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It’s a lazy Saturday afternoon here in Singapore. Pretty similar to the lazy afternoon I had at Beijing’s Bei Hai Park. Yes it’s true. I have a fetish for parks and I think that the imperial parks in China is particularly interesting!

Unlike the Royal Parks of London that was owned for the recreation or mostly hunting of the royal family, the Chinese imperial parks offer a more scandalous take at life. How not to? My exploration of this royal garden with hidden courtyards and pavilions within walls of pines and cypess trees gave me strong vibes that Bei Hai Park is a keeper of many imperial secrets.

Chinese history and culture classes gave me the impression that the Chinese emperors are notoriously known for their frivolity or perhaps vitality? On a side note, it’s really amazing how one man could handle so many women. Are you aware that some Ming emperors had more than 9,000 maids of honors at their disposal as well as countless servants and concubines? My heart goes out to these women. I could totally imagine them mourning and weeping their pathetic life by one of Bei Hai’s lake, pinning for the attention of one frivolous man.

Perhaps Bei Hai’s exquisite landscapes which imitate renowned scenic spots and architecture from various regions of China helped favorably in lightening any frustrations. Throwing rocks into scenic 34 hectares lake might worked too. It must had been awful to be an empress/concubine. They are doomed to ‘die’ in all circumstances. If they are favoured, there’s a high chance of them being buried alive to accompany the Emperor to his next world. Otherwise, they either succumb to perilous boredom or get embroiled in intrigues that often end in murder.

Morbid Chinese imperial history aside, Bei Hai stands for the “north lake” located north of the Forbidden City in the heart of old Beijing. The lake is the only remaining water system, dating back to the Yuan Dynasty in the 13th Century.

After exploring the hutongs, we decided to enjoy a relaxing afternoon in the Back Lakes area. We could had chose to have a quick peek at the southern half and then scurry off elsewhere. Thank goodness we decided not to miss the north side of the park, which is more interesting. Bei Hai Park is a good location to relax, exercise or just stroll aimlessly. For some, even a quick swim in the lake.

People-watching was effortless. It is interesting how communal gatherings and activities in parks are so common and popular among folks in Beijing.

Lots of amateur calligraphers were expertly wielding enormous sponge-tipped brushes to compose rapidly evaporating poems on the flagstones. Pity I couldn’t read Chinese. Will be signing up for Chinese lessons in the near future.

Ah the surroundings of Beijing’s oldest and best-preserved imperial garden was extremely pleasing. Not surprising as it was built as a pleasure garden for China’s court. Bei Hai Park was once part of the Forbidden City built was only opened to the public in 1925.

It was awesome to be on the grounds where the Ming Dynasty Emperor and his concubines and courtiers used to fish or hold moon-viewing parties. It would be so cool if I could enjoy a pot of Chinese tea with sweet cakes/desserts in a pavilion while watching folks strolling around Bei Hai Park with warmly lit-ed lantern during Mid-Autumn Festival. That would make such a pretty sight. How lovely.

Stepping foot in one of Beijing’s oldest and most well preserved ancient royal parks is a must. To get there, just grab bus 812 or 814 from Dong Dan metro stop (119, exit A) to Bei Hai. The nearest Subway Station is Zhangzizhonglu on Line 5.

Keep a look out for the Jingxin Room (Quieting Heart Room) which is a garden within the garden and the Five-Dragon Pavilions, five connected pavilions with spires and pointed upswept eaves built in the Ming Dynasty.

To got more enjoyment out of Bei Hai Park, try letting your imagination run wild as you explore this Chinese garden. It helps to read up on some dark imperial secrets of indulge-seeking emperors, attention-seeking concubines or power-hungry eunuchs beforehand.

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Ok back to Singapore for now. I’m got to wrap up some work before heading out for a run with Vibram. It’s been a while. I gotta start training for the Standard Chartered Run!

