Beijing Impressions - Trip report Aug '07
Oct 28th, 2007, 04:52 PM
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Beijing Impressions - Trip report Aug '07
Ni hao!
As thanks for all the great Fodorite advice, thought this report might also be helpful for those Olympic fans planning a trip to Beijing for the Games in August 2008 ....
We visited Beijing in mid-August as the celebrations of 365 day countdown to the Olympic games were in hang-over recovery, and the global media were in super-active reporting mode on the high level of pollution, oppressive heat and health issues for all participants and spectators. There were headlines about deadly food/medicine additives – and a bogus report of steamed buns made from cardboard.
So our expectations were low – as opposed to our preparations/research, which were in overdrive. Low expectations have the bonus of anything not a disaster being a plus ... and to our absolute delight – in spite of the heat, pollution, construction/traffic chaos and negative international media reports – we fell in love with Beijing; there is something unique about this huge city of over 15 million that just sings a siren’s lovesong.
<b> The weather</b> Yes it was hot, breezeless and humid, averaging in the mid-30s oF (mid 90s oF) with thick haze hiding the sun; it was not oppressive as long as the pace was kept leisurely. One hot-weather male fashion mode that amused us were t-shirts and tank tops rolled high up and tucked under armpits. A free nipple-show
Weather link:
http://www.weatherbase.com
<b>The pollution</b> Pollution levels were high, with nearby buildings lost to sight in the dense haze. As a lead-up to the Olympics – and lucky for us! – traffic was reduced by 50% by the expediency of banning odd/even registration plates on alternate days. Although we certainly noticed a reduction in the chaos that is Beijing traffic, unfortunately there was, according to officials, no measured reduction in the level of pollution. SEPA pollution level website: http://www.sepa.gov.cn/english/air-list.php3
A previous thread on pollution-impact health preventatives http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35031204 gave some good tips, especially after reading an article ‘Surviving Summer’s Noxious Brew’ http://e.sinchew-i.com/content.phtml...d=200706160011
To our great surprise, we had no problems whatsoever with the heavy pollution – we did always sip bottled water continuously (much better than glugging down a lot at once) ... another tip is not to drink icy-cold liquids quickly, as this can be such a shock to the system and indeed cause cramps and other nasties. Cool – even ambient temperature – water we found to be the most beneficial. The tip is, if you feel thirsty, you’ve left it too late to replenish the fluids so necessary for the body's hot-weather stability.
On the last day of our stay, Beijing dawned to spectacularly clear blue skies and unfettered sunshine. And the heat in the sun was unbearable, even the locals complained; we looked at each other, and had the same thought – there’s a positive side to pollution after all, creating ‘shade’ everywhere and for all
<b>Accommodation</b> We stayed at a tranquil and delightful traditional Chinese courtyard hotel in the Nanwei hutong – between Xi Shi Bei Da Jie and Dengyju Lo in central Beijing, in the Xi Cheng district just west of Bei Hai park.
Thread on our accommodation hunt (and success) http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34983935
Still writing the next section, but if there are any questions – don’t hesitate.
Xiexie, Jackie
As thanks for all the great Fodorite advice, thought this report might also be helpful for those Olympic fans planning a trip to Beijing for the Games in August 2008 ....
We visited Beijing in mid-August as the celebrations of 365 day countdown to the Olympic games were in hang-over recovery, and the global media were in super-active reporting mode on the high level of pollution, oppressive heat and health issues for all participants and spectators. There were headlines about deadly food/medicine additives – and a bogus report of steamed buns made from cardboard.
So our expectations were low – as opposed to our preparations/research, which were in overdrive. Low expectations have the bonus of anything not a disaster being a plus ... and to our absolute delight – in spite of the heat, pollution, construction/traffic chaos and negative international media reports – we fell in love with Beijing; there is something unique about this huge city of over 15 million that just sings a siren’s lovesong.
<b> The weather</b> Yes it was hot, breezeless and humid, averaging in the mid-30s oF (mid 90s oF) with thick haze hiding the sun; it was not oppressive as long as the pace was kept leisurely. One hot-weather male fashion mode that amused us were t-shirts and tank tops rolled high up and tucked under armpits. A free nipple-show
Weather link: http://www.weatherbase.com
<b>The pollution</b> Pollution levels were high, with nearby buildings lost to sight in the dense haze. As a lead-up to the Olympics – and lucky for us! – traffic was reduced by 50% by the expediency of banning odd/even registration plates on alternate days. Although we certainly noticed a reduction in the chaos that is Beijing traffic, unfortunately there was, according to officials, no measured reduction in the level of pollution. SEPA pollution level website: http://www.sepa.gov.cn/english/air-list.php3
A previous thread on pollution-impact health preventatives http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35031204 gave some good tips, especially after reading an article ‘Surviving Summer’s Noxious Brew’ http://e.sinchew-i.com/content.phtml...d=200706160011
To our great surprise, we had no problems whatsoever with the heavy pollution – we did always sip bottled water continuously (much better than glugging down a lot at once) ... another tip is not to drink icy-cold liquids quickly, as this can be such a shock to the system and indeed cause cramps and other nasties. Cool – even ambient temperature – water we found to be the most beneficial. The tip is, if you feel thirsty, you’ve left it too late to replenish the fluids so necessary for the body's hot-weather stability.
On the last day of our stay, Beijing dawned to spectacularly clear blue skies and unfettered sunshine. And the heat in the sun was unbearable, even the locals complained; we looked at each other, and had the same thought – there’s a positive side to pollution after all, creating ‘shade’ everywhere and for all
<b>Accommodation</b> We stayed at a tranquil and delightful traditional Chinese courtyard hotel in the Nanwei hutong – between Xi Shi Bei Da Jie and Dengyju Lo in central Beijing, in the Xi Cheng district just west of Bei Hai park.
Thread on our accommodation hunt (and success) http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34983935
Still writing the next section, but if there are any questions – don’t hesitate.
