brands.
Even
at night, shoppers roam around on the said street unmindful of the chilly
weather, with stores catering to mid-range and the high social class. Even for just a window shoppers’ stroll,
Wangfujing will not disappoint.
HOUHAI LAKE
Residential
houses along the lake of Houhai has been converted into restaurants, bars and
cafes. The area is popular to tourists and expatriates for a chill night
life. Apart from dining and the drinking
sessions, the landscape is panoramic and scenic as well during night.
x----------------------x
The
nights can indeed be long but the weather may not permit for more time of
wandering especially for us who have lived in a tropical country all our lives.
The
opportunity though of being in Beijing is something that needs to be maximized. And these are just some of the many landmarks
to visit while in Beijing.
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