Wangfujing’s Lively Street Life

The shopping, commercial and night market district of Beijing, Wangfujing is so lively and vibrant especially at night. You can stroll down the malls left and right for branded goods and clothes or dine with various restaurants along the commercial street-side. If that is not your preference, you can stroll down the secret alleys for souvenir bargains and when you’re hungry already you can try eating in their roasting stalls from seafood to scorpions! From high-end world-class shopping to exotic street foods, Wangfujing never runs out of choices to stroll by nighttime. It is one of Beijing’s best places to appreciate by night.

Wangfujing - The main star in Beijing at night.

The lights of Wangfujing shines brightly at night time.

But I bet Wangfujing is not quite of activity during daytime. During daytime, you can still shop around the corners and affordable bargains. You may opt to stroll around or you may go sightseeing but when night comes don’t forget to see Donghuamen Night Market. It is the most famous snack street in Beijing for me and very popular to both locals and tourists as well. After its pedestrianization, Donghuamen Night Market became the no.1 snack street in Beijing.

When the night falls, one can find a row of unusual food stalls from standard meat to exotic foods like lizard, scorpion and seahorse! And I dare you try it along with snake and starfish on stick! But they also offer “mellow things” like sugar dipped strawberry which I tried in Donghuamen Night Market. I also tried, Banana custard cake which was a yummy sweet treat for the night stroll. But the most addicting of them all was Tanghulu!

Donghuamen Night Market.

Donghuamen Night Market opens at 1800H.

Food trip, Wangfujing style.

I love Tanghulu! These are sugar caramelized fruits in bamboo skewers that can be in strawberry or Chinese hawthorn (the fruit taste like apples but in small version) fruit. This is so addicting! I remember I had 4 sticks on my first visit to Donghuamen Night Market and even begged for discount for the last stick! I like strawberry fruit a lot since it is my favorite fruit but other varieties are good to try as well like kiwi, orange and Chinese hawthorn which is an unusual fruit for me since I’m living in the tropics.

Strawberry dip in powedered sugar.

Banana custard cake.

Tanghulu, also known as bingtanghulu is said to be a traditional Chinese snack in which the skewered fruit is dipped in sugar syrup that hardens after. Just be careful in doing an excitement bite. The hardened sugar coating might caused you gum problems. But I tell you, Tanghulu is a must-try in Donghuamen Night Market or in your food trip in Beijing! It adds enough sweet experience on your trip to China!

Another must-try in Wangfujing, is the famous Peking Duck dinner. There are many restaurants around the area that offers Peking Duck but I would recommend Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant as it has a branch in Wangfujing area. Sampling the Peking Duck will definitely guarantee you an authentic Chinese cuisine experience like no other! Peking Duck is one of the must try cuisine while in Beijing. Roasted Peking Duck is a traditionally roasted dish cooked in either closed over or hung oven. After roasting, it is traditionally carved in front of the diners and you eat it with pancakes dipped in plum sauce or other vegetable sidings.  The prepared pancake wrapped meat with condiments and flavors makes a texture in the mouth and bursting with flavors while eating. But then I also tried eating the meat part of the roasted duck.  The roasted Peking duck is truly oily as what I read with other food reviewers but it was sweet, juicy and the taste is intact within the meat. The meat’s juiciness blends sweetly with the taste of its sugar roasted skin.

Tanghulu!

Tanghulu addicts! At Wangfujing, Tanghulu is a must for sweet tooth craving.

After a Peking Duck dinner, how about a stick of Tanghulu for dessert? Haha… Wangfujing is said to be a place that can be seen at day but better at night. And I quite agree. Wangfujing’s lively street life is better seen at night. There are a lot of things going at night. You can’t just hop on one night market to another but you can also be found but you appreciate the neon lights of the towering buildings of Wangfujing. They are like an amazing street show of lights! Shopping might be one of the endless activities in Wangfujing but you can try food trip like what I did with my travel mates. But do not be disheartened of not visiting it during daytime as there can be other activities that you might discover in Wangfujing during daytime. And that is something I have to try yet once I get a chance again to visit Beijing again!

Night market everywhere in Wangfujing!

