Finally We Go Beijing: Day 3, Dongyue Temple, Epson Lab and 798 Art District

Whenever we travel, we usually start early. This trip is no different. In the last hotel, there was no window and we couldn’t really see how Beijing mornings look like. 

This is Beijing at 7am. 

We had to pack up and move back to the correct hotel but 1st to have bfast. Finally, all 4 of us. 

We were prepared for a long walk, but the walk was surprisingly short. Did the uncle brought us for a long walk/ detour last night? We got to the hotel alright and left our bags for the day. 

I told the kids that we should attempt the public transport system, to much protest. Plus, the didi fare looked so attractive to turn away. In the end, we took a didi to the 东岳庙. 

This is the biggest Taoist temple in Beijing and was built 700 years ago. We had to pay a RMB10 entrance fee per adult and the kids visit for free. I like free stuff. Hoho. 

Why did I plan to visit this temple? I read that it is a little like our Haw Par Villa. There is apparently 18 levels of hell and 76 departments governing all sorts of stuff. I think our Har Par Villa is a lot more interesting. This temple features only the 76 departments and after a while, they all looked about the same. This temple also housed the most idols/ deities. In its heyday, there were over 3,000 statues, compared to the 1,000+ now. 

While we didn’t take pictures of the statue in the respective departments, we have pictures of the super old tree. This tree is about 700 years old and the trunk is now hollow, thus supported by beams and pillars. 

The temple also serves as some kind of museum. However, there were too many Chinese characters to read.  We see, see, look, look only.

The temple is still in use and there was some ritual going on. There are instructions on how to pray. 

What attracted us most is this cutie. 

We got bored and decided to leave for part 2 of the day - Epson Lab that is located at the Joy City Mall. I was very excited to be in a shopping mall, away from the cold. I told the kids that we would take the train but eventually still succumb to didi bcos the price is so reasonable. 

The kids were very puzzled on why we were going to another art exhibition. You can tell that we are not an arty farty family. Zzzzz. This exhibition was in Singapore too. 

Before that, the tummies needed to be filled. I got them good food - grilled meat. The father and kids were very glad with my decision. 

There was enough meat to keep all of us happy. Also a big squid too. 

Nana’s squid looks like a question mark 

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Luckily I have these. On one side, it says “不长肉” and the other side “吃不胖”. Hoho. 

Desserts - some milk pudding. 

Finally, time for the exhibition. The moment we entered the exhibit hall, everybody went “ooooooo…”. It was so beautiful. There were quite a few halls, and each has its own theme. 

The flower theme.

Some Chinese character dome. It is actually interactive! 

Another.echo-y flower dome. 

This is the one that I like best. The pictures are so IG-worthy. 

Nana and I colored some pictures that can be scanned onto the screen. My flower.

Her colorful frog.

Some more I cannot remember what. Lol. 

Overall it was very worth the visit. I think we spent about 2 hours in the exhibit. Fooling around must burnt energy bcos the kids started pestering for Dairy Queen. 

The ice cream is supposed to be so dense that it doesn’t fall even when turned upside down. Tested. Passed! 

We wanted to shop. I had actually thought of getting new winter jackets and winter jackets were sold everywhere but I think Joy City is an atas shopping mall. Any winter jacket is easily over S$100. Like that, what difference to buy in Singapore? 

We left empty handed. Did we take the train? Of course not.. another didi to the 798 Art District. I wasn’t really sure if we would enjoy 798 given how unartistic we are. I read on 小红书, to tackle the zones in the sequence of ABDEF.

Did we follow? Of course not. After a while, we don’t know which zone we were in. We simply anyhow walk. There were a few interesting shops, the kids bought bracket and pins. Zaky was very attracted by the mobile ice cream/ dessert car.

We didn’t stay long and then another didi back to 王府井, which is near to our hotel. The didi took a long time bcos it was further away and the traffic was so bad. I saw on 小红书 that there is shopping, the non-luxurious kind, to be done. We lost again; cannot find ah. Daddy Lim and the kids were only keen on dinner. They saw a noodle house and refused to walk about to explore other options. Ok lor.

The kids pestered to go back to the hotel. We did and took a 7 mins walk back. At least we saw the famous church. 

Also a group of 大妈 doing the 广场舞. It was Chinese yip music, ok. 

On the way, there were a group of grownups playing 毽子 and I was just thinking to myself that the Beijingers are so athletic ah. They were really friendly and invited us/ the kids to play with them. As Daddy Lim and I slowly walked away, I was thinking that our kids are too big and heavy to be kidnapped, right? They have no $$ too and cannot be robbed. Lol. 

The kids caught up quickly. Nana said that the adults started asking them to buy the 毽子. Ahh.. so that is the gimmick. Luckily the adults walked away. Otherwise, I am not sure how much I have to pay for the 毽子. 

The rooms were finally ready when we arrived back at the hotel. Phew! No more crazy computers. We still had 2 rooms and this time, the kids slept together. I continued to do the walking here and there to unpack and then pack the next day. Good night! 

Mummy Lim