ChinaMango

Enter the Dragon - Happy New Year!

2012-01-23T06:08:00.001+08:00

The rabbit returns to his palace and out comes the dragon to bring in the new year. I wish all old and new friends happiness, health and good fortune in the coming year.

You would have to be blind not to see it is the year of the dragon, full of vigour, strength and confidence. The Chinese dragon is not like the fiery evil dragon of the west, but is proud powerful and auspicious.

It's a busy time of year for everyone: migrant workers getting train tickets and rushing home for a long break; people shopping to buy gifts for family, friends and connections; storekeepers preparing for one of their peak season sales, with some opening 24hrs over the 3 day holiday. Actually, by working over two weekends, the 3 days stretch to one week off.

Red is definitely the colour of the day. The festive spirit is more evident in the shopping malls and markets. Since Xmas and Chinese New Year come so closely together this year, the same set of decorations can be used. Down with the Xmas signs and up with the Chinese New Year ones.

Chinese lanterns are hung everywhere

Long strings of firecrackers (only decorative)

Toffee apples (haw) for sale

Dancing dragons

Tea is being sold for 15 USD/ pound to up to 1500 USD/pound for the very best.

Add a couple of yellow dragons to change Xmas decor to New year decor!

Xmas decorations are replaced by Chinese knots

New Year couplets are very popular, to be put up in people's homes

Dragons of different size, shape and colour.

Ming dynasty dragon.

See you next year!

Merry Xmas from Beijing and Happy Holidays!

2011-12-25T12:07:00.000+08:00

(Courtesy of Four Seasons Courtyard Hotel, near Drum Tower)

It's not actually snowing here, cold and crisp but with lovely blue sunny skies. The ski slopes are open, the carol singers are singing and there are many chances to have Xmas lunches and dinners and drinks. There is some Xmas spirit ( and lots of love) in the air, but mainly in hotels and shopping centres.

Even the rickshaw driver has got the right festive colour for his rickshaw.

It seems Santa changes to riding a horse when he gets to China!

Interesting mix of Chinese and Western styles (Shanghai shikumen)

Smiling waitresses at a restaurant where Santa was serving "Angry Milk Tea"

Chinese knots with the 'fortune' character go well with Xmas tree decorations!

It seems that Tibetan Lama monks also go Xmas shopping.

Santa flying into a restaurant by parachute

Perhaps the Santa saleswoman is feeling a little cold selling ice cream!

On the other hand, this Santa must be feeling so hot cooking barbecue meat！

I guess you can read the Chinese here, offering super value lunches/dinner on Xmas Day for just over USD2.

Santa was not a Prince with a royal crown.......

Nor did he have a castle............

.........Actually it was all for the Prince Charming - a foreign royal of course - and his Chinese "princesses".

Lots of goodies are on sale for the kids.......chocolates, Xmas logs, puddings.....

If you want to spoil your only child why not buy him/her a big black Santa for a lucky 588 yuan or just over USD93 ( or about the price of 40 Xmas lunches at Macdonalds!). Expensive? Yes, but it is Xmas after all!

Chrismas trees and lights were put up on the main shopping street of Qian Men

It's just a stone's throw from Chairman Mao's Mausoleum....I just wonder what he thinks about all this consumerism.

May I take this chance to wish you all a Merry Xmas and all the best for 2012. We will celebrate it quietly here, because of course the real New Year is not till Jan 23rd!

Marvels of Beijing Arts and Crafts

2011-12-02T15:41:00.001+08:00

If you go on a group tour in China, you will no doubt be taken to a souvenir shop - sorry arts and crafts museum. They are of variable quality, the best pieces of course being in the Forbidden City and National Museum. I went to a place mentioned recently in Time Out near the Temple of Heaven, and grandly named as the Hundred Crafts Workshop and Museum.

