Someone advised me that when I feel lost, I should travel. But when your mind just doesn’t work, how will you prepare for that journey?

Unlike my previous trip inspired by my encyclopedia reading sessions back home, the premise of my recent spring 2019 holiday was to get a breather. I sank into anxious states of mind that started at the beginning of summer last year and lasted until winter. If they would be considered depressive moods, I don’t (want to) know. What was clear was they were my “China days.”

My mind was in disarray around two months before my vacation, though Lisbon was already in the plan. I ended up booking a flight to Madrid.

What the heck will I do in Spain when I have already been there?  My flight to Madrid, booked. Impulsively.

Fast forward to when I arrived in the Spanish capital in January 2019. It still looked the same as when I had visited it two years ago. I booked my day trips while in Beijing, since it’s easier to pay by WeChat. Beyond that, I planned less and just let things happen, which I’m glad I did.

I joined a tour of the city of Segovia to see its famed Roman aqueduct, then later to the fortified medieval city of Avila, where the acclaimed film Kingdom of Heaven was filmed.

While most visitors would want to see Segovia’s ancient aqueduct on a sunny day, our view was rather cool but no less amazing. The day was overcast and snowy, which added more atmosphere to the gritty and mighty monument.

Just like Segovia’s aqueduct, Avila’s walls are imposing. And within these fortifications lie a number of churches and convents, including those of Saint Teresa of Avila‘s Discalced Carmelite Order, giving the city its moniker, the Town of Stones and Saints.

My next destination was Seville, which I had already visited in 2017. Its location in southern Spain makes it a strategic base for backpackers wanting to see historic cities and natural landscapes in the Andalucian region and then cross borders to Portugal (via bus to Lisbon) or Morocco (via bus to Tarifa, then ferry to Tangier).

Just when I thought I was familiar with the Sevillan settings, I still scrambled to find the way to my hostel upon arrival. Blame it on my over-reliance on technology.

There, however, I found solace in artisanal shops hidden on the dizzying streets full of snacks and souvenirs. I completely avoided the tourist attractions and instead settled for long strolls, and let my thoughts wander along with me. Because even if I was in Spain, my mind was still glued on Beijing and the causes of my anxiety episodes.

Postcards inspired by flamenco posters in the early decades of the 20th century are sold in artisanal shops away from tourist areas in Seville.

A pueblo blanco (whitewashed town) in the town of Zahara de la Sierra, in Cadiz. It was once a Moorish outpost and some ancient fortified structures, including a castle (tower, center-right and slightly hidden in the fog) still stand.

The 98-meter-high Puente Nuevo (“New Bridge” on the right), connects the two halves of the city of Ronda, divided by the Guadalevin River.

A Roman necropolis, discovered in Carmona in the 1880’s, is an important archeological site which gives insights into ancient burial customs in the lands once occupied by the Roman Empire

As the next leg of my trip would be in Morocco, I traveled from Seville to the southern port town of Tarifa. This small town may not be visually rich in Spanish terms but it is geographically significant. Tarifa is continental Europe’s southernmost location and from a vantage point, you can see where the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea meet.

The vast expanse of the water colliding against two continents was a satisfying sight. I spent almost half of the day sitting idly at the top of the breakwater while looking at the sky, sea, and sand. I’ve seen a lot of sunsets, and a view from the Atlantic Ocean would be a fantastic addition to my gallery. My expectation was different from reality, though. The fiery sunset was engulfed by dark clouds.

A panoramic view of Tarifa, taken from the furthest and southernmost point in Europe. The Atlantic Ocean (left), Tarifa beach (center) and the Mediterranean Sea (right).

It was during these solitary moments, however, when it dawned on me that feeling lost was not necessarily a miserable emotion, but a chance to get everything together and continue finding a way. Not many people have the luxury of time or money or traveling while young, but there I was in the middle of Spain, spending my hard-earned resources and taking pleasure in just feeling lost. It’s a costly way to realize it, indeed.

The sound of raindrops overnight put me to a gentle sleep. The following morning was clear and warm, perfect for a one-hour sail southward to Morocco.

Photos: Andy Penafuerte III

It’s been a restless 2017 for our team in terms of traveling. In my case, I embarked on a year-long trip across China and Europe, but I also made surprising discoveries and met a lot of awesome people. My colleagues, on the other hand, gave their thoughts and experiences about amazing (and sometimes funny) family-friendly areas in the city and nearby provinces.

