On the sixth day of the lunar new year, we fulfilled our promise to take our little one out for some fun, and arrived in Baoding, Hebei, as scheduled. This was our fourth city visit in the vicinity of Beijing.
Early in the morning, after a restful three to four hours, our tired yet cheerful family made their way to Beijing West Station. Armed with a fresh cup of Starbucks, we boarded the city rail heading towards Baoding. (A minor complaint: the two-hour journey felt especially long due to the snail’s pace of the train, but thankfully, the presence of our baby made the time fly.)
Upon arriving in Baoding near noon, we opted to walk to Xidajie Street, whose main entrance was quite charming and offered a nice photo opportunity opposite, even capturing the heart-shaped traffic light. We enjoyed a leisurely stroll, sampling various foods, including our baby’s favorite squid, the long-anticipated potato tower, the recommended wheel cake, and two deliciously thick grilled gluten strands.
While Xidajie Street offered a plethora of food options, it was not the best place to sample authentic local cuisine. A short walk from Xidajie Street, we arrived at the Zhili Governor’s Mansion and the Ancient Lotus Pond. To our disappointment, we learned that tickets were unavailable online, which we initially thought was due to sold-out tickets. However, upon arrival, we discovered that tickets were free during the Spring Festival, a welcome surprise. (Here, I must urge the Baoding Cultural and Tourism Department to increase their promotional efforts. During my research, I found no information about such activities.)
After visiting the Zhili Governor’s Mansion, we searched for驴肉火烧, a local delicacy, to tide us over. Unfortunately, whether due to the Spring Festival or our lack of familiarity with the area, we found only one shop that was still closed, and the nearby specialty food stalls were similarly barren. Nevertheless, we pressed on, hungry bellies leading us to the Baoding Museum. Arriving at around 4:30 pm, we managed to enter just before closing time. To our amazement, we found ourselves quickly navigating the exhibits, even stumbling upon a captivating play of light and shadow that produced beautiful silhouettes.
The museum boasted a rich collection, and we searched for a forlorn little tiger figure, alas, without success. However, we did stumble upon a bronze mirror that allowed us to take some interesting reflections. Regrettably, due to time constraints, we were unable to visit the art gallery on the third floor. Upon exiting the museum, we spied a Wanda Mall across the street. Our baby, craving noodles, led us to a noodle shop inside, where we enjoyed an unexpectedly delicious dinner, albeit with mediocre side dishes.
By the time we finished our meal, it was already 6 pm, and our return train was scheduled for just after 7 pm. With plenty of time to kill, we decided to explore the mall. As usual, our adventure ended in a flurry of excitement as we raced to catch our train, thankfully arriving on time. It was a delightful day, filled with new experiences and fond memories.
The cultural offerings of the Baoding Museum were indeed impressive, but one cannot overlook the aggressive driving habits on the roads. Nevertheless, it was a day well spent, and we look forward to our next adventure.
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