Xiexie, Jackie
Oct 28th, 2007, 06:41 PM
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<b>Traffic</b> Oh my, a symphony of chaos – fast moving, seemingly without rhyme or reason – or traffic rules – and the amazing thing is, it works! Buses, cars, bicycles, taxis, rickshaws, motor bikes, scooters, pushcarts, trucks are all part of the vast orchestra. Most drivers seem unaware they have brakes, most pedestrians seem unaware of the looming threat, and it just flows with an equilibrium that is entertainment in itself. We walked everywhere and loved it, and followed the tips here to cross busy streets with a local – even at pedestrian crossings as traffic lights often seem to be considered as interesting road decorations. We did get a few puzzling looks as we hugged their shadows and shoulders, keeping perfect pace with them ... wonder now if they thought <i>we</i> might be pickpockets, 
At one crossing attempt, a young man understood our dilemma, put one arm akimbo for me to tuck my arm in his to shepherd us across – and with big smiles all round, we continued in opposite directions with a warm feeling of ‘ships that pass in the night’.
<b>Transport</b> Apart from all the local buses, there’s a fairly new subway system (just 3 yuan per trip) which we had planned to experience, but time did not permit. Also, we just loved strolling to soak up the atmosphere and the local scene. Details on the subway with a virtual tour at
http://www.the beijingguide.com/subway/subway.com
Taxis are plentiful, but don’t always stop when you flag them down – so be prepared to wait. Taxis are metered, most are air-conditioned, and tender a detailed receipt of the charges when paying. Most taxi drivers don’t speak English, so have your destination in Chinese characters, or a map, at the ready. We were handed a brochure on taxis at Capital airport on arrival with, as an example, prices listed as 10 yuan within 3km, then 2 yuan per km – plus any toll charges. All genuine taxis have their registration label on display in the rear passenger window; our taxi from the airport to the hotel was 78 yuan. At our time of travel, the exchange rate was approx AU$ 1.00 = 6 yuan, so the cost for the 28 km half-hour trip was just $13.
<b>The Crowds</b> As previous posters have noted, most of the tourist crowds/tour groups are local Chinese – during our first day of exploring ‘our’ neighbourhood, we did not see another ‘round eye’. (Although this ratio will undoubtedly change with the influx of Olympic visitors.) There were huge groups of locals, each with its flag-wielding leader at, for example, the North Gate (Shenwu Men) of the Forbidden City but there seemed to be a special entrance arch – with white-gloved attendants – for ‘foreign’ visitors, so we were hustled to the front of the crowds with no waiting time at all.
At the amazing Temple of Heaven park (which we especially visited early on a Sunday as it’s such a favourite of local Beijingers) we became part of the tourist attraction. As we enjoyed a group of fan-dance practisers - and a large family group engaged in the fascinating foot-shuttlecock game - we were approached by a group of locals. And <i>all</i> wanted their photo taken with us – separately, one by one – and the laughter soon attracted a separate group of onlookers, so the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests became just a backdrop for a short while
The foot-shuttlecock family – all ages, from grandparents to anklebiters – saw my fascination with their skill of hitting the feathered shuttlecock with the side of their heels to each other, and indicated for me to join in. Oh how to explain that I’m so cautious about jerking leg movements (sciatica sufferer) and then in Chinese?! It was such a generous, impulsive invitation, that I said a wee prayer to the sciatica gods, and yes yes, managed to connect with the shuttlecock (admittedly with my shin rather than heel) and bounce it to the youngest!
After exiting ToH at the Zhaoheng (South) Gate – with its new floral tribute to the coming Games – we were fascinated by two young lads, accompanied by their dad and grandad – practising their calligraphy with water brushes on the courtyard tiles. The grandad spoke excellent English, and explained how important he felt it was for his grand<i>sons</i> to write beautifully. It was the eldest boy who had the brush, and was the focus of my photos. His young bro – just like siblings the world over – became annoyed at the attention his big bro was getting, and –just like kids the world over – enjoyed a wee bit of sabotage by performing a hop-scotch dance over the water characters. Also snapped amid much laughter. Then grandad handed me the brush to have a go – and like bees to honey, there was an immediate circle of locals to witness my clumsy attempts and I’m sure I wrote something terribly rude, as the laughter went up several pitches and the ladies covered their mouths!
At the Forbidden City, I was snapping a pic of DH on the bridge to the Changquing Gate to Purity as the same instant a daughter was snapping her elderly parents from the opposite direction. Our flashes crossed to much amusement – so we then snapped a pic of the lovely couple (now treasured in our album), the daughter snapped a pic of us and we indicated, with smiles and hand gestures which were surprisingly similar on both sides, that the ‘crossed flashing’ meant boundless good luck and good karma. And so it was.
At one crossing attempt, a young man understood our dilemma, put one arm akimbo for me to tuck my arm in his to shepherd us across – and with big smiles all round, we continued in opposite directions with a warm feeling of ‘ships that pass in the night’. <b>Transport</b> Apart from all the local buses, there’s a fairly new subway system (just 3 yuan per trip) which we had planned to experience, but time did not permit. Also, we just loved strolling to soak up the atmosphere and the local scene. Details on the subway with a virtual tour at
http://www.the beijingguide.com/subway/subway.com
Taxis are plentiful, but don’t always stop when you flag them down – so be prepared to wait. Taxis are metered, most are air-conditioned, and tender a detailed receipt of the charges when paying. Most taxi drivers don’t speak English, so have your destination in Chinese characters, or a map, at the ready. We were handed a brochure on taxis at Capital airport on arrival with, as an example, prices listed as 10 yuan within 3km, then 2 yuan per km – plus any toll charges. All genuine taxis have their registration label on display in the rear passenger window; our taxi from the airport to the hotel was 78 yuan. At our time of travel, the exchange rate was approx AU$ 1.00 = 6 yuan, so the cost for the 28 km half-hour trip was just $13.
<b>The Crowds</b> As previous posters have noted, most of the tourist crowds/tour groups are local Chinese – during our first day of exploring ‘our’ neighbourhood, we did not see another ‘round eye’. (Although this ratio will undoubtedly change with the influx of Olympic visitors.) There were huge groups of locals, each with its flag-wielding leader at, for example, the North Gate (Shenwu Men) of the Forbidden City but there seemed to be a special entrance arch – with white-gloved attendants – for ‘foreign’ visitors, so we were hustled to the front of the crowds with no waiting time at all.
