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yellowgirl
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tips for a first-timer in Beijing, China
We are planning to visit Beijing, China next month primarily to see the Great Wall. We were surprised and confused to know that most tour packages offer much of the same things albeit on different locations of the Wall. Any suggestions which is the best choice?
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GeorginaS
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Eating in Beijing
One of the highlights of a trip to China is the fabulous food and Beijing has some of the most exciting. Unfortunately it tends to be the most expensive as it is the food of the emperors! Eating in restaurants is great, but my feeling is that the best food in China is the street food which is tasty, authentic, non fussy and of course very cheap.
If you like street food you must visit the Donghuamen Food Market a night market which takes over one of the Beijing streets every night from 6pm. It is packed with stalls selling weird and wonderful culinary concoctions. There are lots of bugs on skewers which I stayed well away from, but there is also delicacies such as dumplings, noodles, pancakes and lots of interesting stuff to try. Just buy a little of whatever takes your fancy – it’s better not to ask what it is, it’s probably delicious!! One thing to note is that unlike the clothes and antiques markets, there’s no haggling here.
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GeorginaS
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Beijing Street Markets
Beijing is a mecca for shopaholics, with fantastic quality pieces at low prices (if your bargaining skills are up to scratch). If you like Chinese pieces such as scrolls, engravings, chop sticks, beautiful material, tea sets and rice bowls you will be spoilt for choice. I bought so much I had to send it back to the UK before me! There are loads of shopping malls in Beijing, but the key markets are the Xiu Shui street mall which is a relatively new and tourist friendly addition and is less chaotic but still offers some good bargains and a wide range of things to buy. Hongqiao Pearl Market is a great indoor shopping area for clothes, shoes and accessories as well as electrical goods and pearls. There’s nothing traditional about it, but there are some great bargains to be had. For clothes and accessories, try the Xiushui Silk Market a huge indoor market with some lovely things on offer and lots of good fake designer labels. If you are looking for a bit of the old China then head to the crowded, chaotic Panjiayuan Antiques Market where you can pick up some beautiful souveniers. You need to bargain hard here, there are some beautiful things for sale and they are very reasonably priced.
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wanderlin
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Grand Opening Ceremony
Torch Relay
August 6 saw torch arrived at Beijing and started three day relay until finally reach the main venue: National Stadium (nicknamed as Bird’s Nest). Every people in Beijing are enthusiastic and earnest for August 8 grand opening. The torch relay features astronaut, basketball giants Yaoming, China’s flying people Liu Yang and other celebrities while three day relay features cultural, scenic and academic routes. Beijing Municipal Government announced most companies are off work tomorrow (August 8) to embrace the great opening. So I reckon hundreds of thousands of people will go out tomorrow to cheer the last day torch relay.
Opening Ceremony
I went to watch rehearsal fireworks right outside National Stadium last Saturday and I almost squeezed to death among thousands of watchers. The roads nearby were cordoned off and public transportation steered cleared of nearby areas, the nearest subway stop was admitted to open every 5 minutes for fearing of overcrowded trampling accident.
The fireworks are gorgeous and splendid. I felt so excited to see fireworks given off in summer time, usually I watch fireworks in Spring Festival.
Olympic Sportsmanship
Quite interesting topic I would to discuss, ‘cause I found sportsmanship concept in China is differently interpreted from other countries. Though Olympic sportsmanship advocates mutual understanding, friendship and fair competition, I found Chinese athletes rarely played for fun, but totally for gaining national glory. Of course every athlete wants to bring glory to his/her own counties, but Chinese athletes attached so much attentions, it seems he/she bear only one factor.. to win.
This year, the Chinese athletes have even heavier pressure since China is the host country. Medias kept showing their past glory and chased them for practice, I even felt the pressure worrying about how about he/she failed after such a pro-event splendid publicity??
Well… still I wish Chinese athletes, no all athletes in the world exert their best to bring back glory.
Finally wish the 29th Beijing Olympic a GREAT SUCCESS!!!!
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TEF007
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Sanlitun Lu 58
Sanlitun lu 58 is one of this dirty little pubs on the bar street. It's my favorite place to go any time I'm in Beijing. The beer is not quit cheep but they have a great band playing every night. Their program includes everything from soft oldies to Metallica.
Friday and Saturday nights are crowded.
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GoShepGo
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Subway rush hour
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Everyone knows that Beijing’s street traffic is bad (both pedestrian and vehicular), but I think the subway is starting to creep up there too. I’m not sure if it’s because of the Olympics (actually it probably is because that seems to be the reason for literally everything that happens in this city), or for some other reason, but it seems like the subway gets busier and busier every day. I remember in 2006 it was like traveling on your own private transport system. Almost every time I went anywhere, I only saw a few other people in my subway car.
