Meritxell Yélamos, a 22-year-old international student from Spain, swapped modern apartments for Beijing’s iconic hutongs this year – and she’s never looked back. 🏮 These centuries-old alleyways, she says, are where the city’s heartbeat thrums loudest. "You can’t understand Beijing until you’ve watched the sunrise over tiled rooftops while neighbors share steamed buns," she laughs.
Where History Meets Hotpot
From morning tai chi sessions at the Temple of Heaven to late-night lamb skewers at buzzing hutong eateries, Meritxell’s days blend tradition with TikTok-worthy moments. 🥢 Her favorite spots? The Yonghe Lama Temple’s golden Buddhas ("Han and Tibetan culture holding hands in architecture!") and the Drum Tower’s maze of tea shops where "grandmas know more about pu’er than any influencer."
Food = Love Language
Her food diary reads like a love letter: crispy Peking duck skin that "crunches like autumn leaves," winter markets selling ruby-red candied hawthorns, and the life-changing discovery that "best fried sauce noodles come from unmarked doors." 🍜
As 2025 winds down, Meritxell’s advice to travelers? "Slow down. China’s magic isn’t in speed – it’s in steamed dumpling clouds rising at dawn." ✨
