Beijing 2017, part 2 - Summer Palace

Michael's quote for Beijing was "I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this!"

I've been reading my guidebook, and all of the internet to prepare for this trip, but these don't always have the details you really want to know. Like, will the restaurant staff speak English, or have an English menu? (answer: probably not) Or, how long should we plan to spend at the Summer Palace? (answer: as much time as you possibly can)

Our plan for the second full day was to spend the morning at the Summer Palace. With Eldest feeling better, we marched the crew over to a local shop for dumplings. With Eldest translating, we enjoyed our local-style breakfast,

Then we hopped into a taxi to visit the Summer Palace! This huge estate was a summer retreat for emperors, first built in 1750, and last rebuilt in 1912, and opened to the public in 1924. But knowing that, and reading about it in a guide book did not prepare us at all!

Walking in, I felt like I was at an amusement park. This is not entirely unreasonable, since the north gate, where we entered, was an amusement area for the Emperor and court. The artificial riverfront featured pretend storefronts, so the emperor and concubines could play at shopping. Of course, the previously fake shops now contain souvenirs, so we admired the view and then ushered the kids through as quickly as we could.

Not really knowing what to expect, we followed the crowds straight ahead, which led us up, up, up the hill. Good thing we left the stroller at the hotel!

The kids had a grand time climbing the hill and exploring all the side halls and caves, and were in good spirits as long as we kept doling out the snacks.

And then back down the other side, through amazing temples and imperial apartments filled with artifacts.

At the bottom of the hill, we encountered the crowds who entered through less strenuous routes - as well as the famous long corridor, which the kids were happy to run along. Where do they get this energy?

This was also the kids' first day of being the tourist attraction. Many of the other visitors were interested in the kids, and wanted to touch them or take pictures with them. Danger Monkey was having none of it, and consistently ran back to Mommy when anyone approached. Middle Child also usually hid or ran away, but Eldest was willing to entertain a few pictures and enjoyed amazing her fans with her Chinese skills.

We then caught a boat across the lake to the Temple of the Dragon King. The view back to where we had climbed was gorgeous, and I was transported to a different world, imagining myself aboard the imperial barge. I can only imagine how it must have looked pre-smog.

Overall, I give the Summer Palace two thumbs up. It is gorgeous, and has plenty of nooks to explore and opportunities for the kids to play. In our five hours there we saw only a fraction of the grounds, and I can't wait to go back.