Nowadays, it’s like madness. Ever been on the Tube in London? Or on the subways of Tokyo or Hong Kong? That’s what it looks like now. The stations are much bigger, which means more people cram themselves into them, and the platforms are stacked with bodies waiting to shove themselves onto the next car that rolls in.
Going somewhere in the middle of the day is still ok, because besides the lines in the stations and the ticketing and security check experiences (see below), the platforms and the trains are not too crowded. But I wouldn’t get on a subway after about 4 pm here… That’s when it starts to become unbelievably busy. Think of how Beijing’s ring roads look at rush hour, but imagine bodies on a train platform instead of cars on a road.
To compound the issue during rush hour, the security check stations and the really poorly laid out ticket stands (always right in the back so you have to fight through the line for security to get your tickets, then fight your way back through it so you can go to the end of it and wait some more) can add plenty of minutes to your journey. If you’re really that serious about saving some kuai, or you just want to try it out, trust me, go during the middle of the day. I wouldn’t be caught dead on a subway at dinner time.
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GoShepGo
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When 100 is not 100
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
We have all heard the horror stories about the poor tourist that gets duped out of his real 100 yuan bill and given a fake 100 yuan one as change, and then forced to pay even MORE to clear the still "unpaid" check.
While it might seem paranoid to worry about this every time you have to pay for something, it is a good idea to be wary of the possibility of counterfeit money when you are in a touristy area or in a place that is often frequented by foreigners… It’s these times that you are most likely going to fall victim to a counterfeit money scam.
Luckily, there is a really handy trick to protect yourself from ever having a 100 yuan bill switched on you. (I’m sure this works with other bills too but 100’s are the ones you are most likely to have switched).
The trick: On every 100 yuan bill there is a unique identification number. It’s 10 digits long, printed horizontally on the left part and vertically right part of the front of the bill, you can’t miss it. If you’re in a place where you could be at risk for counterfeit scams, as you pay for your goods, simply read aloud (or memorize if you’re too embarrassed) the last four digits of that 100 yuan bill’s identification number. That way, if you read it aloud, the shopkeeper can’t covertly switch your bill with a counterfeit one and hand the fake one back to you claiming you tried to pay him/her with a false bill, and demand you pay "again". If you just memorized it, should it come down to it and you DO get scammed after all, you will be able to prove that the shopkeeper has it in his/her stash by reciting the last four digits to him/her. I know several friends who have used this trick and it works every time. And you usually get a pretty satisfying reaction of shock from the foiled shopkeeper too!
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dingclancy
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Impressions on Beijing
Beijing offers so much to a tourist that it’s hard to put it all down into writing. There are several cultural monuments to visit. The Great Wall of China is easily accessible from the Beijing area, and the streets of Beijing also give off a smell and a vibe that reeks of Communist China. What’s interesting to see in this rapidly developing city are the old houses that have industrial and corporate buildings in their backdrop. Add to this the rushing crowds that consist of hundreds of commuters and the Beijing experience takes a tourist to the heart of modern Chinese living, which is, ironically, pretty old fashioned.
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orangetravel
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Beijing Olympics
Do you think the upcoming Olympics in China will be safe both for travelers and locals? Who among you think that the "massacre at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games" won't happen again?
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pensters2000
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Accommodation in Beijing for the Olympic Games
Can anyone recommend where to stay in Beijing/Peking during the Olympic Games? It doesn't necessarily need to be a hotel- I will be on a budget!
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andromeda
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If the duck escapes you, there are many others
The Peking Duck is almost like a culinary mascot, it’s part of the sight-seeing, something one just shouldn’t miss when in Beijing.
As it happens, I passed through the city in such a blur, that I did miss it. But I happened to be staying with a local expat in a very traditional part of town and he made sure my taste buds got a good sampling of China. He was an Englishman who spoke Chinese with an incredible accent which amused the local folk very much, but it also made him very popular.
“If you want to try traditional food,” he said “you must start with Congee,” which is a gluten-ous soupy dish that has seen many variations. I tried a chicken congee and then a sweet congee with toast bits in it. Though it’s pleasant, I couldn’t have it everyday as the masses do. I also tried a nice meaty rice roll besides other excellent Chinese roadside food from a shoddy take-away stall.
Unfortunately, I can’t remember the names of the foods now, but I do remember that I couldn’t get enough.
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andromeda
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Zzzz’s on the Beijing-Shanghai luxury train
The Z-trains running between Shanghai and Beijing are an experience. There are about five trains each day between 1900 to 1930 hrs from each destination and the 12 hour journey is covered in true luxury. The interiors are like a star hotel, super comfortable and plush, carpeted and curtained. The neat cabin is furnished with pillows, blankets, water jug, decorative flower, controllable lights and temperature, and even a pair of soft slippers. To top it all they serve an excellent dinner.
A one-way trip is about 500 RMB which is very reasonable when compared with a flight. And since it’s an over-night journey you don’t lose time. Just that it was a carpeted train was enough for me.