When I continued the Beijing Bucket List series, I was thinking of using my free weekends to explore the city and make recommendations for families and young adults. Now, the travel section on our website has grown to have several series: China (and Beijing) Bucket List, Family Day Out, Weekend Warrior, Travel Stories, and Subway Sunday, all reflecting the vibrancy of Beijing expat life.

It’s not too late for you and family to explore the capital. Here we list our best travel blogs to help you get started in planning (note that some of them are seasonal or already finished). After all, you have 365 days to explore this beautiful city and China and the world! If you find other wonderful family-friendly spots in town, or any stories about family travel, we welcome you to write about them and be featured in any of our travel series!

January 2017

Beijing: Icefall at Taoyuan Xiangu and Huanghuacheng Great Wall (both in Miyun District)

If the cold never bothers you (anyway), then have some frozen delights at the iced waterfall attraction in Taoyuan Xiangu scenic area (桃源仙谷冰瀑) in Miyun District (first picture below).

And for those who have already gone to the more “touristy” Great Wall sections like Mutianyu and Badaling, the Huanghuacheng (lake-side part) of the wall is an amazing sight without the usual crowds.

February 2017

Hebei Province: The Molten Iron Performance at Nuanquan (Hot Spring Town) in Zhangjiakou

Shining, shimmering, splendid. That’s probably the best way to describe a bright spectacle, akin to a fireworks display, that happens in the ancient town of Nuanquan in Zhangjiakou City (河北省张家口蔚县暖泉镇), just west of Beijing.

Heilongjiang Province: A Winter Weekend in Harbin

Winter was coming to an end when my colleague Annie Wang went to Harbin in February. So instead of the -30 degrees Celsius that they had expected, the temperature stood at a “cool” -12 degrees Celsius, still low enough to freeze toes and tears without the proper attire!

March 2017

Beijing: A Trip to the Great Wall with Mister Dong

My colleague Pauline’s wish for my birthday was to visit the Great Wall of China. When she asked around in  WeChat groups, that one name that always popped up is Tom Dong, who seemed to be taking lots of people up to the wall.

Beijing: In Search of Buried Treasure at the Ming Tombs

The Killeens decided to round out our tour of Beijing’s imperial heritage, with a trip to the Ming Tombs, where they opted for hiring a bus with a group, which was a great thing… especially because the tomb site was huge!

April 2017

Beijing: The Killeens View More Colors of Chinese Art at the National Art Museum of China

The Killeen’s previous family samplings of Beijing’s artistic offerings have been in the hip and funky/commercialized tourist areas of 798 and Caochangdi. So Dad Andy wondered how his kids would respond to the more formal setting of the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC)…

Shandong Province: The Story of the “Eight Immortals” on Long Island

This was the second entry in my month-long A to Z Challenge, in which I blogged 30 travel articles in April. It was also my first trip to Shandong Province. While on the way to Miaodao village, or technically one of the islands that compose the county, our tour manager shared with us a folk story that happened there over a thousand years ago…

May 2017

Beijing: His Sweet and Classy Surprise Staycation at Nuo Hotel

Former managing editor Vanessa blogged about the surprise staycation from her husband, Bobby. After their date, Bobby brought her to a mystery location, which was later revealed as one of the restaurants at Nuo Hotel.

Beijing: Biking, a Ride or Die Experience

Pauline’s Beijing escapades continued with her story about bikes. “I have stopped holding on to my heart because there is really nothing we can do, but smile, and enjoy the wild ride Beijing is taking us on,” she said of the wild ride on the city streets.

June 2017

Beijing: Liyuan Library, Experiencing Beijing’s Most Instagrammable Reading Haven

Managing editor Kipp went to Huairou district to get a feel of the wonderful library that is Liyuan for our Weekend Warrior column in the magazine. It was good while it lasted — because the library was shut down by the authorities in September, following complaints about pirated and uncensored material. We’re not sure if this is a permanent thing as recent reports have stated otherwise, but it still a great day trip during the spring months.

Beijing: Futuristic Lights Extravaganza on Display in 798 Art District

A part of 798 Art District shimmered when a foreign company brought its light exhibition. But the feat of this extravaganza was that it challenged the imagination and perception of reality of the visitors. Many of my WeChat friends, in fact, used the pictures they took at the exhibition as their profile photos!

July 2017

Beijing: Camping on the Great Wall

One of my first Beijing bucket list items that I ticked off was a visit to the Great Wall. Now that I’ve visited three sections of the wall in Beijing (Badaling, Mutianyu, and Huanghuacheng), that bucket list became expanded with another thing about the Great Wall: camping.