At the amazing Temple of Heaven park (which we especially visited early on a Sunday as it’s such a favourite of local Beijingers) we became part of the tourist attraction. As we enjoyed a group of fan-dance practisers - and a large family group engaged in the fascinating foot-shuttlecock game - we were approached by a group of locals. And <i>all</i> wanted their photo taken with us – separately, one by one – and the laughter soon attracted a separate group of onlookers, so the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests became just a backdrop for a short while
The foot-shuttlecock family – all ages, from grandparents to anklebiters – saw my fascination with their skill of hitting the feathered shuttlecock with the side of their heels to each other, and indicated for me to join in. Oh how to explain that I’m so cautious about jerking leg movements (sciatica sufferer) and then in Chinese?! It was such a generous, impulsive invitation, that I said a wee prayer to the sciatica gods, and yes yes, managed to connect with the shuttlecock (admittedly with my shin rather than heel) and bounce it to the youngest!
After exiting ToH at the Zhaoheng (South) Gate – with its new floral tribute to the coming Games – we were fascinated by two young lads, accompanied by their dad and grandad – practising their calligraphy with water brushes on the courtyard tiles. The grandad spoke excellent English, and explained how important he felt it was for his grand<i>sons</i> to write beautifully. It was the eldest boy who had the brush, and was the focus of my photos. His young bro – just like siblings the world over – became annoyed at the attention his big bro was getting, and –just like kids the world over – enjoyed a wee bit of sabotage by performing a hop-scotch dance over the water characters. Also snapped amid much laughter. Then grandad handed me the brush to have a go – and like bees to honey, there was an immediate circle of locals to witness my clumsy attempts and I’m sure I wrote something terribly rude, as the laughter went up several pitches and the ladies covered their mouths!
At the Forbidden City, I was snapping a pic of DH on the bridge to the Changquing Gate to Purity as the same instant a daughter was snapping her elderly parents from the opposite direction. Our flashes crossed to much amusement – so we then snapped a pic of the lovely couple (now treasured in our album), the daughter snapped a pic of us and we indicated, with smiles and hand gestures which were surprisingly similar on both sides, that the ‘crossed flashing’ meant boundless good luck and good karma. And so it was.
Oct 28th, 2007, 09:21 PM
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<b>Up-to-date News</b> Apart from the many articles on China and the Olympics in our local papers (for those interested in Aussie news, try <i>Sydney Morning Herald</i> online at http://www.smh.com) in the months prior to our visit, we followed many travel forum threads (Fodor’s, Lonely Planet, TripAdvisor etc) and the great trip reports here. We checked for ‘breaking news’ at the <i>China Daily</i> online website http://www.chinadaily.net/, as well as the less biased and laid-back <i>That’s Beijing</i> website, with lots of updated info on eating, arts, exhibitions, pubs ‘n clubs at http://www.thatsbj.com/blog/index.php/2007/08/
<b>The Food</b> We loved it! We just ate at various restaurants within walking distance to our hutong - with the locals. We were the only Westerners we saw in these local eateries during our entire gastronomic adventures, and none of the various restaurant staff spoke any English aside from ‘hello’ which was only fitting, as all we spoke in Chinese was ni hao!
It was simple to just point at the pictures on the priced menu and then get the chopsticks in action mode. (Am sure if we asked, staff would have unearthed Western cutlery, but having enjoyed so many yum cha’s here in Oz, didn’t want to spoil the experience with ‘wrong’ utensils.)
As a price example (hotel included breakfast) dinner/lunch for two, with a couple of chilled ‘beverages’ and perhaps five or six different dishes came to between 75 to 100 yuan. We weren’t cautious about the types of food – fresh, pickled or raw – and had just one bad experience.
Which was due to gluttony!
<b>Beijing Trots</b> DH had ordered a helping of fried spare ribs – a huge plate, looked like half an animal. They were fatty and so delicious he scoffed the whole lot. Big mistake.
Very early next morning, before the birds started singing in our courtyard, the Spare Rib Fat got Revenge. In a big – and I mean big – way. And oh dear gods of the intestines, the toilet blocked! Near to overflowing. It’s before five in the morning, and the Spare Ribs advise there is MORE to come. The gods of the black plunger came to the rescue – blocked drains are a bit of a problem for a large slice of Beijing, and fortunately for us, we knew the Shrub/Bush where the Black Plunger Reposed in the courtyard. DH fixed the blockage, I fixed DH with a dose of Imodium and strict instructions on food for the day. Dry toast and green tea. The good karma from the ‘cross flashing’ came to the rescue, and he was fine by the afternoon. Phew!
<b>The Water</b> Do <u>NOT</u> drink, brush teeth or open mouth while showering. It’s not safe by even locals’ standards, who all drink bottled water or ginger tea. Have a plentiful supply at the ready. Our hotel supplied two 600mls of bottled water daily, but this is really just a token of what is needed to replenish fluids. We could buy more from the reception, at 5 yuan each, but that entailed a lot of paperwork and of course, not available in the middle of the night.
<b>Corner grocery stores</b> - (found everywhere, but hard to spot as they're so tiny!)
During our first day’s walking to familiarise ourselves with our ‘block’, on the corner near our hutong entry on Zhao Dengyu Lu, we discover a little grocery shop with lots of stacked water bottles outside, and as is so common here, the shopkeeper and his mum are sitting on little stools on the footpath, in full blast of the traffic exhaust fumes, calmly drinking tea. The shop is truly mini, but carries an amazing array and variety of goods. We point to the bottled water and the price shown on calculator is 17 yuan – the hotel charged 5, so it seems a bit steep – until we realize it’s for 24 bottles!! Bargain – and a couple of big bottles of beer discovered in a fridge there really wasn’t room for – and we’re fully ‘beveraged’. The shopkeeper asks where we’re staying, we whip out the card with name and address and point down our hutong, he grabs his bike, straps the slab of water on the back, the beer and snacks in the front, and onward ho! Lots of greeting and joking from his hutong compatriots and this seems to give us some street-cred as from then on all our ‘neighbours’ smile and say ni hao whenever we stroll the alley. We thanked him profusely but didn’t offer a tip – not because he didn’t deserve it, but his generous help was so spontaneous, we felt a tip might be an insult to his kindness. And yes, we did return to his shop several times (especially at beer o’clock) and were greeted as ‘old regulars’.