The 4-storey building houses over 30 studios and over 100 craftsmen and their apprentices, dedicated to protecting hundreds of years of traditional handicrafts. They are there to explain their craft, work on pieces of art in front of your eyes, and of course to sell. I read on the internet an overseas tourism official who called it the Louvre of China. Well, when I got there, I was of course disappointed. There were indeed many, many different kinds of handicrafts on display, some of high quality. There were also hardly any visitors, which is a relief in Beijing, but also not much going on in the various workshops, and few artisans keen to explain what they were doing. Perhaps it was because it is low season now.

Anyway I took some photos to show you some of the pieces on display. Some belong to one of the "Eight Marvels" of Beijing arts and crafts - jade carving, cloisonne, ivory carving, carved lacquerware, palace carpets, Beijing-style embroidery, inlaid filigree gold lacquerware and inlaid gold lacquer. Others are just fun items.

This is an example of cloisonne, which was brought to China in the 13th century from the West (Islamic culture), and became popular during the Ming Emperor Jingtai's time, especially using blue colours, so the name of this type of art in Chinese is "Jintai Blue". It then became popular in the 18th century in Europe.

A more modern piece commemorates the Beijing Olympics of 2008, with some traditional motifs around the border.

This studio caught my eye. I'm sure you haven't seen such figures before. They are carrying a bride to her wedding in a traditional sedan chair. Strings of firecrackers are carried at the head of the procession. Double happiness signs are everywhere, all in lucky red colour of course! But what are the delicate figures made of?

I had a close look and saw what they call "hairy monkeys" - complete bodies of cicadas which are cleaned up and given hairy bodies. It's supposed to be decorative but I'm not sure I'd want this on my mantelpiece in the sitting room at home!

The craftsman has created a birthday party with musicians.

Same musicians playing in a jazz band!

Something more traditional is papercutting, you need skill and patience to do this!

A popular character to hang up, especially at Chinese New Year time - fu, meaning fortune.

Unusual black and white one.

Beijing Opera face.

There are many differnt kinds of studio, and I nearly got a fright when I passed by these dogs - luckily they were just stuffed animals standing guard outside a studio!

Jade carving is one of the Eight Marvels, and a couple of pictures here are of some delicate jade pieces

This guy caught my eye, and I went in and saw many other funny figures

Nice gifts for newly weds

Not sure what these naughty boys are up to, but will leave it to your imagination!

Getting around in Beijing - car, bus, metro, bike.

2011-11-10T01:11:00.000+08:00

I've been away travelling in Xinjiang and South China visiting HIV/AIDS hospitals and volunteer groups, and so have not had a chance to write for some time. What I noticed was that the traffic is getting worse in all the 6 cities we visited, and it's also getting worse in Beijing.

I look out of my window and can see traffic jams such as these everyday during peak hours.

If I look out another window to the 2nd Ring Road, it's not any better. By the way, the fogginess in the picture is not due to my camera!

The problem is that there are 20 million people in Beijing and 5 million cars. In 2010, 2,000 new cars were sold every day. Now the Beijing government has controlled this to 1000 new car licence plates issued every working day. On top of that, each car is not allowed on the roads one day per week, based on the car licence plate number.

And there are not just taxis, cars, buses, motor bikes, bikes and rickshaws on the roads, there are also tradesmen on every busy corner where they can do some business, such as this mini street market.

The bus system is very good and cheap (less than 20 US cents), but also crowded. However, you need to speak Chinese to know where to get on and off.

There are even double decker buses, but they are just as crowded. Beware of thieves!

There is a big new transport hub built near my flat in Dongzhimen.

There are many buses that run from here, as well as the airport express close by and metro station.

The metro only costs 2 RMB (around 30 US cents) for any distance. It is heavily subsidised by the local government to encourage people off the roads. Even though more and more lines are being built, they are insufficient, and getting a train needs a lot of patient queuing and/or pushing to get on! A record 7.6 million passengers - equivalent to the whole population of London - were carried in just one day in September this year! There are already around 350 km of lines in operation, about the same as in New York, and mostly built in the last 10 yrs.