Beihai Park (Bei Hai Gongyuan)
Wenjin Jie 1
Xi Cheng Qu
Beijing 10003
6am-9:30pm

Searching for some old hutongs around Shichahai area, we wandered in a maze of Si-He-Yuans which linked us to one hutong to another. Though we were lost, the experience of being secluded was peaceful. Such were the effect of the enclosed walls which afforded some degree of privacy and calm. We felt like we were miles away from the city’s bustle.

Strangers looked at us with curious eyes while they performed their daily rituals within these spot-stained, ancient walls. I felt comfortable that no one was bugging me to buy anything. I was actually pleased to be ignored. With that, we continued this little tour of ours quietly under their silent watch.

I saw cute, grubby kids with rosy cheeks playing along the alley.  They looked happy. I saw old folks sitting leisurely on rattan chairs staring into space. Some looked happy. Some not so. Then there was an old men smoking from a pipe, a cobbler and a fruit vendor with her three-wheeled cart. The air had a faint scent of freshly baked bread, coal and raw meat. Weird mix but it wasn’t unpleasant. As I made our way through these narrow walkways, I got more intrigued by the way the poorest in Beijing live their lives. At each sharp turn which twist and turn with no rhyme or reason, I can never foresee what lies around each corner and that was the thrill of exploring a hutong.

Before wide boulevards and high rise apartments, almost all the folks in Beijing live in these narrow alleys called hutongs. Along these alleys lies the courtyard houses which then link up and form a network of hutongs. I peered into one of the courtyard house and found that while the exterior were preserved, the clear cut design of a Si-He-Yuan was totally messed up inside. Sadly, there seem to be ugly extensions of all sorts in the house and the original structures have been lost in almost every case. Messy. Ugly. Sad. The fact that almost all hutong residents don’t see their neighborhoods as historic districts is disheartening.

Originally designed as a building complex formed by four houses around a quadrangular courtyard, it was meant to house one family! But the 1950s went awry for the Chinese if you knew what happened. Since then, most of the Si-He-Yuan were converted to house several families as tenants. That probably explains the overcrowding and unsightly extensions. What a pity! Really hope the preservation works will turn out well.

Sorry no pictures here. I hid our camera as I wandered along these old lanes because this residential estate felt so private and exclusive. Snapping pictures just felt so awkward! Took the extra care not to be rude and invade the locals’ private spaces. Ah it was extremely fascinating to wander through the maze of old Beijing! Do take a walk along these hidden paths if you’re not afraid of getting lost!

In any case, the hutong today is fading into the shade for both tourists and inhabitants. Out from the maze, we strolled along the riverbank of Houhai where the more tourists-targeted shops, restaurant and hangouts are located. I must say that I had more fun exploring the maze of old hutong neighborhoods than shopping at the touristy haunts in the same area.

Here are some pictures.

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The setting looked like a movie set!

Was getting bored of this Clarke Quay lookalike place until we chanced upon a rundown eatery that proudly displayed a ‘China’s Time Honoured Brand’ at its entrance. This dilapidated shack is a gem.

Good thing all of us are feeling adventurous! We ordered 2 plates of odd-looking snacks and a bottle of Tsing Dao to share. That mass of black stuff is fried pork tripes while the white one should be boiled sheep innards.

Both are springy and chewy. Too bad if you’re into innards. These wobbly pieces of protein goes really well with the peanut sauce!

Lots of love to Hao, Libei, Betty, Zhenyi, Sirui, Isaac, Ruth and Shuyan. I miss all of you loads!

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I have no idea how many time I’ve said this but I’m gonna say it again! I love Beijing! This beautiful city is one of the world’s most important historical site. Don’t you agree that is exudes a unique ambience balancing ancient and modern? But it takes hard work to keep a balance between these two extremes. As Beijing gets giddy with the rest of China to rapidly urbanised, it is saddening to know that the atmospheric hutong lanes, traditional residential homes and Si-He-Yuan courtyard houses all are fast disappearing. So you better start making plans if you want to catch a glimpse of Beijing’s past.

To get to Shichahai area: take bus 60, 13, 118, 701, 42, 823 to the north gate of Beihai Park. You”l see the Lotus Market. The entrance of the Shichahai area is just right opposite.

