I have been on business trips to Beijing a few times, and my impression of Beijing at that time was characterized by its fast pace and high prices. I didn't spend much time wandering around; I only visited Tiananmen Square and the Temple of Heaven. Other places required advance reservations to visit, and as a homebody, I wouldn't spend time sightseeing, thinking that attractions everywhere are quite similar.
This time, I planned a four-day trip to Beijing. During this period, there wouldn't be too many people in Beijing. I also told my wife that those who go to Beijing for fun are either many or even more; Beijing might be a city where people visit all year round.
After the homework (hw) ended, there were still many things to do. On the 21st, there was also a confidential evaluation exam, which happened to conflict with my trip. Since I had already booked the flight tickets, I asked my boss for leave. This exam was also absurd; all the technical staff in the company signed up, but everyone had no time to prepare for it. So the boss wanted to have many people take the exam, hoping that some would pass. A notice was sent in the group stating that no leave would be granted, but I still needed to take leave, and I couldn't refund the tickets, so I faced the pressure and didn't go for the exam.
During the hw period, it was a 996 work schedule, and I was almost unable to hold on, yet we weren't allowed to rest...
2024.12.19#
The flight was at 7:30 in the morning, so I had to get up around 4 or 5 o'clock, take a taxi to the airport. The taxi driver chatted away, discussing national affairs, international situations, and even family matters. But what I couldn't understand was how these two things didn't conflict; the difficulty in finding a job wouldn't become easier just because you cared about national affairs, nor would the country's direction change because of your suggestions. When it's hard for ordinary people to survive, there's no time to care about these things.
I arrived in Beijing around 10 o'clock, first went to the hotel, then looked for a place to eat. I found a restaurant near Wangfujing, but it wasn't very authentic, and the taste was poor, so I simply ate and returned to the hotel.
In the afternoon, I went to visit the Forbidden City, with its red bricks and green tiles, offering a unique flavor.
Donghuamen
I walked tens of thousands of steps.
2024.12.20#
On the 20th, I got up a bit late and hurried to the Tiananmen Gate, queuing and going through security checks.
The tickets for the Beijing Museum and Tiananmen had closely scheduled reservation times. After visiting the Tiananmen Gate, I would have to go around from Donghuamen to get to the museum, and since taxis couldn't stop, I missed the museum and just strolled around slowly.
In the afternoon, I didn't go out; my wife went to the ancient alleys and Jingshan Park while I stayed in the hotel watching anime.
In the evening, I went to eat Peking duck.
2024.12.21#
On the 21st, I packed my things, changed hotels, and went to visit the Summer Palace.
Bare trees, blue sky, and a chilly wind.
The frozen lake surface
I couldn't make a reservation for Tsinghua or Peking University; my wife went to open it while I stayed in the hotel watching anime.
On the 22nd, the last day, I prepared to go home and visited the Beijing Garden Expo Park.
I arrived at the airport early, preparing to fly back. The flight was at 22:30, and I got home close to 2 o'clock, ending the trip.