Beijing: Family-Friendly Staycation at EAST Hotel

After a long two weeks of a husband working non-stop, Pauline thought to find out if the rest of EAST Hotel was as child-friendly as the weekend brunch. True enough, she felt at home in the hotel situated in Lido, which she likened to as the new Sanlitun.

August 2017

Jiangsu Province: Zhouzhuang: Around a Water Town

The Killeens went south to Zhouzhuang, one of the oldest of the “water towns” which lie between Shanghai and Suzhou. Like Venice, a network of canals criss-crosses this ancient settlement, and flat-bottomed punts with a remarkable similarity to gondolas still throng the waterways – although these days it’s almost entirely for the benefit of tourists.

Beijing: The “Joyous” Pavilion on a Breeding Ground for Mosquitoes near Taoranting Subway Station

In one of my Subway Sunday articles, I went to a station named after a park that used to be the breeding ground for mosquitoes. Okay, so why on earth would we go to such place? It may not be as majestic as other imperial palaces in Beijing, but the park gives you a sense of what a “downgraded” Summer Palace is.

September 2017

Tianjin: The City that Is Overlooking the World

Pauline and her family went to neighboring Tianjin, where she recounted experiencing everything the city had to offer. They boarded the Tianjin Eye, China’s “answer” to the London Eye. Pauline said she never rode the expensive London Ferris wheel so she took the chance to sit on its Chinese counterpart.

Beijing: Applying for a Russian Visa in Beijing? You Really Need to Read This

Andy (not me, but our senior editor) had had a fair share of a visa nightmare when he applied for one at the Russian visa center. To help others planning to go to Russia, he wrote this article detailing what went wrong and what to do next.

October 2017

Beijing: Best Picks for Family-friendly Camping Grounds

Our blogger Rebecca shared with us one of the things that she love most about living in Beijing: the opportunity to take her young family camping. She rounded up her favorites — a mere 1.5 to 2 hours drive from the city center.

Beijing: Four Fun Family-Friendly Farms to Pick Seasonal Autumn Fruit

Our resident Weekend Warrior Kipp recalled his childhood memories of long car rides that featured roadside attractions: fruit vendors and farms. This feel can be recreated in Beijing, thankfully, in an autumn weekend trip to the city outskirts.

November 2017

Philippines: The Encyclopedia that Inspired Me to See the World

After four weeks of loitering in Europe, I went back to my home country and revisited the source of my travel escapades: the encyclopedia set that my mother brought when I was young. That 10-volume set of encyclopedias basically widened my view of the world.

Athens, Greece: When Black Cats “Ruined” My Trips in Athens

I had a lot of remarkable experiences on my trip to Greece, but there was this certain part that made it more interesting: that black cats had been present before an untoward incident. But are these felines to be blamed whenever bad things happen to us? Ancient beliefs may have an answer to that…

December 2017

Beijing: Finding Ultimate Relaxation at the Perimeter of the City

Beijing’s winters are nothing to scoff at. In this magazine article, our resident Weekend Warrior Kipp rounded up several options for weekend trips and staycations within the city proper or a relatively short train or car ride away.

Toledo, Spain: Finding Your Power Source

My experience with fellow family travelers outshone every bit of outstanding feat the medieval city of Toledo had to offer to me when I visited there. I recounted the incident when I shared my power source with the wrong people.

Photos: Kipp Whittaker, Andy Penafuerte, Andrew Killeen, Pauline van Hasselt; courtesy of EAST Hotel, Vanessa Jencks, Annie Wang, Rebecca Archer, Commune, visitmysmokies.com

There are a lot of things from home I miss here in Beijing, decent skincare, “normal” toilets, and of course my friends and family. But MOST of all, I miss my home cuisine, and the ingredients that are easy to buy in Western supermarkets. I want to recreate some food that my family miss, share my recipes, and know where to get the ingredients. If you see a blonde lady on a bike with a toddler and bags of groceries, that’s me, on the hunt for little pieces of home.

Another drink that has recaptured my attention (although not a winter brew) is horchata. My Mexican friend in Houston, Texas in the United States introduced me to this drink in college. And while asking around in the Beijing expat community about culinary delights we miss from home, this drink resurfaced. As usual there will be debate on how to make this drink and which version is the best. All the ingredients can be found anywhere in Beijing, but don’t be fooled as horchata will warm your soul like you are on an unpolluted beach.