<b>Scams and Safety</b> With all the researching and reading, we were fully informed (or so we thought) on the art student and tea ceremony scams.
We didn’t wear any expensive-looking jewellery and carried just sufficient cash to see us through our day. Everything else - credit cards, documents, licences etc - was locked away at the hotel.
That said, we never once felt threatened or uncomfortable – and we did lots of strolling in our area the evenings, too – and felt very safe. However, the same might not be true for other more-touristy areas of Beijing – especially the bar and night-life areas.
But at least we did have a slight taste of the ‘scam’ for future dinner-table conversations.
After exiting the Forbidden City we ask a policeman where we can get a taxi – there’s a new rule of no stopping for any vehicles in front of the major attractions. We’re pointed down a side street towards Donghua Men – which gives an unexpectedly beautiful view of the FC’s moat complete with lush greenery and landscaped banks. It’s half traffic day: odd number plates only, and taxis are sparse.
<b>The tout</b> A young man approaches us with excellent English asking if we need a taxi. We answer yes, and he says right down here. We assume he’s a taxi driver ... but after a few minutes walk, he says here’s a good place to wait. And oh by the way, I’m an art student and this is my studio, if you’d like to have a look while you wait. He saw from our reaction that we were ‘in the know’ and he joined us good naturedly in our laughter and no thanks. He saved face by complimenting us on our good looks, long marriage and good humour. We saved face by complimenting him on his excellent English and wishing him well in his 'artistic' career, as we strolled further down the street.
The police seemed to be conducting a raid on cars (and taxis) driving with wrong number plates, so it took a while to get a cab, but eventually made it back to our hotel (17 yuan) to refresh with showers (mouths closed) and veg-out in air-conditioned comfort.
<b>The Food</b> We loved it! We just ate at various restaurants within walking distance to our hutong - with the locals. We were the only Westerners we saw in these local eateries during our entire gastronomic adventures, and none of the various restaurant staff spoke any English aside from ‘hello’ which was only fitting, as all we spoke in Chinese was ni hao!
It was simple to just point at the pictures on the priced menu and then get the chopsticks in action mode. (Am sure if we asked, staff would have unearthed Western cutlery, but having enjoyed so many yum cha’s here in Oz, didn’t want to spoil the experience with ‘wrong’ utensils.)
As a price example (hotel included breakfast) dinner/lunch for two, with a couple of chilled ‘beverages’ and perhaps five or six different dishes came to between 75 to 100 yuan. We weren’t cautious about the types of food – fresh, pickled or raw – and had just one bad experience.
Which was due to gluttony!
<b>Beijing Trots</b> DH had ordered a helping of fried spare ribs – a huge plate, looked like half an animal. They were fatty and so delicious he scoffed the whole lot. Big mistake.
Very early next morning, before the birds started singing in our courtyard, the Spare Rib Fat got Revenge. In a big – and I mean big – way. And oh dear gods of the intestines, the toilet blocked! Near to overflowing. It’s before five in the morning, and the Spare Ribs advise there is MORE to come. The gods of the black plunger came to the rescue – blocked drains are a bit of a problem for a large slice of Beijing, and fortunately for us, we knew the Shrub/Bush where the Black Plunger Reposed in the courtyard. DH fixed the blockage, I fixed DH with a dose of Imodium and strict instructions on food for the day. Dry toast and green tea. The good karma from the ‘cross flashing’ came to the rescue, and he was fine by the afternoon. Phew!
<b>The Water</b> Do <u>NOT</u> drink, brush teeth or open mouth while showering. It’s not safe by even locals’ standards, who all drink bottled water or ginger tea. Have a plentiful supply at the ready. Our hotel supplied two 600mls of bottled water daily, but this is really just a token of what is needed to replenish fluids. We could buy more from the reception, at 5 yuan each, but that entailed a lot of paperwork and of course, not available in the middle of the night.
<b>Corner grocery stores</b> - (found everywhere, but hard to spot as they're so tiny!)
During our first day’s walking to familiarise ourselves with our ‘block’, on the corner near our hutong entry on Zhao Dengyu Lu, we discover a little grocery shop with lots of stacked water bottles outside, and as is so common here, the shopkeeper and his mum are sitting on little stools on the footpath, in full blast of the traffic exhaust fumes, calmly drinking tea. The shop is truly mini, but carries an amazing array and variety of goods. We point to the bottled water and the price shown on calculator is 17 yuan – the hotel charged 5, so it seems a bit steep – until we realize it’s for 24 bottles!! Bargain – and a couple of big bottles of beer discovered in a fridge there really wasn’t room for – and we’re fully ‘beveraged’. The shopkeeper asks where we’re staying, we whip out the card with name and address and point down our hutong, he grabs his bike, straps the slab of water on the back, the beer and snacks in the front, and onward ho! Lots of greeting and joking from his hutong compatriots and this seems to give us some street-cred as from then on all our ‘neighbours’ smile and say ni hao whenever we stroll the alley. We thanked him profusely but didn’t offer a tip – not because he didn’t deserve it, but his generous help was so spontaneous, we felt a tip might be an insult to his kindness. And yes, we did return to his shop several times (especially at beer o’clock) and were greeted as ‘old regulars’.
<b>Scams and Safety</b> With all the researching and reading, we were fully informed (or so we thought) on the art student and tea ceremony scams.
We didn’t wear any expensive-looking jewellery and carried just sufficient cash to see us through our day. Everything else - credit cards, documents, licences etc - was locked away at the hotel.
That said, we never once felt threatened or uncomfortable – and we did lots of strolling in our area the evenings, too – and felt very safe. However, the same might not be true for other more-touristy areas of Beijing – especially the bar and night-life areas.
