Beijing 2015: Day 3 Part 2 (Qianmen - Quan Ju De)

Hi everyone! Back to the Beijing travelogue! If you missed out on any of my previous posts, you can click on the links below:

• Planning for the Beijing Trip + Travel Tips
• Day 1: Changi Airport - Beijing International Airport - Hotel Grand Mecure - Bian Yi Fang
• Day 2 Part 1:  Tiananmen Square - Forbidden City
• Day 2 Part 2: Olympic Park - Beijing Bird's Nest
• Day 3 Part 1: Old Summer Palace   

After our very long trek through the massive Old Summer Palace in Beijing, my mother and I decided to stop for a quick lunch near our hotel (one of the malls around Xidan station) before retiring to our hotel for a quick afternoon bath and nap/rest before heading out in the evening.

This Taiwanese restaurant was one of the few shops that still had seats left
so we decided to try it out.

Big Intestine and Oyster Mee Sua - definitely not Ah Zhong Mee Sua but decent enough

Stopped by this beautiful bakery with a great interior design and some buns for tea

In the evening, we randomly decided to go over to Qianmen for Quan Ju De (Roast Duck) and it turned out to be the best decision ever. There were so many shops there that we loved as we wandered around. I also particularly love the mix of old and new in terms of the architecture there. 

The Zhengyang Gate 正阳门 with a museum inside upon exiting Qianmen Station.

This is the Zhengyang Artillery Tower 正阳门箭楼 which is across the road
(although you can't really go up close to look at it).

Me in front (or at the side?) of the artillery tower

 

Qianmen is bustling with travellers and locals. There are many stores selling souvenirs and traditional Chinese items at great prices. (Cheaper than those bordering the Forbidden City exit)

Cue awkward pose

Look how they have retained the old architecture of the building
(Starbucks store near the entrance of Qianmen).

Crazy crowd outside Quan Ju De for some roast duck. Quan Ju De is one of the most famous brands for Peking Duck.

Candied haws for sale

Me with the cute duck ambassador of Quan Ju De. Sighs looking at old photos
and miss being that size XD hahaha

Indoor waiting area in Quan Ju De's lobby with a TV screen to indicate your queue number. So if you're coming over, definitely come and get a queue number first before you go wander around Qianmen. During meal times/peak hours, it is very likely that you'll have to wait for a very long time anyway.

Being led in when it was our turn to be seated.
Went upstairs and the place is really massive and beautiful.

The professional at work

Really good Peking Duck. We ordered a whole duck, then took the rest back to the hotel to feast on it like cavemen HAHA

After dinner, it was time to wander around a little more to digest the delicious duck dinner we had. So we decided to do some cheongsam shopping! They were at a pretty reasonable price. Haggling seems to be pretty challenging in Beijing as they often have clearly stated prices and are pretty much reluctant to lower prices unless you really buy quite a few of the same product. 

Verdict? Qianmen is definitely a must-visit for any of you souvenir scooping folk out there because of how affordable it is. Quan Ju De is also a good stop (although there are other branches all over Beijing). However, you can come and soak in the atmosphere and try to imagine what it was like years ago. The traditional and well-preserved architecture will definitely help! >.<


Thank you and I hope you enjoyed reading this post. In the next entry, I'll cover Day 4 (last entry: short post) where my mum and I visited the Temple of Heaven (a must-visit in Beijing) ! Stay tuned!


Till then,

Fly safe ✈ and eat happy 🍴, 
V

Beijing 2015: Day 2 Part 2 (Beijing Zha Jiang Mian - Olympic Park - Bird's Nest)

Hi all, I'm back after a long hiatus again! 2018 was, well, a year of pretty drastic changes for me. There was quite a bit going on in my personal life so I had to take a bit of a break.

Here to continue with the Beijing travelogue. This post will be substantially shorter than the Forbidden City entry. In case you missed it, you can read the previous entries of my Beijing trip here:

• Planning for the Beijing Trip + Travel Tips
• Day 1: Changi Airport - Beijing International Airport - Hotel Grand Mecure - Bian Yi Fang
• Day 2 Part 1:  Tiananmen Square - Forbidden City

 Back to the travel diary!

After exiting the Forbidden City, we went in search of some food to fill our tummies. We practically wandered around the palace for hours having eaten nothing but steamed buns. 

