The first thing that Mr. Selfish and I did in Beijing was visit the Forbidden City. We had high expectations for the grandeur of the palace. Although we were there during the middle of a weekday, it was still packed with hoards of tour groups.

We managed to sneak to some less crowded areas but it was quite difficult to do. Mr. Selfish and I have mastered the art of patience when taking photos. Sometimes, it takes quite a while for that one millisecond when no one is in your shot, but it can be worth the wait.

We also enjoyed the temple and garden area at the back of the Forbidden City.

Next, we visited Jingshan Park, which is on a hill right behind the Forbidden City. You have to climb for a bit, but then the view of the Forbidden City is outstanding. Plus, admission into the park was only 2 yuan!

Mr. Selfish has bad allergies, and we had to break out his face mask since he started sneezing a great deal. We weren’t sure if it was the pollution or just his spring allergies.

Another great place to enjoy a view of the Forbidden City is the Yin Bar in the Emperor Hotel. It is a small hotel and even a smaller bar. No one was on the outside patio so we had it to ourselves. We enjoyed our expensive drinks and the sunset over the Forbidden City.

Mr. Selfish and I certainly enjoyed the views of the Forbidden City more than being inside of it. It’s nice to see its majesty and not have to worry about being pushed around by Chinese tour groups.