Back in Beijing, first thing in the morning was going for a great 'Americano' at Starbucks in front of the hotel!

A 50 min taxi drive to the north-west brought me to the Summer Palace, a huge area with temples, gardens, pavilions, lakes, bridges, gate-towers, etc. It was a real tourist attraction with many foreigners walking around. It was a long time ago that I saw so many foreigners. It was nice to walk around in the parks, but the air outside was very ugly, in particular compared to the clean air of Tibet.

After the Summer Palace I went to Beihai Park, just north-west of the Forbidden City. It is a park around a large lake with in the middle of the lake an island. On the islands stands a temple with a remarkable 36 meters high Tibetan-style White Dagoba. From the top you can watch over the city and I saw how the ugly smog was hanging around. It was clear why I suffered from breathing this air!

Back at the hotel … time to start thinking about packing luggage.

Entrance to the Summer Palace

Garden of Virtue and Harmony (kind of theatre)

Tea tables with view on the stage

Covered pathway between the different areas

Painted ceiling of the pathway

Stairs to the Tower of Buddhist Incense

Tower of Budhist Incense

Boats on the lake in the Summer Palace

Marble boat on the lake in the Summer Palace

People playing cardgames

Suzhou Street in the Summer Palace

Suzhou Street in the Summer Palace

Suzhou Street in the Summer Palace

Central lake in the Summer Palace

Beihai Park

Circular pathway

Beihai Park

View from the Beihai Park on the nearby Forbidden City under smog

Street food in Beijing