But at least we did have a slight taste of the ‘scam’ for future dinner-table conversations.
After exiting the Forbidden City we ask a policeman where we can get a taxi – there’s a new rule of no stopping for any vehicles in front of the major attractions. We’re pointed down a side street towards Donghua Men – which gives an unexpectedly beautiful view of the FC’s moat complete with lush greenery and landscaped banks. It’s half traffic day: odd number plates only, and taxis are sparse.
<b>The tout</b> A young man approaches us with excellent English asking if we need a taxi. We answer yes, and he says right down here. We assume he’s a taxi driver ... but after a few minutes walk, he says here’s a good place to wait. And oh by the way, I’m an art student and this is my studio, if you’d like to have a look while you wait. He saw from our reaction that we were ‘in the know’ and he joined us good naturedly in our laughter and no thanks. He saved face by complimenting us on our good looks, long marriage and good humour. We saved face by complimenting him on his excellent English and wishing him well in his 'artistic' career, as we strolled further down the street.
The police seemed to be conducting a raid on cars (and taxis) driving with wrong number plates, so it took a while to get a cab, but eventually made it back to our hotel (17 yuan) to refresh with showers (mouths closed) and veg-out in air-conditioned comfort.
Oct 29th, 2007, 03:23 PM
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Thanks all for your kind comments
Cookie - yes, Beijing was an extended stopover (6 nights) on our way to Stockholm, and we didn't travel anywhere else.
The general cost of living was comparatively very inexpensive for us, more on that in the next bit.
It's such a joy to relive our Beijing experience through reporting and looking at all the photos as I write.
Jackie
Cookie - yes, Beijing was an extended stopover (6 nights) on our way to Stockholm, and we didn't travel anywhere else.
The general cost of living was comparatively very inexpensive for us, more on that in the next bit.
It's such a joy to relive our Beijing experience through reporting and looking at all the photos as I write.
Jackie
Oct 29th, 2007, 07:53 PM
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<b>Independent travel</b> Aside from the hotel booking (confirmed 4 months in advance) we were independent travellers (as we always prefer to be) with no set itinerary and no inclination to group touring, and did not use guides, preferring to get all our info through research and thus being reasonably well-informed and familiar with the history/architecture of different places. We organised our days randomly, according to how we felt on awaking or how much we had exerted ourselves the day before.
We did organise our trip to the Great Wall at Mutianyu the day before through Spring Garden’s reception – which was just as well, as the limousine and English-speaking driver used by the hotel (800 yuan for the day) had the ‘wrong’ rego plates for that day but they organised a taxi for us with many apologies.
We used Lonely Planet’s <i>Best of Beijing</i> (2006) as our guide, mainly because it was focused on Beijing only, was slim but with lots of maps, and the main criteria ... it had to fit easily into a back pocket. We always carried it and it was invaluable. Also had a short list of phrases/words to help with communication.
The LP omission we found glaring was the only listings for the Great Wall were at Badaling and Simatai with nary a mention of Mutianyu. And Mutianya was less crowded, less ‘reconstructed’, less aggressive stallholders, and totally spectacular!
As a lead-up to the Olympics, all street/highway road signs are now in Pinyin (English letters) as well as Chinese characters so it’s relatively easy to orient or plan a route – whether walking or driving - from a map.
<b>Walking da streets</b> Beijing is flat – a bowl-shaped city surrounded by mountains – so strolling the streets is effortless, even in high temperatures/pollution, provided the fluids are kept topped up and a leisurely pace is interspersed with lots of breaks. This was how we fell in love with Beijing ... from the ground up, just soaking it all in – being mindful that it’s rude to stare; so if we found something fascinating, such as a hutong craftsman at his work on a sidewalk, we’d just ‘happen’ to need a break a bit further on, sit and take out the water bottles, and watch respectfully. Of course our presence didn’t go unnoticed, and if the expression was dour, we’d move on. If we were thrown a smile, we’d call out ni hao and smile back and enjoy, then continue on our way.
A few weeks prior to our departure, we read in the <i>China Daily</i> that the Government had ordered – as opposed to previously requested – all hotels to immediately set their minimum airconditioning temperatures at 26oC (about 78oF) in order to reduce power use/pollution. Our hotel room had a remote to set the airconditioning, and we could still set it at any temperature we wanted. That said, we chose 26-27oC as the most comfortable and healthwise, best for us as walkers to reduce the body shock of going from a chilled room to the hot and humid outdoors. We also used the charming little courtyard and our patio extensively, to keep our systems acclimatized to the atmosphere in which we would be exploring.
<b>Clothing</b> ... for Beijing’s summer months. We preferred loose, cottons/linens and sturdy, open leather sandals. Knee length shorts and short-sleeved shirt (looser and cooler than a synthetic t-shirt) for DH, and knee-length shorts/skirts for me, with a cotton tank-top and loose throw-over blouse for UV/sun protection. (Alas, I have some dodgy sunspots as we euphemistically call skin pre-cancers.)
It didn’t cool down more than a few degrees in the evenings, so we never needed our cotton slacks. Compared to the breast-bearing local gentlemen, we were overdressed anyway
At the major attractions, where most of the visitors were Chinese (except for the Great Wall) most were dressed similarly – western-style, cool, casual but respectful. Very few bared midriffs or cleavages, and nary a nipple-exposer to be seen. There was a distinct generational difference though, with the older visitors in more demure versions with upper arms and legs covered, and the young ones in tank tops and shorts. Saw no body piercing (aside from ear-rings) or tattoos at all.
We did organise our trip to the Great Wall at Mutianyu the day before through Spring Garden’s reception – which was just as well, as the limousine and English-speaking driver used by the hotel (800 yuan for the day) had the ‘wrong’ rego plates for that day but they organised a taxi for us with many apologies.
We used Lonely Planet’s <i>Best of Beijing</i> (2006) as our guide, mainly because it was focused on Beijing only, was slim but with lots of maps, and the main criteria ... it had to fit easily into a back pocket. We always carried it and it was invaluable. Also had a short list of phrases/words to help with communication.
