Beijing – “Be Faithful to Chairman Mao”
After a very full day of exploring the ancient Forbidden City, we wanted to experience some of modern Beijing as well. As it was nearing sunset, we hustled (and I mean HUSTLED) to Tiananmen Square. Though not in our original plans, if we timed it right we could witness the Chinese national flag-lowering ceremony conducted by uniform troops and the playing of the Chinese national anthem. Unfortunately, however, one does not simply walk into Tiananmen Square.
Tiananmen Square is considered the cultural center of modern China and the site of many important social and political events in recent history. It is one of the largest city squares in the world and can comfortably fit over a million people for celebrations or for protests. Thus, although no entrance fee is charged, our belongings were searched and, in the case of those living in China domestically, identification documentation had to be provided. They definitely were NOT playing around. We made it through security, but just as we were reaching the stairs to the square, armed guards stepped out to block our (and other tourists) paths. Confused, we backed away, as other Chinese tourists began pleading furiously with the guards. We were quite unsure what was going on, but just as we were about to leave, the guard stepped aside, and the group rushed forward. We emerged onto Tiananmen Square right as the sun was setting.
Although the rest of the square was closed off to the public for the evening, we had a great view of the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong in the center of the square, as well as the Great Hall of the People and the National Museum of China to the east and the west. Pretty incredible, if you ask me!
We walked along Qianmen Street, a famous pedestrian street in Beijing known for its shopping and restaurants, searching for some food that might strike our fancy before ultimately deciding to head to Wangfujing Snack Street. This snack street and night market is located off Wangfujing Street, another famous pedestrian street that is one of the busiest commercial zones in Beijing. A blend of time-honored stores with traditional Chinese goods and modern international stores such as Apple and Zara, if you want to do some shopping, Wangfujing is where it’s at! We spent some time perusing (and ultimately buying) some beautifully crafted items from several of the long-established stores, including a fine set of chopsticks and a pair of cloisonné earrings for myself. We could’ve spent hours exploring the never-ending shops and stalls full of a dazzling array of handicrafts, but it was time to eat!
The Snack Street was a myriad of outdoor stalls and small restaurants offering a wide variety of traditional Chinese snacks along with options for those with more exotic taste buds. Between the shops offering fried potatoes, candied fruits, and grilled meats, you could also find scorpions and centipedes (still alive at that!), tentacles, tripe, and full baby birds. Now we may be adventurous eaters, but we aren’t THAT adventurous. And of course, almost everything was served on a stick!
We spent some time watching those with much braver stomachs than we try the ‘delicacies’, and some of the reaction shots were absolutely priceless! But neither of us ever got up the nerve to give it shot. We scouted out a few snacks that looked enticing, but with prices being pretty reasonable, we decided to try a bit of everything! It definitely wasn’t a gourmet meal, but we sure enjoyed it. The best part was trying to determine exactly what we were eating!