Wang Fu Jing is famous shopping street at the city center, not too far from Tiananmen Square. It is easily accessible via subway. Home to around 280 famous Beijing brands, such as Shengxifu hat store, Tongshenghe shoe shop, and the Wuyutai tea house, we just had to make our way here to check out these brands.

Turned out that besides the hat store and qipao shop, everything there is pretty much similar to major malls in Singapore/Malaysia. Hence, we ventured into a more characteristic lane called Wang Fu Jing Snack Street.

Lotsa Chinese knick-knacks. Perfect for souvenir shopping. But whenever I see these things, it’s uncanny how I know I can also find them in Chinatown, Singapore albeit at a higher price. Oh the horror of globalisation.

But thank God that there are still things in Beijing which I can’t find elsewhere. For example, authentic Sticky Haw Candies!

The minute I saw these sticks of sticky Haw candies, I just can’t resist them!!! I have no idea why theses Chinese sweets made from the fruit of the Chinese hawthorn is so freaking yummy! They are called Tanghulu and is categorised as a traditional winter snack in northern China. Ok now it made sense why I couldn’t find them when I was in Guangzhou during winter. Boo.

I still prefer the original/hardened sugar coating version that comes from dipping the skewer in sugar syrup, than other versions such as second chocolate coating, or sesame sprinkles. Other than the traditional Chinese hawthorn fruit, stall vendors were also selling other fruits but I’m not a fan of those. It gave me the vibe of some odd fruit kebabs. Yeah it’s just me. I hate it when traditional candies mutate into weird, indistinct clones. Not charming at all.

Anyway, if you are feeling adventurous, you can find interesting food items such as deep fried insects, scorpions, and sea creatures and other interesting animals and animal parts. But I think the Thai version of fried creepy-crawlies look more appetising.

Honestly, I had no idea what that woman was trying to do. Anyway, it’s only 5 yuan for a really long skewer! Saw that? Cheap but nope I didn’t tried any. Was still bloated from a heavy lunch. If not, I would had bought some chinese crepes. It’s only 5 yuan too!

Snacking from food stalls on the street is an ancient practice in China and it’s lovely to know that Wang Fu Jing was just as busy as it is now since the Ming Dynasty.

So what’s my favourite snack in Beijing? Well, I must say that my heart goes to these mini clay pots of yoghurt! They are so healthy, yummy and I can find them at every corner!

It’s thick, creamy and not too overwhelming. I just can’t get enough of these sweet and soothing delight! You can just buy these wonderful clay pots with a paper lid on the streets! They are available at every corner and can be returned to the shop where it can be collected and recycled.

Sticky Haw candies and local yoghurt. I was a very very happy girl that evening.

When an ex-girlfriend pulled the plug on our much treasured group of 7, I fled to the Great Wall in my dreams. This trip came unexpectedly and was not meant to be. I needed a dose of serenity and prayed that the strong winds would blow her far away from us. Thankfully everything still looked the same up here. Changes could be so excruciating.

Grand. Arresting. Towering.

Scaling the wall’s steep, crumbling steps now brings new meaning after I withstood the pangs of adversity with my girlfriends. That was nothing we’ve ever encountered throughout our years of friendship.

It was shocking how much similarity our decade-old friendship share with the Great Wall’s history of more than 2000 years. Though some of the wall’s sections are now in ruins or have disappeared, it is still so appealing and attractive. It all boils down to its historical significance. Much the same, our history is priceless.

I was at Badaling. Thrown with an option of going either left or right, I took the route on my left which offers a more challenging hike up the wall and kept walking until it was not possible to walk any further. I thought that the steep mountain slope and torturous roads were awesome because it was these features that made it a stronghold. Yeah we are flawed and that made our journey steep and torturous as well. But what’s our weakness when our strengths could easily support and protected each other from harm.

Win was right. We’ve gone through obstacles together, not in person, but in our hearts. Our love proved bigger than any obstacle and dearest, I am so honoured and proud of this too!