The LP omission we found glaring was the only listings for the Great Wall were at Badaling and Simatai with nary a mention of Mutianyu. And Mutianya was less crowded, less ‘reconstructed’, less aggressive stallholders, and totally spectacular!
As a lead-up to the Olympics, all street/highway road signs are now in Pinyin (English letters) as well as Chinese characters so it’s relatively easy to orient or plan a route – whether walking or driving - from a map.
<b>Walking da streets</b> Beijing is flat – a bowl-shaped city surrounded by mountains – so strolling the streets is effortless, even in high temperatures/pollution, provided the fluids are kept topped up and a leisurely pace is interspersed with lots of breaks. This was how we fell in love with Beijing ... from the ground up, just soaking it all in – being mindful that it’s rude to stare; so if we found something fascinating, such as a hutong craftsman at his work on a sidewalk, we’d just ‘happen’ to need a break a bit further on, sit and take out the water bottles, and watch respectfully. Of course our presence didn’t go unnoticed, and if the expression was dour, we’d move on. If we were thrown a smile, we’d call out ni hao and smile back and enjoy, then continue on our way.
A few weeks prior to our departure, we read in the <i>China Daily</i> that the Government had ordered – as opposed to previously requested – all hotels to immediately set their minimum airconditioning temperatures at 26oC (about 78oF) in order to reduce power use/pollution. Our hotel room had a remote to set the airconditioning, and we could still set it at any temperature we wanted. That said, we chose 26-27oC as the most comfortable and healthwise, best for us as walkers to reduce the body shock of going from a chilled room to the hot and humid outdoors. We also used the charming little courtyard and our patio extensively, to keep our systems acclimatized to the atmosphere in which we would be exploring.
<b>Clothing</b> ... for Beijing’s summer months. We preferred loose, cottons/linens and sturdy, open leather sandals. Knee length shorts and short-sleeved shirt (looser and cooler than a synthetic t-shirt) for DH, and knee-length shorts/skirts for me, with a cotton tank-top and loose throw-over blouse for UV/sun protection. (Alas, I have some dodgy sunspots as we euphemistically call skin pre-cancers.)
It didn’t cool down more than a few degrees in the evenings, so we never needed our cotton slacks. Compared to the breast-bearing local gentlemen, we were overdressed anyway
At the major attractions, where most of the visitors were Chinese (except for the Great Wall) most were dressed similarly – western-style, cool, casual but respectful. Very few bared midriffs or cleavages, and nary a nipple-exposer to be seen. There was a distinct generational difference though, with the older visitors in more demure versions with upper arms and legs covered, and the young ones in tank tops and shorts. Saw no body piercing (aside from ear-rings) or tattoos at all.
Oct 29th, 2007, 08:51 PM
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<b> Language Barrier</b> With just a few basic words such as ‘hello’ ni hao and ‘thank you’ xiexie, we managed surprisingly well to make ourselves understood and to understand responses. As posted in another current thread on this subject, “How difficult is it to communicate ...” http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35083826 ‘we had no major language mishaps using sign-language, goodwill and lots of smiles. Being able to greet and thank locals paves the way for great assistance, not to mention laughter -and a feeling of experiencing the ‘real’ China.
As an example, we needed clean shirts for our last day, and decided instead of hunting up a laundry, we’d just buy a couple on our local street. Ordinary clothing store for the locals, with price tags clearly visible. Found just what we needed priced at 50 yuan, but asked for another size, 44. The smiling assistant’s mouth turned from up to down as she thought we were bargaining! She was most offended and pointed with a sharp finger to the price tag. Then I turned DH round, made him squat (he’s very tall) and wiggled out the tag of the shirt he was wearing to show the 44 size, she understood and we laughed so loudly the guy from a neighbouring shop came in to see what the merriment was about, and then also joined in!’
And I have to add here, a great deal of the merriment was watching DH attempting to gracefully unwind from his squat and failing so miserably he actually landed on his bum
<b>Costs and Budget</b> We knew from info here that there was an ATM just past Immigration and Customs in the arrival hall at Beijing Capital airport, and withdrew only as much as we thought we’d need for the next couple of days – 2,000 yuan, approx AU$300. (And according to today’s currency exchange, it’s almost the same in U$ dollars with the Aussie dollar currently equivalent to .92 U$). DH was concerned it was too little, but was reassured when told there was a Bank of China just round the corner from our hotel for easy future withdrawals.
To our astonishment, we had cash left over from this one-and-only withdrawal when we left six days later! (We are not shoppers or upmarket restaurant/niteclub patrons.) We didn’t go to any markets – truly, most of it is available right here in my local shops or Sydney’s Chinatown and we both have an aversion to bargaining).
So 2,000 yuan covered the cost for two for six days of moderate restaurants, incidental grocery shopping, entry to the main attractions: eg Forbidden City 60 yuan ea, BeiHai Park 20 yuan ea, Temple of Heaven 35 yuan ea, taxis etc., but excluding the Great Wall excursion which was put on our hotel bill. We did do a lot of walking though, not to save on taxi fares but because it’s our favourite mode of exploring.
And come to think of it, we only ate out once a day, either lunch or dinner. Not to keep the costs down (the restaurants were so inexpensive) but to feel good whilst active in hot weather it’s best to eat less rather than more. See what happened when DH succumbed to over-eating those delicious spare ribs? The meals were so generous, we’d substitute the ‘missing’ one with fruit, nuts and savoury buns purchased from the bakery around the corner. Oh and we had our booze supply from duty-free, so sundowners were from our own provisions. Oh and coffee – we are coffee addicts and never travel without our favourite ground coffee and little travel plunger. Once again not because of cost, but so we can have freshly-brewed coffee at the here and now – and especially as soon as we woke up, often before the dawn. The hotel provided a thermos of boiling water (for the green tea sachets) which stayed piping hot throughout the day.
<b>Highlights</b>
*The hutongs and the charming Beijing locals, always ready with a smile, so generous in their attitude to ‘foreign invaders’ who in their ignorance make mistakes (i.e. never leave your chopsticks upright in the rice whilst eating, this invokes and may anger the spirits of the dead, as chopsticks upright in rice is a traditional ancestral offering).
