General: Beijing

In China the people say they will eat anything with four legs – except a chair and anything with two wings – except an airplane. Thus we were well prepared for our first evening in the capital of China, Beijing, as our local Chinese guide Jackie took fourteen exhausted UK Voyagers Jules Verne travellers through the open air street market in this remarkable city. Three hundred and sixty five days a year from 6.00 am until midnight and in all the extreme ...
...preparing and cooking food for the hungry passers-by. But what food; Skewers crammed with plucked sparrows; skinned frogs; wriggling scorpions; silk worm cocoons and water rat; all ready to be stir fried and grilled, served and eaten on the go. Snake-burger anyone? Delicious steamed dumplings seemed to be normal fare on this bustling food street and we weren't really shocked at the skewers of scorpions – after all we eat prawns don't we? So what ...

mornev 18.10.2004 (19.10.2004) · Read full review
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Review of General: Beijing

I arrived into Beijing by train from Mongolia via the trans Siberian express, sadly we arrived just after the Olympics had finished last summer, but the weekend we arrived was a national holiday – therefore there was lots going on. The train station we arrived was located in the middle of the city and was swarmed with thousands of people at the exit for international arrivals similar to that of a major airport and gave our first impression of the ...
...after we arrived at our hotel near the lama temple was soon forgotten as the hotel was very nice and this was budget accommodation, but we had one of the best rooms we had around on our trip around the world. One thing that struck me instantly was that the smog that seems to plague the city was not as bad as I thought it would be, but then many measures were taken during the Olympics to improve this, and it seems to have benefitted the city. The ...

mtpatton 17.05.2009 · Read full review
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Review of General: Beijing

What is Beijing’s appeal? After 5 visits I still do not know. The air is choked with poison, the rivers swim with sewage and yet the city burns with a terrific energy that both excites and intrigues. At first I intended to label Beijing as a love-hate city, but it is not. Impossible to love, yet difficult to hate, Beijing is rather a city that fascinates and overpowers, inspiring in the visitor a unique sense of repulsed wonder and disbelief. Beijing ...
...body. Standing arms spread like Jesus on a motorway intersection, a man calmly tossed himself off the overpass and fell unseen about thirty feet to the tarmac below. Staring down in morbid horror I watched as a growing crowd chattered excitedly. After five minutes a police car cruised up and came to a halt a foot and a half from the body, which now lay in a great pool of blood. The blood, which had been black before, was now lit brilliant red by ...

Hmatt 07.09.2002 (14.10.2002) · Read full review
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Review of General: Beijing

There are more than 400 bars around Beijing. Most of them are located in the northern and eastern areas of the city. The most famous areas are the top 3 listed below. 1. San li Tun & Worker's Stadium Since the first bar opened in the southern street of San li Tun in 1989 this area has developed into 9 sq.km. It was most popular and still is especially with foreigners. Around San Li Tun there are more than 70 foreign Embassies and a famous silk market(now ...
...Here you can find many bars with different themes. Some are very big. Some just have a couple of tables. The bars in the southern street are more simple, quiet and popular with people who are interested in art and music. The bars in the northern street are more noisy and popular with foreigners especially single men. Twice my husband and I visited a bar cum restaurant in this area called One Thousand and One Nights. It provides Middle Eastern food ...

happysh2009 15.10.2009 · Read full review
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Review of General: Beijing

Overview I lived in Beijing for 8 years as a student studying at an international school. After arriving from Germany in January 2007, I was overwhelmed by the number of people, the size of the city, the language barrier and the pollution caused by cars, construction sites, factories etc. The city has come a long way and after deciding to rewrite my article, I hope I can describe some of the things that make it so good. Finances Plane tickets to ...
...can range from GBP 300 to GBP 700 for a return economy class ticket, either direct or via transfer (I have flown Air France, Lufthansa, Finnair, Austrian Airlines and Air China before). The exchange rate from the pound to the Yuan is 1;15, meaning that you approximately get 15 RMB (Yuan) for 1 pound. To save you finding a place to stay, book a hotel through a travel agent or so, 5* hotels like the Hilton, Kempinski or Sheraton should be around 65-80 ...

frozenace 11.07.2007 (19.07.2007) · Read full review
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Review of General: Beijing

Beijing isn't all that I was made to believe it to be it has a touch of the oriental old style with areas such as the Summer palace and the Forbidden city, which are a must see for those who intend on taking back photos of the ancient dynasties. However those who have visited know of how metropolitan the city is it's streets are crammed full of people busy with city life, much the same as London or any other major city. There are towering offices ...
...weave in and out and to be honest leaves the best of us wondering where we are. The city is terrific there are more things to do here thatn in most cities around the world and whats more it's cheap. Areas for shopping are basically well established market places, these include the silk alley, San li Tun (otherwise known as the bar street), there is also a small market that does a bustling trade just outside of the Holiday in here called the Lido. ...