Just outside the shiny new buildings, there are also rickshaws available. Remember to bargain with them or you will be ripped off. They are especially welcome during rush hour when taxis are very hard to find. Taxis are cheap compared to the West, around 2 RMB per km.

There is also a long distance bus station next to the transport hub, and you can take a bus trip to Jinshanling which is one of the most spectacular parts of the Great Wall, or to Panshan, a mountain area a few hours drive away.

Motor bikes are restricted, but you can still see many of them in this parking area.

I prefer to cycle around when I can. You feel so free and happy when you can go faster than all the cars stuck in the traffic. There are many small roads with trees on both sides which are cool in summer. Cycling down the hutongs to see the local life is also interesting. There are bicycle parks to keep your bike safe. However, theft is not so much of a problem now. I think the thieves focus on mobile phones, iPads and laptops these days.

If you get a puncture or need some repair work done, then it's quite easy to find a bike repair man.

And I think it's so romantic to take your girl (or boy) friend on the back of your bike, something you don't see much of these days.

Note how the cars are going down the wrong way on a one way street.

You can do it even in broad daylight and get away with it!

All-Male Ballet in Beijing? What a drag!

2011-10-01T11:44:00.005+08:00

We all know how Western culture has been more and more accepted in China in recent years. You only have to look at the forthcoming events for this month alone at many venues -the National Opera House, Forbidden City Concert Hall, Poly Theatre, 21st Century Theatre to name a few musical venues - to see the variety on offer: Mamma Mia! (in Chinese), Charles Dutoit and the China Philharmonic, Bejart Ballet Lausanne, A Midsummer Night's Dream, 2011 Beiing International Movie Festival, 14th Beijing Music Festival, Itzhak Perlman concert, La Boheme...the list goes on, and I haven't even included the art scene and the Beijing International Design Week!

However, one show that may have made Mao turn in his grave is the recent 3-day run of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (All-Male Comic Ballet. Founded in 1974, they are based in New York and this is their second visit to Beijing after a 2 year absence. I went to see their performance and it was a good mix of serious and humorous. There were thin men, fat men, smooth skinned and hairy, butch ballerinas and macho princes, but no effeminate or camp roles. They were in different costumes and heavy make-up, some made up as men but more often as not as women. There were familiar scenes from Swan Lake, with classical elements as well as comedy. If you are a serious ballet lover, then this maybe is not for you!

There was plenty of local press coverage of the show.

The show took place at the Mei Lanfang Grand Theatre. Some of you may have heard this name before - Mei is the most famous Beijing Opera singer of the last century. Beijing Opera also has males playing female roles, and this was Mei's speciality, so this theatre was a very suitable choice. Western ballet in drag is just a variation of Eastern opera in drag! Perhaps this was one reason the Ministry of Culture gave approval again to the Group's appearance. A Beijing Opera show was being put on on the same night as the ballet. In the dressing rooms, there were plenty of cross-cultural exchanges going on as the westerners marvelled at the complicated make-up of the opera singers and the Chinese smiled at the skimpy dress of the ballet dancers.

The mainly Chinese audience loved the humour, though some older members of the audience were a bit puzzled at some of the antics. How could ballet dancers who had had years of training bump into each other, or lose their place or fall over each other? Those who had paid prices of over 120 USD per ticket must have resented the people who had bought cheaper seats and who filled up the seats beside them, a rather unique Chinese custom. The loudest applause was given to the final encore where the Group performed a traditional Chinese folk dance, yang ge, complete with bright costumes and colourful handkerchiefs.

That was a treat for the 62nd birthday of China - that's right, PRC was founded 62 years ago today! It's sunny with clear blue skies, that's a real treat for the citizens - and tourists - in Beijing. Wish you were here to see for yourself!

