Ritan Park

This isn’t the biggest of Beijing’s many parks, but it is arguably the quaintest. Right in the center is an altar, used to make sacrifices to the gods. The park is a favorite spot for Beijing’s kite enthusiasts: depending on the wind, they can be found in the temple complex or by the hillside pagoda. Ritan Park also has a small lake, a restaurant on its grounds and several other cafés and coffee shops on the outer roads. It’s a delightful place to capture Beijingers at play, and it’s fascinating to see the dynamics of the one-child-family in action: every move of the little one is watched by doting parents and two sets of grandparents!