Our last night in Beijing is spend in Wangfujing's lively street life.

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How to reach Wangfujing. Lucky for us, our hotel is in Dongcheng District which Wangfujing is just one block away from our hotel street. But in case you are using a subway, take Line 1 and get off at Wangfujing Station. Go to Exit A that leads to the commercial street.

Peking Duck: An Authentic Chinese Cuisine is part of my Beguiling Beijing.Captivating China series where I share my birthday trip adventures, travel stories and first-time experiences in Beijing, China last March 20-24, 2012. You might also like the other parts of the series:
+Beijing - A Beguiling City
+Winter Sonata in China
+Roaming through Beijing
+One Spring Day in Beijing
+Forbidden City: Forbidden No More
+A Dragon Hike to the Great Wall of China
+Beijing's Architectural Wonders
+Peking Duck: An Authentic Chinese Cuisine
+Wangfujing's Lively Street Life
+The Imperial Gardens of Beijing

The Imperial Gardens of Beijing

Imperial gardens are common places of interests when visiting Beijing. These imperial gardens are mostly within the grounds or near the palaces of the kingdom of imperial China period During my visit to the city last 2012, I've visited at least 4 of these imperial gardens in which the most beautiful for me was Summer Palace. But unfortunately due to lack of time I wasn't able to explore Summer Palace fully because it was such a huge sight to see and explore. Unfortunately, this visit to Summer Palace has also caused me to missed my flight back that day. Well, charge to experience, I will definitely come back to China someday and the first place to revisit on my list is Summer Palace!

Beihai Park during winter.

Beihai Park

Beihai Park is one of the oldest, largest, and best-preserved ancient imperial gardens in China located in the center of Beijing. Beihai Park covers an area of about 0.71 sq km, more than half of which is taken up by the lake. White Dagoba is found at the top of Jade Flowery Islet and the landmark of Beihai Park which is easily access from the parks systemized walkways and pathways.

The lake was a scenery itself and it was a perfect timing for us as we witness "Beijing Sunset" about to happen at that time.  My stroll with my travel mates was afternoon time.

See the White Dagoba?

Winter Sonata in China!

I will never forget my "Winter Sonata" experience in Beihai Park. It was their I saw snow for the first time though it was already in the ground and it wasn't falling from the winter sky. Beijing sunset was also unforgettable! It was romantic and it added a romantic touch to the chilly surrounding of Beihai Park. No flowering plants or trees needed here, just the sunset make up for it. I wonder what Beihai Park will look like during Summer or Spring. I bet, it is lovely as well!

How to reach Beihai Park: Via Subway, take Subway Line 6 and get off at Beihai Bei Station. Go out from Exit B and walk 5 minutes east to get to the north gate of the park.

Stunning Beijing Sunset!

The lake scenery at Beihai Park.

Beihai Park is an imperial garden in Beijing.

Imperial Garden of Forbidden City

This garden is located at the north exit grounds of Forbidden City. But before you reach this garden, you have to explore first the grounds of Forbidden City - the main palace of imperial China that lasted for thousands of years.

The Imperial Garden is located outside of the Gate of Terrestrial Tranquility. Constructed during the Ming dynasty in 1417, it is rectangular in shape and covers approximately 12,000 square meters. This was a private retreat for the imperial family and is the most typical of the Chinese imperial garden design. There are some twenty structures, each of a different style, and the ways in which they harmonise with the trees, rockeries, flower beds and sculptural objects such as the bronze incense burners both delight and astonish visitors. It is a worthy tribute to the art of the designers that so much can be achieved in so small a space. (Source)

The imperial garden of Forbidden City.

Oak or cypress tree?

Spring is coming in the imperial garden of Forbidden City.

The garden has many pavillions and halls to admire Chinese artistry but it was mostly dried becuase winter is just starting wear off. But some flowering plants are starting bloom already. I bet this garden is much more beautiful during Spring. It is said that in this garden that the emperor chooses his concubines. An exit here will lead you to Jingshan Park.