*Our traditional Chinese courtyard hutong hotel (just 8 rooms), which we so enjoyed and which allowed us steep ourselves in the Beijing experience even when not out exploring.
*Using a squat toilet successfully
*The locals in the gardens of the Temple of Heaven enjoying their weekend activities in music groups, family groups, dancing groups, sporting groups, or solo. When we arrived at the North Celestial Gate, there was a choir practising in one of the arches (good acoustics, no doubt) with three Chinese instrument players. This was not ‘provided’ entertainment, just a group doing their thang with such gusto, such enthusiasm, such joy – that it brought a lump to my throat.
For me, they were indeed playing Beijing’s siren lovesong.
Xiexie Beijing
Jackie
As an example, we needed clean shirts for our last day, and decided instead of hunting up a laundry, we’d just buy a couple on our local street. Ordinary clothing store for the locals, with price tags clearly visible. Found just what we needed priced at 50 yuan, but asked for another size, 44. The smiling assistant’s mouth turned from up to down as she thought we were bargaining! She was most offended and pointed with a sharp finger to the price tag. Then I turned DH round, made him squat (he’s very tall) and wiggled out the tag of the shirt he was wearing to show the 44 size, she understood and we laughed so loudly the guy from a neighbouring shop came in to see what the merriment was about, and then also joined in!’
And I have to add here, a great deal of the merriment was watching DH attempting to gracefully unwind from his squat and failing so miserably he actually landed on his bum
<b>Costs and Budget</b> We knew from info here that there was an ATM just past Immigration and Customs in the arrival hall at Beijing Capital airport, and withdrew only as much as we thought we’d need for the next couple of days – 2,000 yuan, approx AU$300. (And according to today’s currency exchange, it’s almost the same in U$ dollars with the Aussie dollar currently equivalent to .92 U$). DH was concerned it was too little, but was reassured when told there was a Bank of China just round the corner from our hotel for easy future withdrawals.
To our astonishment, we had cash left over from this one-and-only withdrawal when we left six days later! (We are not shoppers or upmarket restaurant/niteclub patrons.) We didn’t go to any markets – truly, most of it is available right here in my local shops or Sydney’s Chinatown and we both have an aversion to bargaining).
So 2,000 yuan covered the cost for two for six days of moderate restaurants, incidental grocery shopping, entry to the main attractions: eg Forbidden City 60 yuan ea, BeiHai Park 20 yuan ea, Temple of Heaven 35 yuan ea, taxis etc., but excluding the Great Wall excursion which was put on our hotel bill. We did do a lot of walking though, not to save on taxi fares but because it’s our favourite mode of exploring.
And come to think of it, we only ate out once a day, either lunch or dinner. Not to keep the costs down (the restaurants were so inexpensive) but to feel good whilst active in hot weather it’s best to eat less rather than more. See what happened when DH succumbed to over-eating those delicious spare ribs? The meals were so generous, we’d substitute the ‘missing’ one with fruit, nuts and savoury buns purchased from the bakery around the corner. Oh and we had our booze supply from duty-free, so sundowners were from our own provisions. Oh and coffee – we are coffee addicts and never travel without our favourite ground coffee and little travel plunger. Once again not because of cost, but so we can have freshly-brewed coffee at the here and now – and especially as soon as we woke up, often before the dawn. The hotel provided a thermos of boiling water (for the green tea sachets) which stayed piping hot throughout the day.
<b>Highlights</b>
*The hutongs and the charming Beijing locals, always ready with a smile, so generous in their attitude to ‘foreign invaders’ who in their ignorance make mistakes (i.e. never leave your chopsticks upright in the rice whilst eating, this invokes and may anger the spirits of the dead, as chopsticks upright in rice is a traditional ancestral offering).
*Our traditional Chinese courtyard hutong hotel (just 8 rooms), which we so enjoyed and which allowed us steep ourselves in the Beijing experience even when not out exploring.
*Using a squat toilet successfully
*The locals in the gardens of the Temple of Heaven enjoying their weekend activities in music groups, family groups, dancing groups, sporting groups, or solo. When we arrived at the North Celestial Gate, there was a choir practising in one of the arches (good acoustics, no doubt) with three Chinese instrument players. This was not ‘provided’ entertainment, just a group doing their thang with such gusto, such enthusiasm, such joy – that it brought a lump to my throat.
For me, they were indeed playing Beijing’s siren lovesong.
Xiexie Beijing
Jackie
Oct 29th, 2007, 10:27 PM
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What a lovely trip you had and I never knew they rented a room like a hotel in Hutongs. I am in Beijing for work at the moment in a lovely hotel we always stay for work near the Pearl Market and I really wish I had time to go sightseeing. We are having dinner in a restaurant my Chinese work mate has booked near the hutongs tonight! Thnks for posting all the info...maybe next time I could try the Hutong!
S
S
Oct 30th, 2007, 02:36 AM
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Ni hoa Siobhan, must be so frustrating to be in Beijing and only have time for work 
and not sightseeing.
Hope your restaurant visit is a great success ... go easy on those Spare Ribs If you have time, what about a review of the restaurant and your hotel? Am sure others would appreciate it.
Jackie
and not sightseeing.Hope your restaurant visit is a great success ... go easy on those Spare Ribs
If you have time, what about a review of the restaurant and your hotel? Am sure others would appreciate it.Jackie
Oct 30th, 2007, 04:06 AM
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Thanks FurryTiles/Jackie!
I really liked your trip report (a bit different from the blow by blow daily account we sometimes get - though I do love those too, I must confess).
I will definitely be printing off a copy of it when I go to China!! (booked my ticket today!!!)
I may ask you some more questions soon!
I really liked your trip report (a bit different from the blow by blow daily account we sometimes get - though I do love those too, I must confess).
I will definitely be printing off a copy of it when I go to China!! (booked my ticket today!!!)
I may ask you some more questions soon!