Horchata comes from Valencia in Spain, where orxata was made from ordi (barley). Although nowadays in Spain horchata is not made with barley but with tiger nuts, water and sugar. Horchata is served as a refreshment with ice. Variations can be made with nuts, rice, seeds, herbs, ground almonds, and lime zest.

Horchata de Arroz (rice) is by far my favorite and I remember my friend taking me to stands by the street in the blistering heat in Texas for a refreshing drink.

Ingredients:

½ cup rice                                                                                                                                                           Half cup raw almonds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon                                                                                                                               ½ teaspoon lime zest
6 cups of water
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Pulverize the raw rice in a blender.
2. Combine the rice powder with almonds, cinnamon, and lime zest in a bowl and cover with half the water. Let stand overnight.
3. Next day blend the mixture in a blender till smooth.
4. Combine the mixture with 3 cups of water and blend again.
5. Strain with cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel.
6. Add vanilla and sugar to taste.
7. Serve over ice!

Pauline van Hasselt has been working for beijingkids since October 2016. Born in Wassenaar, The Netherlands, she moved with her husband and her 3 year-old daughter to Beijing in June of this year. Prior she lived in the Netherlands, Belgium, Paraguay, Texas, and London, studying and working as a chef. Pauline enjoys biking around Beijing, finding markets and new restaurants, reading crime and fantasy books in bed, and most importantly, turning her house into a home for her family.

The first part of this two part series blog featured eating and drinking in Poland and can be found here.

From Italy onward, we continued to eat and drink our way through the trip.

For instance, nothing says “On an Italian train” like a bottle of Prosecco

In Verona, we were all looking forward to pasta, coffee, gelato, and (for me) more Aperol Spritz!

We ate supper at a restaurant right next to the Arena. Choosing one from the line of them reminded me of picking a restaurant on Mulberry Street in New York. We figured this one was just as good (and, unfortunately, as tourist-priced) as all the others right there. It was fine, and we did not have time to seek out some harder-to-find alternatives.

Brigid remembered that when there is no Schnitzel on the menu, she prefers pizza.

Once back in Gorizia, the kids and I enjoyed a fabulous lunch at the wine cafe on the large piazza. It was the kind of place I would want to linger at for hours, sampling some of the small plates on the menu and tasting the proprietor’s recommended wines with each one.

I had a gnocchi that was so beautifully cloud-like, in a perfect tomato sauce, harmoniously paired with a red wine that happened to be open.

They were out of pizza, but Myles and Brigid ordered the next best thing, the bruschetta that was so large it was practically a pizza. And in another surprise, Brigid went crazy over the ham.

It was such a beautiful day. I really could have stretched our lunch for hours here.

Also in Gorizia, the kids and I ducked into a vegetable market.

We salivated over the rows and rows of fruits and vegetables, some of which we couldn’t quite identify, or if we did recognize them, they were in shades I didn’t know existed.

I know a lot of people prefer to stay in apartments when they travel, and they enjoy buying local products to cook in the rented kitchen. We often stay in hotels that provide breakfast. Walking through this market almost made me wish we were in an apartment so we could try all these things. Almost.

A few days later we were in San Sebastian. The first night we were there we at a pintxos bar we have been to every other time we have been there. The menu has gone unchanged in the three years we have been there, which is fine. The second night we tried to find a wider variety of meatless pintxos. We walked into Taberna Aralar, which looked so inviting, the bar piled with food.

I wasn’t terribly hopeful when I asked (in Spanish!) if they had any pinxtos sin carne. The bartender asked me if I spoke English (my Spanish gave me away), took a deep breath (which lead me to believe that the answer was going to be, “are you kidding?”), and then proceeded to point out eight or so options, telling me what they were in my language, and then asked if that were enough. Oh, it definitely was.

I picked up one ham sandwich, and the bartender stopped me. “Es para mi hijo,” I explained so he gave me a separate plate.

Brigid surprised us by devouring the mashed potato dumplings.

The next night we sought out a few places one of Randy’s contacts there recommended we try. One was a special bread bakery that he described as not just the best bread he had ever eaten, but one of the best things he had ever eaten. We were completely intrigued, though with reservations. We have spent a lot of time in Germany, a country known for bread. We walked into The Loaf, and the smell of bread was intoxicating. As I practiced in my head how to ask about the bread in Spanish, we joined the queue. After talking (in my halting Spanish, paused when I feel a Chinese word coming out) with the baker, we chose what we believed was the bread that we were intended to get, Pan Extreme. It is a sour-dough bread, but that is almost too simple an explanation.

