Embarking on a thrilling day trip from Tianjin to Baoding, I boarded the train at around 7 in the morning, arriving in Baoding at half past ten. Excitedly stepping off the train, I hailed a taxi straight to Baijia Zhaobing, a renowned restaurant. Upon arrival, I found myself needing to take a number, but the wait wasn’t too long, and the dishes came out quickly, albeit some time-consuming ones were unavailable. The Zhaobing was deliciously fragrant, and the Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork tasted similar to what I was accustomed to, but the Braised Pork Strips were exceptionally savory. Additionally, I indulged in a cup of Quedu Tea Collection, a purported local milk tea of Baoding, opting for a subtle sweetness that left a refreshing taste.
After the satisfying meal, I hopped into another taxi and headed to the scenic spots of Baoding. Remarkably, the attractions in Baoding are quite concentrated, allowing for a seamless exploration along a single route. First, I visited the Catholic Church, whose beautiful architecture made for stunning photographs. Next, I strolled through the Lotus Pond, albeit the lotus flowers were not in bloom during this season, the scenery was still captivating and required a ticket for entry. Following that, I explored the Zhili Viceroy’s Mansion, a relatively small yet charming locale that could be toured in less than two hours. The mansion boasted interactive electronic screens and a profusion of blooming flowers, offering a delightful visual feast. However, during holidays, the crowd could be quite dense, so a ticket was necessary. Lastly, I visited the Zhenjue Chan Temple, where Buddhist activities were underway, and the entry was free.
While wandering and exploring, I stumbled upon a stall selling candied haws on a stick, with the golden kumquat variant purportedly being particularly delicious (alas, I didn’t get to try it). The queue for Zhonglou’s Giant Bread was astonishingly long, and I also missed out on that. Eventually, I made my way to Luji’s Candied Haws stall and bought a taro-flavored one before queuing up for Hongshuangxi, which was conveniently located nearby. The queue for Hongshuangxi was already quite long at around 4 pm, and I finally got my order at around 5 pm, opting for Sesame Egg, Boiled Pork Slices, and疙瘩汤 (疙瘩汤, a traditional Chinese soup with dough dumplings). The Sesame Egg was sweet and tender, delightfully satisfying. Due to time constraints, I ordered a takeout of donkey meat bun, but the bun was slightly hard, presumably due to the longer delivery time.
After the meal, I hailed a taxi back to Baoding Station and caught the 6:30 train back to Tianjin. Overall, Baoding was a wonderful city, and I am eager to visit again in the future. #PhotoSpots #Baoding #BaodingFood #BaodingPhotography #BaodingDayTripGuide #BaodingOneDayTrip #BaodingCitywalk