How to reach Forbidden City: Via Subway, take subway line 1, get off at Tiananmen East Station (Exit A) or Tiananmen West Station (Exit B), find the Tiananmen Tower, and then walk north to the Meridian Gate. Option 2 - Take subway line 2, get off at Qianmen Station (Exit A), walk north through the Tiananmen Square, pass the Tiananmen Tower, and then find the Meridian Gate further north.

Jingshan Park

It is also an imperial garden situated on Jingshan Hill where trekking to the hill’s central point, visitors are rewarded with a full and clear view of the Forbidden city. Jingshan Hill has five summits and on each summit there is a pavilion which is perfect for relaxation, picture-taking and admiring the views surrounding the park. The hills central point is the highest point in Beijing. Looking from the peak, visitors is able to get a view of Forbidden City.

Forbidden City from Jingshan Park's highest hill.

Appreciate Chinese artistry at one of the pavillions of Jingshan Park.

Together with my travel mates, we trek the highest hill of the five hills found inside the park to see a rewarding panoramic view of Forbidden City. Even on a cloudy weather coupled with mist and haze, I was still able to clearly to see how huge is Forbidden Palace and every detail of the buildings inside it. This is the best admirable view at Jingshan Park! While at the back of the viewing area, visitors will also appreciate the view of the rest of the park grounds and on the left one will see the Beihai Park and its prominent landmark, the White Dagoba.

How to reach Jingshan Park: Via Subway, take Subway Line 8 to Shichahai Station. Get out from Exit C and then walk south for about 1,000 yards (914m) to the north gate of the park. From Shichahai Subway Station, visitors can also take bus 5, 60, 82, 107, 124, or Sightseeing Bus 3 to the park.

Summer Palace

Summer Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated in Haidian District which is quite far from central Beijing. It is famous for its artistically designed pavilions, towers and bridges that all of which are ideal for sightseeing. But the most imposing scenery of Summer Palace is Kumning Lake with the Tower of Buddhist Incense in the background. It is here where I also saw winter scenery of frozen rivers filled with cracked ice sheets at riverside market attraction of Suzhou Market Street. Although filled lots of tress, flowering plants were not in bloom yet in Summer Palace.  So, I imagine how much beautiful it is when it is in spring or summer time where all the flowers are in full bloom and plants are fully green and grown. This imperial park must have been more stunning at those seasons! 

Suzhou Market Street at Summer Palace.

Welcome to Summer Palace!

Summer Palace - the most beautiful imperial garden in Beijing.

 I haven't seen the rest of attractions in Summer Palace because of lack of time. And it is a huge place as well. It is said that Summer Palace was a rest house of members of the imperial family. Well, its quite a huge place just for a rest house of a king! But having seen half of its beautiful attractions, for me this is the most beautiful imperial gardens of Beijing that I have visited. I just wished next time, I have more time to see it.

How to reach Summer Palace: Via Subway, take Subway Line 4: get off at Beigongmen, take exit D and walk to the North Palace Gate; or get off at Xiyuan to reach the East Palace Gate from exit C2. Option 2, take Subway Line 16: get off at Xiyuan and leave from exit C2. Walk west to the East Palace Gate.

Happy and satisfied in discovering the imperial gardens of Beijing at the beautiful Beihai Park.

The imperial gardens are one of the best places to visit in Beijing which are perfect for afternoon strolls while having a cool vibe of Winter season. These imperial gardens have been part of the ancient Chinese dynasty periods as they have been the retreat places of Chinese monarchs during the imperial period of China. I bet these parks are more lovelier in Spring or Summer when the trees are in full growth and flowers are in full bloom and in Autumn when all the leaves are turning yellow and red. But whatever the season is, these parks are lovely all the time.   

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The Imperial Gardens of Beijing is the last part of my Beguiling Beijing.Captivating China series where I share my birthday trip adventures, travel stories and first-time experiences in Beijing, China last March 20-24, 2012. You might also like the other parts of the series: 

+Beijing - A Beguiling City
+Winter Sonata in China
+Roaming through Beijing
+One Spring Day in Beijing
+Forbidden City: Forbidden No More
+A Dragon Hike to the Great Wall of China
+Beijing's Architectural Wonders
+Peking Duck: An Authentic Chinese Cuisine
+Wangfujing's Lively Street Life
+The Imperial Gardens of Beijing

Beijing Accommodation: Tiangui Hotel

Tiangui Hotel is one of the recommended hotel to stay in Beijing according to Pinoyexchange forums on Beijing trips. It is a complete package hotel especially for those who are on tight-budget trip to Beijing. Find out why Tiangui Hotel is “complete package” on my pick list of hotels when visiting Beijing.

