Summer Vacation: In Beijing China!

Hello all!

My summer vacation was a couple weeks ago, but my summer intensive morning classes just ended, so I finally have time to post my photos! Beijing was a bit dirty, and I really missed Korean food, but overall it was great trip! Here we go:

My first meal in China, a KFC chicken sandwich thing? I was really hungry at the airport. They also had these amazing egg tarts!

My first meal in China, a KFC chicken sandwich thing? I was really hungry at the airport. They also had these amazing egg tarts!

A bus and a cool building

A bus and a cool building

Chinese words and some bicycles

Chinese words and some bicycles

The Paris hotel, which was not where we stayed

The Paris hotel, which was not where we stayed

From a street over the bridge for crossing traffic. No one really walked over it but us tourists who would have definitely been run over by taxis otherwise

From a street over the bridge for crossing traffic. No one really walked over it but us tourists who would have definitely been run over by taxis otherwise

A government building!

A government building!

Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen Square take 2

Tiananmen Square take 2

Square flag raising ceremony

Square flag raising ceremony

yellow haze and some guards

yellow haze and some guards

more guards!

more guards!

A quiet glance through trees in the Forbidden City

A quiet glance through trees in the Forbidden City

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A large doorway in the Forbidden City

A large doorway in the Forbidden City

Forbidden City lily pads and a wedding photo shoot!

Forbidden City lily pads and a wedding photo shoot!

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Where's Ariel? (psst, I'm by a white pillar)

Where’s Ariel? (psst, I’m by a white pillar)

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A statue celebrating communism (probably)

A statue celebrating communism (probably)

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Mao!

Mao!

the most adorable dog in the world. this dog is real!

the most adorable dog in the world. this dog is real!

a fantastic peking duck restaurant

a fantastic peking duck restaurant

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YUM

YUM

some stones in a temple complex

some stones in a temple complex

dance party!

dance party!

hats

hats

I'm somewhere in this photo as well! Temple of Heaven

I’m somewhere in this photo as well! Temple of Heaven

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This is where they sacrifice the pigs!

This is where they sacrifice the pigs!

A child with no diaper, very common. He can pee or poop on the UNESCO world heritage site at any moment and no one will care but the confused American tourists.

A child with no diaper, very common. He can pee or poop on the UNESCO world heritage site at any moment and no one will care but the confused American tourists.

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Another wedding photo shoot! So pretty.

Another wedding photo shoot! So pretty.

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tea!

tea!

the entrance to a terrifying food market

the entrance to a terrifying food market

these scorpions were twitching and still very much alive

these scorpions were twitching and still very much alive

some glazed fruit!

some glazed fruit!

nuts!

nuts!

?

?

stinky tofu. it was an almost unbearable smell.

stinky tofu. it was an almost unbearable smell.

lizards!

lizards!

and a cool shop

and a cool shop

yogurt drinks

yogurt drinks

nuts

nuts

dim sum?

dim sum?

more insects and the like...

more insects and the like…

I think maybe these are baby ducks? I don't know..

I think maybe these are baby ducks? I don’t know..

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magic bubbling drinks!

magic bubbling drinks!

a Coca Cola store

a Coca Cola store

 

The next day was dedicated to The Great Wall. It was a workout to climb, even though we only covered a small portion of it. We took a ski lift up, climbed right and left and up and down stairs, and then we slid down on toboggans!

Up the cable car to the first point of the Great Wall!

Up the cable car to the first point of the Great Wall!

A view of the slide back down

A view of the slide back down

hills

hills

where the ski lift ends

where the ski lift ends

window inside one of the fortresses

window inside one of the fortresses

Great Wall

Great Wall

mountains

mountains

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view of the old portion of the wall, where no tourists are allowed

view of the old portion of the wall, where no tourists are allowed

a butterfly!

a butterfly!

steep stairs down

steep stairs down

really steep!

really steep!

and some steep stairs up!

and some steep stairs up!

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my attempt at a jump photo. One day I will be good at these!

my attempt at a jump photo. One day I will be good at these!

lunch!

lunch!

yellow haze at the Olympic Park

yellow haze at the Olympic Park

bird's nest

bird’s nest

couple clothes!

couple clothes!

the swimming pool

the swimming pool

bird's nest up close

bird’s nest up close

a very cool building! I'm not sure what was inside...

a very cool building! I’m not sure what was inside…

nighttime bird's nest!

nighttime bird’s nest!

nighttime swimming pool and fountain show!

nighttime swimming pool and fountain show!

nighttime Olympic Park

nighttime Olympic Park

A district for eating!

A district for eating!

duck heads

duck heads

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The next day, my last, was more relaxed. We mostly wandered around. We found a tea shop, and an art museum!

The front of the art museum!

The front of the art museum!

some sketches

some sketches

a painting by Pang Maokun

a painting by Pang Maokun

prints by Luo Yingqiu

prints by Luo Yingqiu

Luo Yingqiu

Luo Yingqiu

Luo Yingqiu

Luo Yingqiu

some calligraphy

some calligraphy

some calligraphy 2

some calligraphy 2

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tea ceremony!

tea ceremony!

teas

teas

blooming tea!

blooming tea!

tea cup

tea cup

tea pots

tea pots

and the express train to the airport and my flight home to Busan

and the express train to the airport and my flight home to Busan

 

Those were the highlights of my trip! I hope you enjoyed them. I miss you all!

안녕히 가세요!
-Ariel