Beijing is a city with more than 3,000 years of recorded history and a glorious cultural heritage; yet it is also a bustling metropolitan that has given birth to an artistic youth movement in recent years. The slick new veneer and upbeat energy from the Olympics remains, along with the new urban development and boom in upscale shopping and dining. Today’s Beijing is a place where ancient historical sights stand side-by-side with a thriving avant-garde culture. A place with an identity collision and messy schizophrenia between old and new.
There is, of course, plenty to do in the huge metropolis. Must-see landmarks such as the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square beckon; yet some of the most fun moments you’re likely to experience are in more off-the-beaten-path encounters that bring you closer to life as lived by the locals in both the new and the old China. Try these six suggestions for a more unusual cultural exchange:
Have a Drink on a Rooftop Bar overlooking Forbidden City
A good exploration of the wonder and delights of the Imperial Palace and Forbidden City, a hugely sprawling complex spread across nearly eight million square feet, takes the better part of a day. What better way to reward yourself afterward than relaxing with a drink – especially at a rooftop bar with an amazing panorama of the royal grounds, as the sun sets behind gently sloping rooftops. Check out Yin, the rooftop bar at the Emperor Hotel, for the best views in town. Close to the east gate of Forbidden City, Yin is reached via an ascending series of terraces from the trendy boutique hotel. Once you arrive, the cocktail party meets colonial chic is a perfect place to enjoy the vista from above and enjoy Yin’s innovative drinks – many made with the evil Chinese liquor known as baijiu, so it’s drinker beware.
Rent a Tandem Bicycle for a Ride around Houhai Lake
The bohemian Houhai Lake is one of the hippest spots in Beijing. One of several lake areas near Tiananmen Square, Houhai is also known as the “back lake” and is home to scores of restaurants, bars, coffee houses and boutiques set along cobblestone lanes. Along with scores of rickshaws that ply the area, there are also numerous bicycle rental stands. Hop on a bike for an hour or the day to ride down Lotus Lane, the most happening street in Houhai. Even more fun, rent a two or three person bicycle to wobble down the narrow streets while the locals cheer you on. A word of warning: when I did this with fellow travelers Carleigh and Jody, our bike seemed to be dated from Chairman Mao’s day, and we quickly discovered that the tires were half-flat and the brakes were shot, resulting in hilarious Fred Flinstone braking moves by three pairs of feet. This, of course, only added to the fun; so if you’re like me you won’t consider this a drawback. However, I’ve done my duty in the interest of full disclosure.
Learn how to make Dumplings in the Kitchen of a Local Matriarch
You can actually arrive at the home of a local resident and sit in her kitchen while she demonstrates the fine art of dumpling making. She will show you how to make the filling and roll out the dough – the trick is in turning the ball of dough rapidly while rolling from the center with the smallest rolling pin imaginable. Stuffing the dumpling requires a little more practice; don’t lose heart if your first half dozen look pathetically deformed. This provides a fascinating look into not only the art of making this traditional food, but the homes and lives of everyday citizens in a real neighborhood. It’s a great way to see a bit of Chinese life you might not have the same opportunity to experience, and of course is extremely tasty in the process. Yes, you finish the lesson by eating what you cook!
Sing your Heart out at a local Karaoke Bar
In most Asian countries, karaoke is a staple of the social fabric. To most westerners, it’s a befuddling pastime that we usually only engage in when drunk. But when in China, you would be remiss not to take part in this revelry. Karaoke venues are plentiful, found in most hotels and seemingly along every street. The protocol is that you check in and pay for a specified amount of time at the front desk, and then are escorted to a private room equipped with audio-visual equipment, microphones, a TV and couches. You can order drinks and sometimes food. During my highly entertaining excursion with three travel companions, the five-pound song library featured plenty of familiar tunes, but the same inexplicable video of a bunch of Chinese teens frolicking in the snow played during every song. This is an excellent way to see a side of your friends that you have likely never witnessed before, giving you the added advantage of growing closer while sharing a new cultural experience. Karaoke bars are also called KTV, so watch for that on signs.
Try a Scorpion or Seahorse on a Stick
The Donghuamen Night Market near Forbidden City is an almost psychedelic scene not to be missed. If you love street food, this stretch of pavement will provide you one of the best such experiences to be found anywhere. Under brightly lit awnings, dozens of vendors hawk their delicacies like barkers at a state fair – and what delicacies they are. Along with more sedate dishes such as dim sum and soup, you can also find bamboo skewers of silkworms, scorpions, seahorse, snake and starfish. If insects or innards aren’t your thing, a huge variety of fresh vegetables are on offer – I discovered a caramelized lotus root that I couldn’t get enough of. Half the fun of this market, however, lies in simply checking out the food on gorgeous display and bantering with the vendors and other patrons. Our group of Americans and Canadians made friends with some Greek tourists; as I meandered along behind the others, a vendor screamed out “sheep penis!” right in my ear, delighting with laughter at my double-take as he dangled the offending organ in front of me.
Walk along an Unrestored “Wild Wall” section of the Great Wall
While the Great Wall is a must-see monument, most such trips are made at spots where busloads of tourists are dropped off every morning. Yet there are a few places unmarked by restoration or tourism, and surprisingly few people go there. The rare, serene experience of discovering the “wild wall” this way, unmolested by modern human hands that could never improve upon its ancient, ruinous splendor is simply magnificent. The Simatai-Jinshanling section of the wall is one such place; the Xiangshui Lake scenic area also has two beautiful, solitary stretches of untouched wall, as well as a restored section. To get there, instead of walking ahead to the main gate, turn right or left; both directions will lead further into the village where original sections of the wall await. There are even companies that offer horseback riding along spots of the Wild Wall, and two hotels where you can have completely private access. Red Capital Ranch is Beijing’s first eco-tourism resort, with ten ancient restored villas set on 50 acres offering views and private access to the Wall. Commune by the Great Wall is another resort, with an amazing collection of individual villas surrounding a path that leads to part of the wall available only to its guests. It was here that I shared a champagne toast with my fellow travelers atop the rugged Wild Wall, with no one else in sight, and bid farewell to China. It was a setting that would make any movie director proud.