And yes, it was an amazing experience of food. Seriously. I love bread, and this was something beyond normal bread. I can’t imagine doing something so profane as make a sandwich with it.

Para los que entender español. 
We arrived at Kafe Botanika and found it decorated for Halloween.

The menu was nice, vegetarian fare some Spanish twist. I ordered a spring roll, which obviously wasn’t very Spanish, but I really like spring rolls.

At Kafe Botanika an American woman named Kelly was selling Halloween-themed cupcakes. She was from California, married to a man from Barcelona, and now living in San Sebastian. There’s apparently interest in American-style baked goods in San Sebastian.

 The kids loved them and wanted to pose with the cakes they chose.

In Aachen we ate lunch at Postwagen under the Rathaus. It was lovely, all dark wood and low light.

I had a dish of peppers and rice. Randy is allergic to green bell peppers, so I don’t often get to eat them. So when I do get the opportunity to have them, I remember that I really do enjoy eating bell peppers.

When we arrived in Leuven, I searched for a restaurant that could satisfy all of us—the vegetarians, the meat-eater, and the somewhat picky one. One menu really stuck out to me, one for a place called Mykene. The items were listed in a way that reminded me of one of my favorite Pittsburgh restaurants, Salt of the Earth. They had Belgian beer beef stew, seitan, and options that could make Brigid happy. We took a cab, and, much to my delight, he let us off at a big sign that asked “Quo Vadis?”

Quo Vadis, as it turns out, is a popular pizzeria in Leuven. It is situated in the middle of a street of restaurants which included our destination, Mykene.

Brigid brought along her Snowy, which she got on our last trip through Belgium at the Hergé Museum. “Snowy wants to see where he came from,” she told us. She would end up eating bread and frites, both of which I counted as local cuisine.

What is a Belgian meal without a Belgian beer? I ordered a Brueder Jacob Formidabel because I had never had it before. My only regret was that it only came in big bottles, thereby limiting my supper to trying only one new beer.

 Myles delighted in his beef stew.

Randy had some rice and mushroom dish.

And my plate had an architectural twist, “smoked seitan, carrot structures, savory crumble, shallot.” Regardless, it was very, very good.

Also in Leuven, the kids and I stopped for lunch at a place I selfishly chose because it touted “the largest beer selection in the world.” I saw that The Capital also served food, so it was settled.

I chose a draft beer, a Ter Dolen Armand, if only because I was completely overwhelmed by the possibilities. It was a little hoppier than I usually like, but it was still a decent enough beer.

Had I selected one of the thousands of bottle beers they offered, it would have come from the basement storage, visible through glass blocks in the floor.

They were brought up on this conveyer behind the bar. Myles thought it looked very steam punk, so The Capital met his approval. Empties were returned to the basement by the same system.

The food menu was great for beer drinking—-burgers and Belgian interpretation of tapas. Myles had a chicken burger because he claimed he had had enough beef.

Brigid was happy to see a version of pizzas, and especially mini-pizzas.

I had a mixed plate of vegetarian friendly tapas.

Back at the hotel I had time for one last beer-in-Belgium. The list there was rather limited, but I had never before had a Julius.

In Euskirchen that night, we were lucky to stay in a small hotel over a restaurant. I had an appetizer that made me wonder if savory sorbet as part of an appetizer were a thing. I had eaten one at Salt of the Earth over the summer, a tomato sorbet . At our hotel they served this, which in the dim of evening did not look as bright green as it does in the camera flash. It was Ziegenfrischkäse kit Thymianparfait, Tomatenmarmalade, und Basilikum. So basically, the whipped-cream-looking-part was actually whipped goat cheese and the sorbet was thyme flavored. It was a play on a sundae, but as an appetizer. I liked it.

The last morning was our final German breakfast. The kids loaded up on boiled eggs, bacon, and bread bread bread.

This post first appeared on Jennifer Ambrose’s blog on December 13, 2014.

Jennifer Ambrose hails from Western Pennsylvania and misses it terribly. She still maintains an intense devotion to the Pittsburgh Steelers. She has lived in China since 2006 and is currently an at-home mother. With her husband Randy and children Myles and Brigid, she resides outside the Sixth Ring Road in Changping, northwest of Beijing. 

Photos: by Jennifer Ambrose