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Building this great wall is not an easy feat nor it was done in a day. Though it is easy to take pleasure of each other’s company, we never had any difficulty seeing the point of considering friendship in terms of common moral commitments. Ling reminded me that though we are far away in distance, yet we commit ourselves to be always be close at heart. Friends are VERY HARD to come by. Good ones, even harder. Best friends for more than 10 years, fucking miracle!

I think best friends comes with an eager readiness, and an absence of hesitation. We shall have the courage to give advice with candour. With that common understanding, we can conquer any walls together.

Aristotle told me.

“such friendships are rare is natural, because men of this kind are few. And in addition they need time and intimacy; for as the saying goes, you cannot get to know each other until you have eaten the proverbial quantity of salt together. Nor can one man accept another, or the two become friends, until each has proved to the other that he is worthy of love, and so won his trust. Those who are quick to make friendly advances to each other have the desire to be friends, but they are not unless they are worthy of love and know it. The wish for friendship develops rapidly, but friendship does not.”

Point taken. Her unworthy reasons for departure has brought to mind a memory. Someone once told me that in friendship and relationship, those who possess any superiority must put themselves on an equal footing with those who are less fortunate, so these latter must not be annoyed at being surpassed in genius, fortune, or rank. As women, we were held to be more articulate and emotionally accomplished. Clearly, we must had been too overwhelming.

My hazy romantic visions has turned into a vivid reality just as the chilling winds wailed alarmingly. The Great Wall transformed into a red dragon, winding its way along the mountain ranges. The blustery sky cleared. I now have great better visibility and that’s going to make the climbing, even the steep parts, easier. I’m no longer dreaming.

We all are happy once again. Without her, things still won’t change. We are who we are and that’s what we love about each other.

I quote from Win “we will stand together, even more, even stronger than before. we’ve done it for over a decade. we can do it for another decade, and the next, and the next…. and so on.” and yes Elaine, you are my life too. I will make sure all your kids laugh over our silly escapades.

My ladies, cheers to infinity and beyond!

Many thanks to Amanda, Daniel, Sidney, Nicole, Marcky, Nic, David, Lina, Dom, Mel and Chiang Wey for the support. Y0u peeps are angels.

What’s a trip to Beijing without getting a piece of the Peking Roast Duck?

That night, we were all duck hunters.

Clues led us to the original outlet of Quan Ju De, an establishment known for serving Peking Roast Duck since 1864. Quan Ju De illustrious history begun during the Qing Dynasty under Emperor Tongzhi’s rule. Quan Ju De became the first restaurant in the world to serve the delectable roasted duck that was once strictly reserved to imperial families to commoners.

As with most classic Chinese restaurants, the decor is typically oriental. Lavish gold trimmings and vibrant red feature walls gave the restaurant an imperial feel. Not a bad dining experience. Although we did ordered other dish like beef, vegetables and other very tasty dishes but this post will focus solely on the duck experience considering it is an extremely famous duck restaurant in Beijing.

Aside from badgering the chef who was tasked to carve the magic duck for us to take pictures while he was working, we had fun watching him shaves the crackling skin of this magic duck that was originally served to the emperor several hundred years ago and is considered by some to be the national food of China.

Served in well-cut slices with house-made pancakes, fine-cut green scallions, fresh cucumbers and a dish of paste-like soy of fermented wheat flour. The duck was tender and just right. Very moist and tender and not the least bit fatty. I also love the skin which was light and crispy! Oh I’m a sucker for skins that crackle in the mouth. Plus, some of the skin has a thin line of fat underneath!

I think this crepe-like Chinese popiah was so delicious because the gamy duck meat went perfectly well with the refreshing scallions, cucumbers. Not to mention the spicy glutinous glop we smeared all over the steamed crepes which tasted like thick sweet soy sauce with a slight hint of garlic, pepper. the result is an amazing combination of spicy, sweet and a very fresh tasting.

No wonder we were told that the magic duck is irresistible.

Quan Ju De
No. 14, Qianmen West Street
Beijing