My stay in Beijing was coming to an end, so I was determined to see a little bit more of the city with the limited time available. The smog had lifted and it was relatively safe to go outdoors.
I had seen Chinese gardens in Suzhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai and I find these places, when not packed with tourists or locals, a wonderful environment to unwind, relax and admire the richness of traditional Chinese garden art. What little I saw of Behai Park did not disappoint.
It was late winter - the temperature was above freezing, there was no wind, and it was perfect weather to explore this huge park - some 67 hectares, half of which is occupied by a lake. I asked the taxi driver to drop me off at the East Gate but he insisted that he only knew of the South Gate. It turned out that he was right - the South Gate was indeed the main gate. The entrance fee was 5 CNY, really thumping good value for a park of this size and with such architectural treasures. Entrance to the Jade Flower Garden was an extra 10 CNY, but that's also worth it. I only wish I had set aside a whole day to explore the place...
I had seen Chinese gardens in Suzhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai and I find these places, when not packed with tourists or locals, a wonderful environment to unwind, relax and admire the richness of traditional Chinese garden art. What little I saw of Behai Park did not disappoint.
It was late winter - the temperature was above freezing, there was no wind, and it was perfect weather to explore this huge park - some 67 hectares, half of which is occupied by a lake. I asked the taxi driver to drop me off at the East Gate but he insisted that he only knew of the South Gate. It turned out that he was right - the South Gate was indeed the main gate. The entrance fee was 5 CNY, really thumping good value for a park of this size and with such architectural treasures. Entrance to the Jade Flower Garden was an extra 10 CNY, but that's also worth it. I only wish I had set aside a whole day to explore the place...
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The White Dagoba, rising magnificently above the Jade Flower Island.
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I imagine these two young ladies were part of some entertainment.
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One of the temples on the Jade Flower Island
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Richly decorated walkway in the Circular City |
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The Five Dragon Pavilion, seen at dusk.
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The magnificent Five Dragon Screen built in the 18th century.
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The boats on Behai Park. It was off season so no boat was available for hire. |
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More boats. One can imagine the traffic on the lake at spring and summer time. |
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Sunset at Behai Park. This brings my stay in Beijing to a close. |