Oct 30th, 2007, 07:47 AM
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I usually Stay in the Jianguo hotel and its reasonably priced....can't remember exact price as I pre paid but will post later...its a hop down to the Pearl Market and I bought a lot this wewvening...Jacket for my mother, some earrings for me, shirts for him and a funky roller case and a few tops..haggle like hell as they totally go abbout 10 times more than you should pay i.e we got a sweater for a colleague for 100 yuan (ten euro) and she started with 1500 which is even more than Irish Prices! Laughable but someone will fal for it. My friend is Chinese so when they see her the price drops but she plays it cool and I am getting used to haggling from my trips to India...got a logvely sweater for 4 euro! 40 yuan...its a local price as my friend bought one and they cannot charge me more than her after she buys it as they still want the sale. I usually pay more than probabbly I should in general but hey we all have to make a living and I respect that they need to as well.
The restaurant was amazing....its called Huajia in a courtyard (2 buildings like a hutong) and is famous for Peking duck. I had a few veggie dishes but my colleagues went wild for the duck. My Chinese pal loves thios place and she never goes wrong with food when we go out...she is a foodie but in China! The street is filled with restaurants and really lovely all lit up with red lanterns. She said its a very popular restaurant and we did not see another western face...but its Tuesday so that may have something to do with it ewven still it was packed and had a wait list!
Have to trun and get some sleep will post when back in shanghai tomorrow...will do some sightseeing there on Sat. I studied here 15v years ago and the changes still amaze me!
Take care
S
The restaurant was amazing....its called Huajia in a courtyard (2 buildings like a hutong) and is famous for Peking duck. I had a few veggie dishes but my colleagues went wild for the duck. My Chinese pal loves thios place and she never goes wrong with food when we go out...she is a foodie but in China! The street is filled with restaurants and really lovely all lit up with red lanterns. She said its a very popular restaurant and we did not see another western face...but its Tuesday so that may have something to do with it ewven still it was packed and had a wait list!
Have to trun and get some sleep will post when back in shanghai tomorrow...will do some sightseeing there on Sat. I studied here 15v years ago and the changes still amaze me!
Take care
S
Oct 30th, 2007, 03:26 PM
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Siobhan, sounds like you really whipped up an appetite with all that shopping/bargaining for your Huajia restaurant visit. Aren't those veggie dishes wonderful - my favourite was a spinach/peanut combination.
Happy onward travels to Shanghai!
Jackie
Happy onward travels to Shanghai!
Jackie
Oct 30th, 2007, 03:29 PM
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Ni Hao, Jackie -- Glad you had such a great time in Beijing and your TR is lovely, really enjoyed your lively descriptions. Xie xie!
I am in Shanghai now, had dinner a couple of nights ago with 2 American friends on independent travel, they got taken on the paper bills. They paid for a 30 rmb item with a 100 rmb bill, got a 20 and a 50 as change. At the next transaction the vendor told them their change were russian rubles!
I am in Shanghai now, had dinner a couple of nights ago with 2 American friends on independent travel, they got taken on the paper bills. They paid for a 30 rmb item with a 100 rmb bill, got a 20 and a 50 as change. At the next transaction the vendor told them their change were russian rubles!
Oct 30th, 2007, 03:41 PM
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Hi Petitpois, yes so happy you were right! I did update the thread on 24Sept shortly after we arrived back, and gave you a virtual pat on the back ....
"Rkkwan and petitepois' predictions proved 100% correct – we did not suffer any side-effects or even minor irritations even though the level of pollution was high; we followed rploehn's advice, and kept sipping water to flush our throats during our many independent discovery walks around the city, taking many breaks in the shade or in a cafe, or browsing local shops."
Goodonya, Petite
Jackie
"Rkkwan and petitepois' predictions proved 100% correct – we did not suffer any side-effects or even minor irritations even though the level of pollution was high; we followed rploehn's advice, and kept sipping water to flush our throats during our many independent discovery walks around the city, taking many breaks in the shade or in a cafe, or browsing local shops."
Goodonya, Petite
Jackie
Oct 30th, 2007, 04:05 PM
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Knee how, Shangainese!
We did indeed have a great time in Beijing, just loved it.
And guess what, as I successfully accomplished the squat toilet procedure, I thought of you and the discussion we had on just this subject. Lol! This was at Mutianyu and as I was waiting at the last stall in market alley there for DH to return from his 'mission', I saw just what you had recommended as excellent gifts - chops! It was the only thing I really wanted, and knew the approx cost from your post. It was the only time I bargained ... and paid 50 yuan each. The craftsman who had sculpted most of the wares on display also engraved the chops with personal names in Chinese, and I documented the whole procedure with lots of pics.
And am meanie - have saved them as Christmas presents to reduce <i>that</i> shopping list. Will include the pics as part of the pressie, to add to the impact of Your Personal Chop Engraved by a Craftsman at the Great Wall of China. What could be better?
Fortunately for us, unlike your friends, we had no probs with getting correct currency change - but then, in my research I found lots of info on the counterfeit 100 yuan notes in circulation, and in the process knew what the RMB currency looked like.
Xiexie for all your great tips
Jackie
We did indeed have a great time in Beijing, just loved it.
And guess what, as I successfully accomplished the squat toilet procedure, I thought of you and the discussion we had on just this subject. Lol! This was at Mutianyu and as I was waiting at the last stall in market alley there for DH to return from his 'mission', I saw just what you had recommended as excellent gifts - chops! It was the only thing I really wanted, and knew the approx cost from your post. It was the only time I bargained ... and paid 50 yuan each. The craftsman who had sculpted most of the wares on display also engraved the chops with personal names in Chinese, and I documented the whole procedure with lots of pics.
And am meanie - have saved them as Christmas presents to reduce <i>that</i> shopping list. Will include the pics as part of the pressie, to add to the impact of Your Personal Chop Engraved by a Craftsman at the Great Wall of China. What could be better?
Fortunately for us, unlike your friends, we had no probs with getting correct currency change - but then, in my research I found lots of info on the counterfeit 100 yuan notes in circulation, and in the process knew what the RMB currency looked like.
Xiexie for all your great tips
Jackie
