Two days in Beijing sounded like a challenge, but it turned out to be an adventure packed with lights, flavors, and a lot of walking. The city welcomed me at night with a glowing spectacle at the Olympic Park. The Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube looked like two giants dressed up for a neon party, and I was just one more tourist trying to capture the magic with my phone. The streets were alive, people were taking selfies everywhere, and I stood there thinking, “This is Beijing? Okay, I’m impressed.”

The next day started with food. And in Beijing, that means hot pot. It looks innocent enough—boiling broth, fresh meat, vegetables—but don’t be fooled. The spice level made me sweat like I was running a marathon. I thought “medium spicy” was safe, but apparently, my definition and Beijing’s definition don’t match. Still, it was an experience: the kind where you can’t stop eating even though your lips are on fire. A couple of local beers helped me survive.

The Forbidden City was next, and if hot pot was the fire test, this was the endurance one. That place is endless. Gate after gate, courtyard after courtyard, and people everywhere, all trying to get the perfect photo with the same red walls and golden roofs. It’s beautiful, no question about that, but after a while, you start wondering if the emperors built extra gates just to mess with people. At one point, I joined a tour group for a few minutes. I didn’t understand a word, but I nodded like a professional historian. It felt right.

The rest of my short trip was a mix of wandering through old hutongs and stumbling upon modern coffee shops that wouldn’t look out of place in Europe. One moment I was in a narrow alley full of rickshaws and street food smells, and the next I was sipping a latte in a café that probably has its own Instagram filter. That’s Beijing for you—a city that throws history and modern life at you all at once and somehow makes it work. Two days weren’t nearly enough, but it was just enough to make me want to come back.