BEIJING TIP: websites to help you survive & navigate the city

Here are a list of sites I have been using to help me survive in this city:

http://ditu.google.cn/maps
The indispensable google map....this map has everything, whether you are looking for restaurants, stores, banks, gas stations, you get the idea. Sorry only chinese, the english version of googlemap Beijing sucks.

http://www.thebeijinger.com/
http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/
Local expat sites for everything that's going on around the city every week. Check the forums for tonnes of tips like where to shop, dentists, employment, where to find thanksgiving dinner...

http://beijingexpert.com/
English blog with lots of info on restaurants

http://www.dianping.com/
http://beijing.fantong.com/
Chinese restaurant review sites, each with thousands of opinions and ratings.

http://www.qunar.com/
Looking to buy airline tickets in China? This is a must check! It's not a travel agency, instead its cutting edge airfare aggregator gives you a list of all the different airfares from airlines and agencies at any one time + a link to purchase the ticket. A very cool site!

3rd visit to 798

Made another visit to super-modern art zone 798, this time I took more pics. For you artsy folks you can read more about my last visit to the area and its background. Click on the pics to enlarge.


This sculpture makes a powerful statement.


Massive freaky painting....all the faces are eyeless!


Fashion display by I.T.


BJers enjoying the funky sculptures


These massive warehouses are a great space for art.


An industrial feeling permeates 798


Inside the warehouse, these glowing cubes displayed all kinds of funky products.


Muji display


Now this was the weirdest installation of the day. From a pitch black room we walk through a door and lo and behold: a small black child playing in the dirt & straw with a fake vulture in the background (his mom is sitting to the side keeping an eye on him). WTF??

Obviously it's copied, I mean inspired by this incredible photo by Kevin Carter. Sometimes modern art is really hit or miss.


More funny sculptures

more autum in Beijing

中山公园

autum in Beijing

seen at a park next to Forbidden City

NLGX 南锣鼓巷

Nanluoguxiang or NLGX or 南锣鼓巷 just east of Houhai 后海 is an 800m long street filled with hip shops, coffee lounges and bars. Apparantly it's been around for 800 years and was a residential area for officials during Ming and Qing dynasties.

I spent the better part of a sunny sunday just strolling around up and down the street.


Some locals just chilling outside, they do that a lot here...walk around any hutong 胡同 (traditional Beijing neighborhood) and you will see Beijingers young and old (usually older) just hangin' around outside chatting. Recognize my shadow?


Traditional chinese molassas candy blown into weird shapes and animals. I remember when I first visited China at the age of 7 a guy like this made me a stick of candy in the shape of a phoenix.


Here's what NLGX looks like on a sunday...


Xiaowais 小外 sitting on the side of the street acting like locals and loving the attention, there must have been 20 ppl taking pics of them.


Interesting door design I came across


Watch out for flying bikes!


Typical view of a houtong 胡同 alley, it's fun to just wander in and out of these streets.


A funny little t-shirt shop


Same shop at 6pm


Apparantly Beijing's smallest bar....just 12 square meters, i couldn't fit

Vehicles: Scooters

Various types of scooters mingle with bicycles and cars on Beijing streets. Here are some more colorful examples I came accross lately:

Would you dare to drive this?


Scooters for carrying heavy stuff like water bottles, trash or kids

Vehicles: Bikes

The bicycle is the most common vehicle in Beijing, everyone and their dog has a bike. However, this is the 1st time I have ever seen this species of bike. Discovered in Nanluoguxiang 南锣鼓巷.


Long lost descendant of this old boy?

My home in BJ

Ok i finally took some pics of my home in BJ. I am now staying on the north west side of Beijing city in Haidian district 海淀区 in an area called Wudaokou 五道口 in Dongshengyuan development 东升园. This area is definately the student corner of Beijing. There must be more than 10 universities scattered around. I am staying closest to Tsing Hua University 清华大学


My desk where all the blogging happens....my room is facing south which is great cause I get a lot of sun during the day. I also have an indoor balcony where I can hang my laundry. Beijing is very dry and clothes just dry in half a day, unlike humid HK.


Here's the view looking in from the balcony. Pretty big and bare room....I should put up some posters.


Here is a view of our living room. Yes that I a fridge in the corner....it does not fit in the kitchen. Also have a good size tv. Alright, that's all for today's tour....

Bai Jia Restaurant 白家大院

Bai Jia 白家大院 is more than a restaurant, it is like going back in time to the Qing Dynasty and dining as an aristocrat would. Definately two-tumbs up!

15 Suzhou Jie, Haidian, Beijing
苏州街15号，海淀区
tel：62658851


From the Bai Jia gate, we were greeted by walked down this beautiful lantern-lined alley - really good way to set the atmosphere - which opens up to an inner courtyard garden with tables both inside and outside.


All the staff are dressed in constume - men dressed as eunuchs deliver food to the tables which is then served by waitresses (our waitress pictured here). Service was very attentive. There is also great entertainment during the meal including singing and mask changing 變臉 (very impressive, quite an amazing talent these guys have).


Food is imperial style Beijing food. Very tasty and beautiful to look at. Here we have some sweet and sour fish. The food was more expensive than most Beijing restaurants but still cheaper than the average HK restaurant. About 200 RMB per person.


This is a tofu hamburger


Here is the waitress who took our order.