Hotel Kapok Beijing (北京木棉花酒店)

Hotel Kapok Beijing (北京木棉花酒店) is a boutique hotel located within walking distance to the Forbidden City (故宫) and the Wangfujing Steet (王府井大街) shopping area.

Reception

Lobby

Restaurant in the hotel


Corridor to our rooms


Bathrode and mini bar enclosed in the closets

Bathroom

Toiletries

The weather Beijing in July is way too hot and humid. It's rather unbearable being soaked in perspiration once we step out to the outdoors. And perhaps it's the summer vacation, the Forbidden City (故宫) and Tiananmen (天安门) were super crowded.

QingHai Lake (青海湖)

According to Wikipedia, Qinghai Lake (青海湖) is the largest lake in China. It's so big that it looks like sea (海), rather than a lake (湖).




Our guide took us up to the hillside for a view of the enormous lake.



Along the roadsides, there are plenty of yellow fields of rapeseed flower (油菜花).


This is the most rural experience I ever had. Check out the "toilet" in middle of the field!


Don't even try to rely on those in the "restaurant". The public pay toilet has proper cubicles, but no doors. The only proper toilet, which has a door and a working flush, is the one at the petrol station.



On the way back to civilisation, we stopped by a family of beekeepers. My friends took the rare opportunity to watch the owners harvest honey (while I am too chicken to even go near).