I’ve learned about Tiangui Hotel during my research on DIY trip to Beijing, China while reading on itineraries and travel stories at Pinoyexchange Forum website. I research about it over Google and Google maps in which I found out that was ideally located within the city center of Beijing.  Tiangui Hotel is in Doncheng District which is near Wangfujing – one of the hottest tourist spot in Beijing.

Tiangui Hotel front building.

Before I arrived in Beijing, I know that language barrier will be the main problem in checking to the hotel, so I already printed a Chinese version address of the hotel in which I presented to the taxi driver upon our arrival at the airport. The good driver politely drove us to Tiangui Hotel. My initial impression to the hotel was fair and building is quite old already. We went inside and true enough language barrier was our problem with the receptionist who was really non-English speaker. It took almost an hour and involve in drawings and charades before were able to score a room good for 3 person at 500RMB per night.

Tiangui Hotel has fair and decent rooms in their upper level building which I think were more expensive versus there lower ground rooms in which we got a room. Yes, Tiangui Hotel has underground floor in which they have more rooms being offered. Sounds creepy? But yes, they have and when they tour us to the rooms, I felt rooms here are better than those at the upper levels. Our room was decent and clean but has no windows or any opening to see daylight outside since it is a lower ground area. And with that, it feels quite like prisoner on a white room. The room seems to be recently painted and renovated as evident with clear white paintings on the wall and newly installed locks, cabinets and floor carpets.  The beds were fine with linens and blankets. Overall, the room for me was fine for a 3 night stay in Beijing with the exception of the bathroom. The restroom has no heater which was challenge for us since it was winter during our visit and the floor is flooding when filled with water as it doesn’t goes to the drainage right away. The restroom is not completely tiled which leave me an impression that the restroom is up for renovation or maintenance but due to unknown circumstances to us, it was left for fixing. The room that we rented was not yet completely renovated as evidence by the restroom problem we had but due to language barrier and to our insistence to stay at Tiangui Hotel we were accepted to the room. I already did not bother to look for other hotels because only Tiangui Hotel offered this cheap rate per night. We will only sleep there for 3 days and hotel room is not a big deal for me when on travel. This is also the reason why I don’t have a picture of our room at Tiangui Hotel.

Tiangui Hotel calling card in case you want to stay here.

Present this to the taxi driver and he'll drove you straight to the hotel. It is approximately 20 minutes away from the airport.

The staffs of Tiangui Hotel, though all completely non-English speakers were friendly and extremely helpful. One staff even cleaned the flooding water at our private restroom when we occupied it. My sister also became fond to the staffs of Tiangui Hotel that she got a souvenir photo with them on our last day in Beijing. I just hope some of them at least learn English now to cater for more foreign clients.

The friendly staffs of Tiangui Hotel on our departure day.

Despite of language barrier with the staffs and receptionists and restroom problem, I still recommend Tiangui Hotel when staying in Beijing for a travel trip. What I like about Tiangui Hotel is its proximity to all amenities and establishments that a budget tourist to China needed. Just around Dengshikuo Street where the hotel is situated are numerous establishments like souvenir shops, markets, stores, banks and restaurants. On its left side and on front across the street of the hotel, there’s a bank for currency exchange as only banks are authorize to exchange foreign moneys. Also there are many fast-food restaurants just near Tiangui Hotel. One of them is McDonald’s which is a walk away across the street and on it left side just a few walk is Weiduomei (a local bakery shop) and a convenience store. A one block walk from the hotel is the nearest subway station of Dengshikuo in which you can connect to other stations which has near places of interests. Tiangui Hotel is also just a 2 to 3 blocks walk to main Wangfujing district – one of the must-see places in Beijing when visiting the city. These are the reasons why I say Tiangui Hotel is a “complete package” for budget travelers to Beijing, China.


