Finishing up with our stay in Beijing (you can catch up here with Part 1 and Part 2) we needed to take advantage and do some shopping! We were in China after all! We started our day a little later since we were exhausted from the previous two days.
DAY THREE:
Lama Temple
Before we hit the markets we made a quick stop over to the Yonghe Temple, which is more famously known as the Lama Temple. At one point in time there were Llamas that roamed the grounds, but unfortunately that time has passed. What you can see here though is the largest wooden Buddha; cut from a single piece of white sandalwood it stands a whopping 18m (59ft) tall.
Panjiayuan Antiques Market
Coming to the Panjiayuan Market I had no idea what to expect, but I’m not sure this is what I imagined. Starting as a roadside market in 1992 it has grown into one of the largest antique markets in Beijing. The market is divided into five areas, including a middle section which is in it’s self divided into four zones, it’s very easy to get lost so take a pic of the entrance you came through so that you can ask someone if you need to.
This is a great place to practice your haggling skills! At a place like this don’t ever accept the first price you’re given; they will write down their price on a calculator, then you counter and so on until you reach an agreement, but be weary, more often than not what you’re getting is a replica.
Vintage Shops
You will be surprised what you can fine in the vintage shops in China. Anything from old western gear and military bomber jackets to Disney memorabilia and weird cat sculptures. Most vintage shops are located down Gulou E St. and you’ll get a huge variety of things to sort through, you might even find some gold!
Nanluoguxian
After hitting up the the vintage shops we stumbled upon this little street, South Luogu Lane (or Nanluoguxiang), where we found the most amazing little shops! Full of locals and tourists alike, we knew we were in the right place. Listed as one of the first 25 areas designated for historical preservation by the Beijing Municipal Government in 1990, it was originally built as a component of the market area in the Yuan Da Du urban layout in 1267. It has since become a hot spot for bars, shops, restaurants, and fast food (there is even a small Starbucks).
After everything over the past few days we were so exhausted that we just ordered room service from the Waldorf Hotel which was delicious! We had some american style food and went to bed so that we could get on our early flight back home.
Thank you so much for reading! Let me know in the comments if there is anything that you loved about going to Beijing and anything that you would like me to explore next!
Amazing♥️