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andromeda
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In Chinese you’re probably saying the wrong thing
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Chinese is a tough language to speak because depending on the intonation (rising, falling, flat etc) one word can have up to five different meanings. Very few local people speak English or other languages and what little engrish they do speak is most often their own dialect.
The best way to communicate in China is to get a handy English-Chinese translation book and just point to what you want. Or write down the Chinese words – which can be complicated but is much like drawing. It’s an interesting language (spoken and written) if one has the time to learn the nuances.
Within a week I could say: Hello, no, don't want (very useful while bargaining), the first few numbers, basic directions and 'wow'.
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andromeda
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The fake currency scare
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
There has hopefully been a crackdown on this by now, but when I was in Beijing a couple of years ago I had an unpleasant experience. While breaking some money, I was given a fake 100 Yuan note. Like a naïve tourist person (the best victim), I only realized much later how different the note was.
The paper of the fake note was much thicker and cheaper and tore a lot more easily. The real note feels a lot smoother between the fingers (besides the watermark and other official insignias).
This happened on the outskirts of the city at a local shop in a village and I suspect it is not so common in the heart of the cosmopolitan cities in China. But I did notice that cashiers at supermarkets made it a point to recheck the notes, so people were definitely aware of the scam. One good thing that came out of this was that I was on my toes all the time.
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jhaagen
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Head South to Lin's Kitchen
I have had the great fortune to have ended up living within walking distance of what I regard to be the best restaurant in Beijing. Lin's Kitchen (on Da Wang Road, south of New Town SOHO) blends the very best of a wide variety of Chinese cuisines. They focus mostly on Shanghainese and Sichuan, but also have classical Beijing dishes, Northeast dishes, Guangdong dishes, and anything else you might want. I have not had any bad food on the menu, but I would strongly recommend that any who goes should try the mango salad, the cold garlic eggplant, and the rolled beef and mushrooms.
Be aware that the restaurant is a little bit hard to find since it lines the side and back of the much larger, Noodle Loft. Look out for the noodle loft and then head to the Southside of that building.
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jhaagen
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Underground City: Full of terror, and a lot of kitsch
It took me ages to actually find this place, hidden in an alleyway near Qianmen. It is one of the most surreal adventures one can have in Beijing. This series of tunnels underneath Beijing was built by Mao Zedong during the heightening of tensions with the USSR. Rumor has it that they could have held about 30% of the population of Beijing. As I went down into the depths of these tunnels, I felt an almost unbelievable sense of dread, like the air itself had been stained by Cold War politics. The paranoia that comes with visiting the site cannot be removed from the paranoia that went into building these tunnels. You certainly do not get the sense of a kind world. However, just in case you were taking the experience too seriously, the dank tunnels open up into a brightly lit silk shop at the end of the tour. Even the gravest of communist artifacts is about to do without a gift shop.
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jhaagen
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Hot Loft: Perfect location for big group dinners
If Your Town has the best ingredients, I have not been to a Hot Pot place in Beijing with better service or a better atmosphere than Hot Loft. It’s a giant restaurant that is inexplicably nearly always empty. I have found this to typically be the best sort of this type of restaurant when you are hanging out with large groups (especially if the groups include a combination of Chinese and Western friends, with Chinese and western tastes). There is nothing at this restaurant that I don’t recommend, but definitely ask for the shrimp, which comes out in a paste that the servers will ball for you right at the table.
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jhaagen
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Your Town has the freshest hot pot
There is a lot of debate about what restaurant in Beijing serves the best Hot Pot. For me, Your Town has to be right up at the top. Few people seem to figure out where this place is because it is so carefully hidden in the basement of the Winterless Center on Da Wang Lu, but having found it once I have been going back very frequently. There is little to distinguish one hot pot restaurant from the others except for the quality of service and quality of ingredients. On the latter point, I haven’t found a better place in the whole city.
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jhaagen
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MIX is one to miss
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Along with Vic’s, this Gongti night club is probably regarded as one of the tops in Beijing. Not by me, though. In my varied experiences being dragged here for friends birthday and going-away parties, I have found the cover and drink prices to be ridiculously high, the music to be boring, and the bouncers to be borderline abusive. The greatest draw to this club is how pretty the girls are, and I do not deny this fact. I will just advise that if that is your M.O., there are tons of places in Beijing with pretty girls. There are even some where you don’t have to spend lots of money to have a bad time just to be near them.
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jhaagen
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Bellaggio: Awesome late night dining
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
There are a couple of locations around town, but by far and away the best place to go is the branch at Gongti West Gate. The restaurant is very well placed in the club district because its one of the few really good Chinese restaurants that stays open until the wee hours. I am a huge fan of their three cups chicken, but others swear by the desserts (especially the mango sorbet). Above all else, though, this restaurant is probably the best spot for people watching late night on weekends. You are in walking distance of over ten clubs (including the city’s top gay club), which means that there is almost always something interesting to watch to go along with your meal.
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