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Tiangui Hotel
No.14 East Dengshi Lane, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China, 100010.
Contact No: (+86) 010-51693899/010-65228168/010-51693888
Website: None

Peking Duck: An Authentic Chinese Cuisine

One of the most exciting parts of traveling around Beijing is tasting local food. But I’m not willing to go as far as tasting exotic local food of fried seashores, scorpions, starfishes and snakes in Wangfujing district. If you are adventurous enough to try and eat everything, then go ahead. But I think, it’s a must-try when a first-timer Beijing is trying eating the traditional Chinese cuisine of roasted Peking Duck.

Authentic Chinese cuisine.

Roasted Peking Duck is a famous duck dish from Beijing. Its origin and preparation dates back to the imperial era of China which by the way it started as a cuisine available only at the imperial kitchen for the imperial family only. What is unique about this roast duck cuisine is its preparation. Air is pumped under the skin of the meat to separate fat from skin. The duck is glazed by maltose syrup outside and left for a day to have a flavor. It is traditionally roasted in either closed over or hung oven which invented at imperial kitchens. After roasting, it is traditionally carved in front of the diners.

In Beijing, roasted Peking duck has been synonymous the Chinese cuisine as this cuisine has existed since the ancient times of China. Reading throughout all of the travel blogs about China, I learned that tasting this cuisine has always been included in their activity in Beijing. This made me curious on trying it when I had a chance to visit the city as most the bloggers says it’s a must-taste when in China. And that is also why I prioritize it in including this in my activity in the city as this was definitely a must-taste. I mean, I really saved enough money for a roasted Peking duck dinner since I heard it’s quite a pricey dinner for a budget traveler like me.

The art of slicing roasted Peking Duck right in front of you.

Crystal dumplings!

Pork balls with fried crackers.

One of the prominent restaurants that serve roasted Peking Duck is Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant which branches can be found throughout the city. Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant’s history dates back to 1864 before it became a chain of restaurant specializing in duck cuisine. Other popular restaurants that also serve this cuisine as well as other Chinese cuisine were Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant and Bianyifang. We choose Quanjude, because of its popularity, many branches near our hotel and good dinner reviews about it.

We went to Quanjude’s Wangfujing branch. We were warmly welcome by receptionists wearing a traditional Chinese dress – qipao. We were then led to our table and proceed to order first the roasted Peking Duck. Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant also serves other Chinese cuisine so we also tried Shrimp Crystal Dumpling and Deep fried pork balls. I thought that the roasted Peking duck dinner would only be an ordinary dinner of tasting authentic Chinese cuisine. But it turned out to be an exceptional experience of my visit to Beijing and China.

A slice of perfection - Roast peking duck meat.

The roasted Peking duck was shown to us on from our table on how it be will cut in a traditional way. I was impressed on how it was being prepared in front of us. It is carefully cut in calculated manner and prepared in a pattern-guided way. It only shows the preserved tradition of how roasted Peking duck is being prepared in fine dining Chinese restaurant-style.

When it was cut already, it was served to us by parts in three separate dishes - meaty part, back park which is mainly composed of fat and skin and head part. Then it is served with its garnishes on separate dishes - cucumber sticks, spring onions and sweet plum sauce. And they you have the pancake wrapper. I don’t know how to eat it which sends us to laugh over our dinner night with my travel mates. All of us we’re clueless on how to eat Peking duck! But the receptionist, were so kind to us knowing that we are tourists and shown to us on how to eat roasted Peking duck in a traditional way. The proper way to eat the roasted duck was putting a piece of the meat in the wrapper and put some raw vegetables like cucumber sticks and onion spring with it. Put a right amount plum sauce into it then wrap it close. Of course, we tried doing it after a sample made by the receptionist but I really had a hard time doing it using the chopsticks as I’m not really used to it. When we were tired of doing it, we funnily resorted to do it using our bare hands.

 Making a Peking Duck wrapped in pancake with spoon and fork instead of the traditional chopsticks! 

My first prepared Peking Duck wrapped in pancake with veggies and condiments... Whew!