Beeboystance 09.08.2000 · Read full review
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Review of General: Beijing

i went there this summer and all the construction work over there give me a headache,but they are doin it for the olympics,so cant blame that!well,apart from that the traffic is not that good either,especially at the peak times,erm...well its same in london and all other big citys!apart from this,beijing is superb,the food over there are so nice better than anything that you hv tried in china town,if you are goin there with the tour,then you dont need to worry abt anything.but just make sure you eat as much as you can,otherwise you will so regret it after you leave there! ...

appleball 23.10.2007
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Review of General: Beijing

I had the good fortune to visit this amazing City twice, both times during late Autumn/early winter. The best time is around October when the weather is perfect which will allow you to spend more time exploring this wonderful city. It is a city of some incredible history which you can feel and see all around you, the people outside of the hotel may not speak English, but I find them friendly. Beijing is still not a place for tourist who are not willing ...
...hotels are okay and are very nice, which is fine if you wish to stay inside all day :) but to enjoy the city in it's fullest you have to be ready to explore and experience the live in this city and travel beyond the tourist area (which is difficult so it is essential to have a very good guide). Food sold outside the hotel, especially those sold by stall holders should be avoided, though the smell and sight is wonderful. Unfortunately many of the ...

kenlau 27.07.2000 · Read full review
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Review of General: Beijing

If you want culture shock, visit Beijing. The first thing you notice is the number of bicycles. Our guide told us that the main crime in Beijing is bicycle theft! They are everywhere, on roads, parked up, everwhere you look there are masses of them. That's along with the regular traffic you'd expect to see in any major city. Then you notice the electric hookups for the bus system. Most of the busses in Beijing are electric powered, which looks quite ...
...the unfriendliness of the people. Apart from the guides and shopkeepers, everyone was curt and abrupt and nobody ever smiled! Beijing is an excellent base to visit tourist places such as the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and Ming Tombs. On a positive note, however, the standard of the hotel was excellent. I stayed in the 4 star Capital Hotel, and it was the nicest hotel I've ever stayed in, with standards equal ...

DNAhelix 21.07.2000 · Read full review
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Review of General: Beijing

I went to Beijing on the 3rd of July this year as part of a school party and it was one of the most amazing experiences in my life!!! There are many interesting places to go to. We travelled to Tian’An Men square, Mao’s mausoleum, the forbidden city and summer palace and of course the great wall!!! We also visited a pot-decorating place, which you wouldn't usually go to if you weren’t with a guide, it was actually quite interesting. ...
...great and I got many interesting souvenirs. Tian an men square and the Forbidden City were great and very interesting. We saw the famous Mao, in the flesh!!! And the summer palace was very big and beautiful. Our group bought many souvenirs and fake goods while we were there from the friendship store and silk ally, and we also visited the British embassy and used their pool and tennis courts!!! The only complaints I have were there was quite a lot ...

jonny1047 15.07.2001 (16.07.2001) · Read full review
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Review of General: Beijing

get to Beijing as soon as possible. I went at the start of 1999. A friend went 5 years earlier. What I saw was not what I expected. The city is changing fast. New roads, large modern hotels (that reach to the sky) are being built at a very quick rate. The old Beijing is disappearing under a concrete tide. The traffic has to be seen to be believed, how can such a poor country support som many motor vehicles, a lot of them luxury cars. All this traffic ...
...famous sites are well worth visiting. You will need at least a full day to see the Forbidden City. A guide book is essential, unless you have you own guide who can explain all the nooks and crannies, as well as the main buildings. Visit this and be amazed. Beijing is stuffed with ancient sites and is handily placed for visiting sites of interest outwith the city. It is well stocked with shops, where almost anything can be bought. There is no need ...

junta 06.08.2000 · Read full review
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Review of General: Beijing

It is trully believed that Beijing is one of the most adored place in asia.they get so many fantastic place to go and to see ,the forbidden city ,the summer palace ,it just like a hub of the eastern cultrul.but when you actully go there ,you will find besides the historic side they have some thing you may not thought before yo going,very crowde pubs and clubs ,big and luxury shoppign centre ,super high buildings ,a lot of surprise ,and it chang every ...

yangyang 17.08.2000 · Read full review
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Review of General: Beijing

Easily seen from the Second Ring Road under the shadow of its huge luminous advertising board this is quite a popular spot. Located along the picturesque Liang Ma River it is in a prime location. There are two floors to this building, the ground level specialises in flowers and the upper focuses on accessories. The varieties of flowers on display are truly amazing. This is definitely worth having a look at if you're in China only for a short while, ...
...you fancy picking up a few items as a treat its not going to break the bank either. The floor is constantly wet and the air remains damp all day, this is from the continual watering to keep the flowers fresh. Upstairs you will find all kinds of extras. From vases to candles, from crate paper to carvings there is a true mix of everything to look at and buy. The prices throughout the shop are very reasonable, a set of twelve candles will only set you ...

Jaimito 20.08.2000 · Read full review
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Review of General: Beijing

This small shop can be found behind the Lufthansa Centre in the centre of Beijing. Its prominent facade makes it hard to miss and once inside you'll be surprised by how well tennis-oriented it is. It is indeed a tennis equipment specialist and has all the key names including; Wilson, Slazenger, Head, and Prince. The rackets themselves start at about RMB 680 for a beginners Prince model and rise up quickly to RMB 2090 for a professional Head design. ...
...efficient. Your racket's strings will also be guaranteed for six months too! There is a little supply of badminton equipment hidden away in the corner and a variety of trainers can be found too, but these two intruders are quite costly. The main emphasis remains on the tennis side. There is currently a 20% discount on all their Wilson stock and other special offers on specific items. ...

Jaimito 20.08.2000 · Read full review
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Review of General: Beijing

In the shadows of its mighty Beijing Flower Supermarket this establishment goes unnoticed by many. However, that is to their great loss! The management obviously realises the pulling power of their neighbour and while this may have been a problem they have used it to their advantage. By specialising in different areas there are still a lot of things on offer here that can't be found next door. There is an extensive collection of aquariums that begin ...
...fish aquarium, which is very beautiful, but fetches a bank breaking RMB115000. Also on offer are a variety of modern lamps and carvings, these are found along the left-hand side of the shop. The carpenter has his work desk in the shop so you can see how everything is made. The flower aspect of the shop is very much toned down, but there is still quite a variety. Outside you can see a wide choice of bonsai trees and inside there is a good selection ...

Jaimito 20.08.2000 · Read full review
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Review of General: Beijing