China > Meeting the giant panda

The last day of the trip has truly arrived. Day sixty-four. This morning, I want to walk to the Temple of the White Clouds, a Taoist temple on the south side of the city center. A rickshaw driver insists that I take a ride with him. He wants to take me there for ten euros, which seems far too much. I offer two euros. Angrily, he drives off. The weather today is beautiful, perfect for walking. I turn into the hutongs. At a local eatery, I order breakfast. To avoid language problems, I order the same as the people next to me. It turns out to be a fried bun. I continue walking toward the temple. It is farther than I thought. A short distance on the map quickly turns into several kilometers.

China - The Taoist Temple of the White Clouds in Beijing

When I ask for directions, I am invariably referred to the nearby bus or metro line, even when I think I’m almost there. Soon, I realize I am wrong; I still have half an hour to walk. As I get closer, it’s easier to ask for directions. I show the Chinese name from the Lonely Planet, and people laugh and point me in the right direction. I even start enjoying asking people for help. The Temple of the White Clouds is a Taoist temple. The complex consists of several temples and beautifully decorated halls. In each space, worshippers pray and offer incense sticks. I notice that mostly young people come here to pray. I wander through the buildings of the complex. When I return to the entrance, I have a choice. I want to go to the Beijing Zoo. There are pandas in the zoo, and I’ve never seen a giant panda before. By metro, I would have to transfer twice. I estimate the distance at three and a half kilometers—about an hour’s walk. I decide to walk, as walking gives the best sense of daily city life. Along the way, I sometimes wander off when I see an interesting street. In one hutong, I pass a barber. He currently has no customers. I go in to get a neat haircut before continuing my journey. Unfortunately, the barber refuses to touch my beard. Chinese men rarely grow facial hair, so he only washes and cuts my hair. Around half past one, I arrive at Beijing Zoo. I immediately ask for the shortest route to the pandas and walk into the Pandahouse. I see three pandas in the outdoor enclosure, calmly eating near their habitat so they are less disturbed by visitors. The Chinese visitors are ecstatic at the sight of the giant pandas.

China -

They shout, cheer, and, of course, want group photos. I am thrilled to see these enormous animals in real life. In the adjoining building, two young pandas are just being fed. They come right up to the glass—so cute. I continue past the lions and tigers to the Beijing Aquarium. I buy a relatively expensive ticket for fifteen euros for this section without really knowing what to expect. Inside, various themed exhibits showcase fish, sharks, dolphins, and stingrays. It looks beautiful. Around the aquariums, there are amusement-park-style attractions—carousels, food stalls, glowing toys, and bronze statues. The Chinese visitors love it. As a climax, I enter the arena for the dolphin show. The sea lions and dolphins perform their tricks. I estimate at least a thousand spectators in the arena. Looking around, I think I’m the only non-Chinese tourist. After the show, I take the metro back to my hotel. In the evening, we all dine together at a hotpot restaurant. Hotpot is similar to a tabletop barbecue: the meat, vegetables, and bread are dipped in the hotpot. During the final group dinner, we thank Luc for his efforts throughout the trip. The journey is truly coming to an end.