The prepared pancake wrapped meat with condiments and flavors makes a texture in the mouth and bursting with plays of flavors while eating. But then I also tried eating the meat part of the roasted duck.  The roasted Peking duck is truly oily as what I read with other food reviewers but it was sweet, juicy and the taste is intact within the meat. The meat’s juiciness blends sweetly with the taste of its sugar roasted skin. I personally love this cuisine. For me, a taste of it is a taste of authentic Chinese cuisine!

The waiter then handed to me our Commemoration Card of Quanjude Roast Duck – a certification that we had a Peking duck at the restaurant with the code of the roast duck and seal that it passed the safety food standards of China. Much to my delight, it was an authentic proof that we had a Roasted Peking Duck dinner in Beijing! The card also functions as a postcard at the back and ready to be send anywhere in the world complete with a postal seal to let everyone know that you had the famous Peking Duck of China.

The Peking Duck dining experience!

The certificate that says we had an authentic roast Peking Duck experience!

A memorable birthday night dinner and last night in Beijing.

The roasted Peking duck dinner in Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant was an exceptional dining experience when in Beijing. It was a great experience for me as a first-time visitor of China and hunter for a taste of its authentic cuisines. It was an added discovery and appreciation of Chinese culture for me as a traveler. And it happened so timely on my visit since that dining experience was my birthday dinner night and last night in Beijing.


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*Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant - Wangfujing branch
No.9 Shuaifuyuan Hutong, Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China
Opening hours: 1100H-1330H and 1630H-2000H.
Website: www.quanjude.com.cn

Peking Duck: An Authentic Chinese Cuisine is part of my Beguiling Beijing.Captivating China series where I share my birthday trip adventures, travel stories and first-time experiences in Beijing, China last March 20-24, 2012. You might also like the other parts of the series:
+Beijing - A Beguiling City
+Winter Sonata in China
+Roaming through Beijing
+One Spring Day in Beijing
+Forbidden City: Forbidden No More
+A Dragon Hike to the Great Wall of China
+Beijing's Architectural Wonders
+Peking Duck: An Authentic Chinese Cuisine
+Wangfujing's Lively Street Life
+The Imperial Gardens of Beijing

Beijing's Architectural Wonders

The city of Beijing is not just all about the historical sights to wander but also about modern and spectacular architectural wonders that has been part of its modernity as a city. The Egg, Water Cube and the famed Bird’s Nest became the popular names of these city's structures because of its spectacular architecture where it is likened. Visiting and getting a close encounter of these structures made me truly marvel to these works of architecture in Beijing.

Bird's Nest - Beijing's Architectural Wonders

The Egg

The building is National Center for Performing Arts that takes a very familiar form - an egg. The building is half oval in shape that seems its half is submerge in water since it is surrounded by an artificial lake. It is also important to inform or shall I shall an innovative way to know that the entrance to the building is through the underground artificial lake! From afar the building also looks like an alien spaceship that crash landed from a Hollywood movie scene because of its sharp contrast of its surrounding which were greenery of trees and houses.

The Egg or The Spaceship?

I can see the other half of the egg!

Designed by French architect Paul Andrew, the main building contains 3 performing venues - Opera House, Concert Hall and Theater. It covers an area of about 118,900 sq meters and the total area of the building is about 217,500 sq km. Symphonies, ballet, dance shows, dramas, operas and other kinds of performances are frequently staged here. It's sharp contrast to its surroundings with its oval exterior makes it very eye-catching and fondly called it, "The Egg."

Beautiful glow by sundown.

National Center for Performing Arts at night.

The surrounding facade of the park is free from any entrance fees. The park is very popular to local and foreign visitors because it is used mainly for jogging and strolling activities. It is also best spend an afternoon bonding or rest around the parks facades complete grass parks, flowering plants and trees. But entering the premises of the building will cost you CNY30 to CNY40 per person. Opera festival and musical performances has different fees. I'm just quite disappointed on my visit because The Egg is not fully lit up with lights just like what I saw in travel magazines I've read about it. But seeing it in front of me was quite an experience to remember.

Bird's Nest 

There were 43 new world records and 132 new Olympic records set at the 2008 Summer Olympics. And some of them happened in Bird's Nest or the National Stadium - the central venue of 2008 Beijing Olympics. It is situated in Olympic Green Village in Chaoyang District of Beijing. All of the atletics events of the 2008 Olympics were held here like track and field, football and discus throw. 

