We promise there will soon be an update on Chengdu, but first we have to do our list of Beijing before we forget. Usually we reserve the list for countries themselves, but this time given the size and length of time we spent there, we felt Beijing deserved its own list. Here we go.Best of: Public transit, cheap markets, ice biking, happy hour at the Den.
Worst of: Traffic, distance to airport, constant hawking no matter where you are, assaultive (we know, its a new word, but its good isnt it) vendors at markets.
Best meal: Jarret - Roast duck (peking duck)/chicken with peanuts and red peppers. Leigh - roasted yams from a barrel oven on the street and candied fruit sticks (yes we are counting those as a meal, they were big!) otherwise nothing great, but usually good all the time.
Worst meal: Jarret - Snake from the food market (only cause it was undercooked). Leigh - some soupy thing we even got to personalize (there was a spice she really did not like in a lot of things)
Yes please: Ice biking, candied fruits, metro system, cheap food, awesome hair elastic thingies (trust us, well at least Leigh)
No thanks: Hawking (seriously, what is with the spitting over here!), walk signals that are ignored, electric (aka silent) bikes creeping up on you on the sidewalk, wearing full winter gear in nice restos cause heat is iffy at best.
Coolest experience: Jarret - getting local food at the cheap resto across the street and being asked to sit and try different dishes with the owner who didnt speak hardly any english...needless to say we ended up eating from there a lot! Leigh - buying four nice
pair of jeans in five minute for 50 bucks...to go with her jacket, shirt, socks, pjs, sweat pants...you get the picture
It is easy to see why so many ex-pats live in Beijing. It is comfortable with almost all the trappings of home available (minus accesible cheddar cheese!). Yet, at the same time, you are in a crazy city that is seriously on the move. You read a lot about China being the next superpower (or a current one), and when you visit this city you can see why. You could easily spend three weeks there on vacation capturing the true essence of the city, from its modern core to the less developed outskirts. Depending on the time of year you go, it could get crowded, but despite this, you are guaranteed to have a great experience and perhaps witness the coming of age of what many call the next great power.
Worst of: Traffic, distance to airport, constant hawking no matter where you are, assaultive (we know, its a new word, but its good isnt it) vendors at markets.
Best meal: Jarret - Roast duck (peking duck)/chicken with peanuts and red peppers. Leigh - roasted yams from a barrel oven on the street and candied fruit sticks (yes we are counting those as a meal, they were big!) otherwise nothing great, but usually good all the time.
Worst meal: Jarret - Snake from the food market (only cause it was undercooked). Leigh - some soupy thing we even got to personalize (there was a spice she really did not like in a lot of things)
Yes please: Ice biking, candied fruits, metro system, cheap food, awesome hair elastic thingies (trust us, well at least Leigh)
No thanks: Hawking (seriously, what is with the spitting over here!), walk signals that are ignored, electric (aka silent) bikes creeping up on you on the sidewalk, wearing full winter gear in nice restos cause heat is iffy at best.
Coolest experience: Jarret - getting local food at the cheap resto across the street and being asked to sit and try different dishes with the owner who didnt speak hardly any english...needless to say we ended up eating from there a lot! Leigh - buying four nice
pair of jeans in five minute for 50 bucks...to go with her jacket, shirt, socks, pjs, sweat pants...you get the picture
It is easy to see why so many ex-pats live in Beijing. It is comfortable with almost all the trappings of home available (minus accesible cheddar cheese!). Yet, at the same time, you are in a crazy city that is seriously on the move. You read a lot about China being the next superpower (or a current one), and when you visit this city you can see why. You could easily spend three weeks there on vacation capturing the true essence of the city, from its modern core to the less developed outskirts. Depending on the time of year you go, it could get crowded, but despite this, you are guaranteed to have a great experience and perhaps witness the coming of age of what many call the next great power.
Enjoy the pics on the right.
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