We followed the crowd out and chanced upon this traditional street selling tourist memorabilia and souvenirs. There were also a couple of food stalls there so we headed into a random noodle shop in one of the alleys. 

Some souvenirs and shoes that we bought as we strolled down the alley. You might think that all the stores there are tourist traps but you'll be surprised that some were actually quite affordable.

We went in and ordered a Zha Jiang Mian (thinking it would be something familiar) and some tomato noodle thing. When they arrived, we were quite stunned. For one, the tomato noodle looked more like a mixed-vegetable dish (even though it tasted really good). The Zha Jiang Mian was more of a culture shock? It was a cold dish and this was different from what we expected. We've only ever eaten hot Zha Jiang Mian (Black Bean Noodle). I guess the temperature of the noodle would help to make one feel refreshed in the sweltering heat of summer but it was a little too unique for my tastebuds. 

You have a little black bean topping above the cold noodles, and some freshly sliced vegetables are served on the side.

The meal left us slightly unsatisfied (wasn't that much either) and we started looking for drinks. This cute snacks and drinks stall was just around the corner. It was really clean and I do miss some of the unique drinks I managed to try out in Beijing.

This souvenir shop is along Dafosi East Street 大佛寺东街, which is where we did our shopping. You can head towards that street if you are interested!

We spent most of our afternoon there and headed back to the hotel to dump off our loot. Souvenirs and shoes can be pretty heavy too! After resting for a short while, it was time to make our way to the Olympic Park (from the Olympics in 2008) where the popular "Bird's Nest" is.

Directions: 

Take Subway Line 2 heading towards Jishuitan 积水潭, and alight at Gulou Street Station 鼓楼大街站. Transfer at Gulou Street Station 鼓楼大街站 and take Subway Line 8 heading towards Zhuxinzhuang and alight at Olympic Sports Center Station 奥体中心体育场站. Take Exit C to head to the Olympic Park. 

It was already evening time when we arrived. The weather was pretty cool and great for an evening stroll since the grounds were HUGE.

 

The building where the swimming competitions were held, also nicknamed "The Aquarium".

View of the Bird's Nest up close

This was some kind of transmission/viewing tower I think.

There is a mall created in the area so my mum and I headed over to grab a quick dinner. We found a food court and shared this beef dish. We weren't super hungry but just didn't want to starve.

Black Pepper Beef Rice on a hot plate. If you know me personally, you'll know that I hate black pepper but this was pretty decent so I just bore with it and tried to think of it as pepper lunch? >.<

When we were done with cooling down with the air-conditioning and headed out again, the view was completely different. With coloured lights moving around, it was quite beautiful. 

Verdict? If it is your first time in Beijing, I'd definitely recommend you give it a whirl and go once. One particularly eye-opening experience I had here was how massive every building was. I'd recommend going in the evening so it is cooler and that will also give you a chance to see the buildings light up at night. If you're going in summer and the weather is too hot, you can duck into the shopping mall for some respite.


Olympic Sports Center 
Chaoyang, Beijing, China



And.... that's the end of Day 2! Thank you for sticking with me and I hope you enjoyed reading this post. In the next entry, I'll cover Day 3 where my mum and I went to the Old Summer Palace (where the 12 zodiac heads were stolen). That'll be another picture-heavy post because there was just so much to see! Stay tuned!


Till then,

Fly Safe and Eat Happy, 
V


 

Taiwan 2014: Day 3 (Taipei Breeze Centre 微風廣場 - Guang Hua Digital Plaza 光華商場 - Ximending 西门町)

If you missed out any of the previous posts, here are the links:
Day 1 Part 1 (Singapore Changi Airport - Taoyuan International Airport)
Day 1 Part 2: (Yongkang Street 永康街 - Taipei 101 台北101 - Shihlin Night Market 士林夜市)
Day 2 Part 1: (Four Seas Soy Bean King 四海豆漿大王 - Goose Meat Shop 鴨肉扁 - Ximending 西門町)
Day 2 Part 2: (Raohe Night Market 饒河觀光夜市)

Day 3 - A relaxing slow-paced day in Taipei just shopping around the underground area. Electronics shopping at Guang Hua Digital Plaza and some night exploring at Ximending.