Bird's Nest on a cold afternoon visit.

Where world records were made and broken to surpass... The Bird's Nest.

The design of the building is so popular because it looks like a nest of a bird especially if viewed from above! The stadium took 5 years to be completed by Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron and Chinese architect L Xinggang. The designers did not do any redundant disposals to the look of the stadium but just exposed the steel st'ructures entirely to make it look like in its most natural appearance. The cost of the stadium is said to be 33 million dollars.

The National Stadium is the main host of opening and closing ceremonies of 2008 Beijing Olympics.

I admire it in photos and in television, now my foot has set in Bird's Nest.

It was like a dream come true for me to see the Bird's Nest in my naked eye since I've been following the Beijing Olympics 4 years ago before my visit. Actually the stadium is also one of the reasons why I travel to China. I want to see the grandiose structure of Bird's Nest, face to face! And it was truly a marvelous work of architecture from Beijing. It was a massive building! How it was built like that was truly a work of wonder. And when it glows in fiery red at night, it made stunned to its architectural beauty. Bird's Nest is a must visit when in Beijing! 

2008 Beijing Olympics was memorable because of this architectural wonder.

Beijing 2008 Olympic marker.

After the games, the stadium became a popular tourist attraction of the city. Today it has the largest ski resort in urban Beijing now. There is no entrance around the stadium but entering the premises cost CNY50 per person. You can also visit the 2008 Beijing Olympics landmark beside it.

Water Cube

It also known as the National Aquatics Center but dubbed as "Water Cube" because of its exterior design that looks like water bubbles compressed together. It is located in the Olympic Park to the west of the National Stadium (Bird's Nest). The Water Cube is said to be constructed in 2003 and finished in early 2008 to be the host facility of swimming, diving and synchronized swimmings competition of 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Designed by Chinese and Australian, it is the first building in the world built upon "the soap bubble" theory, and sports a polyhedral steel-framed structure. The ETFE (the ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer) membrane insulates it. This advanced membrane structure is formed by 3,065 bubble-like pneumatic cushions of all sizes. It becomes the first large-scale public project coated with the membrane, and it also has set up a new world record for its massive deployment.

National Aquatics Center.

After the Olympic games, it was turned into various leisure and business-related function like The Watercube Waterpark, spa, bars and restaurants and other business sections. In 2022, it will be the venue of curling competitions during the Winter Olympic Games.

A closer look at the "soap bubbles" of Water Cube.

Beijing's architectural wonders at Olympic Park.

With all these architectural wonders of Beijing, it only shows that this city is unstoppable towards inventive ways of blending tradition with modernity. It proves its worthy in the center stage of one of the progressive cities in the world. And it truly it is! I couldn't agree more to its stature as one of the most wonderful cities in the world. These modern and marvelous architectures of Beijing calls the world to center its attention - to itself in the east, once more.

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*How to reach National Center for Performing Arts (The Egg)

Via subway, take Subway Line 1, get off at Tiananmen West Station and get out of the station from Exit C (southwest exit). There is an underground passageway to the building directly.

*How to reach Olympic Park

Bird's Nest and Water Cube is inside the Olympic Park. Via subway, take Subway Line 10 then to Beitucheng then switch to Subway Line 8 (Olympic special line). Get off at Olympic Sports Center Station then get out of the station on Exit B1 (northwest exit) or Exit B2 (northeast exit) and walk to the park.  

Beijing's Architectural Wonders is part of my Beguiling Beijing.Captivating China series where I share my birthday trip adventures, travel stories and first-time experiences in Beijing, China last March 20-24, 2012. You might also like the other parts of the series:  

+Beijing - A Beguiling City

+Winter Sonata in China

+Roaming through Beijing

+One Spring Day in Beijing

+Forbidden City: Forbidden No More

+A Dragon Hike to the Great Wall of China

+Beijing's Architectural Wonders

+Peking Duck: An Authentic Chinese Cuisine

+Wangfujing's Lively Street Life

+The Imperial Gardens of Beijing