Beijing 2024 - Summer Palace (颐和园) Watertown

 

Next morning, after having completed all my Bucket List of China in this trip, everything was just going to be easy going from here forward! Or at least, that was what I though, lol. On this day, we again walk out along the small alley of the hutong to the main road and metro station. We were headed to the Summer Palace to spend the day there. Of course we still went and pick up a few pancakes along the way before we proceed to the gardens. Yes, Summer Palace is actually more like an open park.

Reaching there, it wasn't as crowded as I thought it would be. It kinda looked like BeiHai Park. I am not sure if this is considered a famous tourist spot, but it has always remained at the back of my mind cause I often hear it being mentioned by my Dad or my Aunt. So here I was to explore it. It was the furthest tourist spot we visited in Beijing from where we were staying.

We got a combination ticket, and the very first place we enter was this make believe water town. This was the first water town I visit, but since it was kinda fake, I don't really count it. I count ZhuJiaJiao as the first actual town I visited. Anyway, the reason I say this is make believe is because this town isn't real. It was build to entertain the royalties so that they can come here and imagine life in a water town since they weren't free to go anywhere they pleased. I think I can understand this concept better now that I've read Lady Tan and her Circle of Ladies for one of my bookclub meetup. 

But since this was my first encounter with a water town, real or fake, I was still very fascinated and drawn by the beautiful landscape and surrounding of the place. The emerald looking water somehow made the place looked so much more lovelier. To think that when it comes to water town, the first thought I once used to think of was Venice. Now, older and wiser, I felt like my education has really failed me. Venice is beautiful in it's own way, but China's water town is so much more! Somehow, I wish more people would visit China and see how beautiful Chinese culture is.

No matter were we turn, it was a lovely scene. And this was just a miniature sized fake town.

Lovely shophouses that aren't open, tea shops, and bridges.

Boats are available, and you could pay a fee to ride them around the water.

The red bridge before we have to walk back. It was basically a circle with different corners of the town to walk to, but in a circle you eventually ended up where you started. In a real water town, it is like a maze leading you to different area of the town.

We actually haven't had our breakfast. And since it was such a pretty place, we decided to have it here. This area was a ticketed area, so there were actually less people inside this early. A very nice spot for a quiet breakfast overlooking the water.

Lovely bridges of different design, with giant lotus growing beneath them

With his hat and his looks, the husband looked like someone out of a China poster campaign >0<

Pretty reflection photos of bridge.

So many bridges. Those walking at the top are free access via the park. Those walking below are paid ticketed customer. The water town is build beneath the main park, closer to the water. You need a ticket to access this area.

Here is a better view of it. You can still catch a view of the water town without a ticket, but you just can't go down and walk around it. The ticket isn't really expensive, so I would highly recommend you get one and just explore.

Souvenir Selfie.

And one wefie as well!