Before we got out of the hotel I snapped a few pictures of the lobby area just so you can get a good look! I love this lounge area with cushy seats and sofas that we can rest and relax on.

You can also use the computer in the lounge area to surf the web or check-in online for your airline or any other matters (research for what activities to do?)

The reception counter is just behind the seats in a big and spacious lobby area!

Those green and blue doors are the lifts which you can use to head up to your room, just across the reception and check-in counter. Right at the back of the photo, there is a huge toilet which is clean and for everyone's use in the lobby area and also a pantry where you can warm up food or get some free drinks!

Christmas spirit in the air in Taipei Breeze Center. Sesame Street was the theme in 2014.

Stopped for lunch at a restaurant in the Breeze Centre called 紅豆小館 - this is the Dong Po Braised Meat 东坡肉.

Cured Jellied Pork - served cold and rather refreshing - probably not for the squeamish though!

乾扁四季豆 Fried String Beans - the best dish we had here! Slight crunch and very fragrant.

蝦仁炒飯 Shrimp Fried Rice - not that great although the rice was soft and fluffy.

Sliced Pork Fried Rice

Stir-Fried Rice Cakes with Mustard Greens and Pork - something interesting but very filling.

Scallion Pancakes - meh

Zha Jiang Mian - mehh too.

I'm not sure if this place is still there in the Taipei Breeze Center because last I checked their name was no longer on the directory. They sell Shanghainese food in this restaurant but its so-so, not too great unless you're looking for some restaurant food and every other place is too crowded.

Pick up some snacks like Beard Papa's amazing cream puffs at the first floor!

Now for those of you who didn't know this, Taiwan is a massive tech-land. They are one of the biggest producers of tech stuff and you can get them at amazing prices!

One of the few places you can get stuff is Guang Hua Digital Plaza 光華商場 which is full of tech stuff at amazing prices. If you are Singaporean and you know about Sim Lim Square, this is pretty much what I'm talking about - only that this place is way bigger and full of shops throughout which sell you technology at crazy prices. Since I missed out taking a couple photos, here are some I picked off Google.

光華商場Guanghua Digital Plaza – Consumer Electronics
No.8, Section 3, Civic Blvd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei | 台北市中正區市民大道第3段8號
Telephone: +886-2-2341-2202 | Opening Hours: 10am – 9pm

 

They sell anything from laptop spare parts to modems to phone covers, phones, gaming stuff and tech gadgets. Its a pretty amazing place - about 5 floors of tech awesomeness!
I'd recommend finding out the price of that particular item in your country before you come here just as a precautionary measure to check if it is truly cheaper. Most things are cheaper but some accessories and tech items are at almost the same price in Singapore.
Hungry? There's a food court at the basement - and some yummy bubble tea!

There are two main electronic places in Taipei - Guang Hua Digital Plaza and NOVA Electronics Mall. Honestly, I think there's no need to bother with NOVA because its more expensive and sells very basic stuff like phone accessories/speakers/cameras/laptops. Here's some information about them if you're interested anyway!

NOVA資訊廣場Nova Electronics Mall – Consumer Electronics
No. 2, Guanqian Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei | 台北市中正區館前路2號
Telephone: +886 2 2381 4833 | Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm

Head to Ximending for an amazing sizzling plate of steak at reasonable prices. I've recommended this place previously on my blog post - Black Tomato Steakhouse 黑蕃茄牛排.

Choose your cut of steak and it comes with pasta, sauce, egg and vegetables like this. There's also a free flow of soup, bread and drinks - and you get to choose one dessert! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

黑蕃茄牛排 Black Tomato Steakhouse
108, Taiwan, Taipei City, Wanhua District | 武昌街二段 29 號
Tel: +886 2 2375 7980 | Opening Hours: 11am-10pm
- Choice of any steak comes with free flow of drinks, soup, bread, coffee, tea and 1 dessert cup.

The bustling crowds of Ximending even at night!

Cute doggy modelling for doggy suits

This concluded a relaxing and slow-paced day exploring Taipei and doing some shopping for not only the ladies but also the tech geeks!

Stay tuned to the next post where we explore Jiufen, Shifen, and Jing Tong Mining Town followed by more shopping and eating at Raohe Night Market!


Till then,

Fly Safe and Eat Happy,
V