Timeout Beijing's preview is here:

http://www.timeoutbeijing.com/features/Performing_Arts/12976/Les-Ballets-Trockadero-de-Monte-Carlo.html
Homepage of the Trocks:
http://www.trockadero.org/

Mooncakes, mooncakes - Mid-Autumn Festival

2011-09-12T21:55:00.002+08:00

Today it's the 15th day of the 8th lunar month on the Chinese calendar, when there is a full moon (yes, look outside and see, you may see more than we can in cloudy Beijing). It is the second most important festival in China after Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) and the Chinese have been celebrating this day for moon worship for over 2,000 years. Various events, lantern shows, sacrifical ceremonies, family reunions and gala shows are held, and all accompanied by mooncakes.

Mooncakes used to be a very unhealthy mixture of oily pastry on the outside, a bit like a pork pie, and with a sweet filling of lotus paste, lard and salted duck egg yolk. Actually they were very tasty and very rich.... but full of cholesterol. Various other fillings and outside crusts have developed to suit different tastes and local raw materials, such as red bean paste, mashed dates, and 5 kernels (fruit and nut).......

And now not only are there healthy varieties, and green varieties, but also ice cream ones and chocolate ones, yummy!

However, with inflation reaching China as well, the price has shot up over the years. It really got a bit over the top with expensive fillings such as abalone and sharks fin, and a bottle of wine or other gifts included in the box, which could cost up to 150 US Dollars for a box of 4. And since they are a gift item, packaging gets fancier and fancier.

Employers even bought boxes of mooncakes to show appreciation to their employees. With the property and stock markets cooling, however, people and companies are not so extravagant, and 80% now cost less than 30 US Dollars. I'm not sure how much this large mooncake costs, over 80 cm in diameter and 75 kgs (150 lbs) in weight, and made from 40 kgs of flour (photo from China Daily)!

Of course there are smaller ones, especially if made of gold, or made to look like Chinese chess pieces.

Of course if you are well connected or in a position of power, you don't need to buy any mooncakes, since all sorts of people will be giving you boxes of mooncakes to keep in your good books or to get you to do a favour or to thank you for a favour already done.....yes bribery and corruption packaged in a beautiful box. It is amazing how the traffic on the roads increased in the days leading up to the Festival, as people personally deliver boxes of mooncakes to their 'friends'.

Even the pandas get a special treat at this time of year.

This year I spent the holiday with my mother and since I am not in a position of power, I had to buy mooncakes myself. Actually we ate so many in past years, we don't really like eating too many now. It seems many others also are getting a bit fed up. My friend who works in foreign company said their employer gave them gift vouchers for Wal-Mart this year, which could be exchanged for any goods. And if you didn't want the vouchers, there are touts buying and selling all kinds of surplus vouchers at a discount. Of course for the wealthy and well-connected VIPs, giving (or if you are lucky, receiving) vouchers for the expensive 'hairy crab', a delicacy in season at this time of year, would enable you to get one up on everyone else. It's become a real business for everyone! Thank goodness my mum doesn't like seafood!

A quiet corner in an ancient temple

2011-09-03T03:04:00.000+08:00

After walking around the numerous sights in Beijing, it's sometimes necessary to rest your feet and have a cup of coffee or tea (Chinese of course!) in a relaxing and interesting environment. I found one such place recently, located on the site of an an ancient temple in a small hutong right next to the Bell and Drum Towers.

As soon as you enter the courtyard, you are met by a goldfish pond, an old rickshaw and bamboo trees.

The old temple structure is evident outside but unfortunately large parts of the interior have been converted into a market ( 'to serve the people')

As you move in from the coffee shop outside, you enter an inner courtyard which has been converted into a small drinks area and meeting/conference area.

David Cameron even used this room to receive VIPs during his visit to China.

Outside in the hutong, there are still some genuine old courtyard houses.

The hutong is also quite popular with tourists, but they don't stay long!

A less touristy park - Zhongshan Park

2011-08-06T22:55:00.000+08:00

Beijing with its dry climate is not like London where I went recently. There, we can see green grass and trees, and beautiful parks and squares everywhere. However, Beijing's parks are far older and more colourful than London's oldest parks.

Beijing's finest parks were mostly built by the emperors for their own enjoyment, and one not so well-known one that I like is what was formerly called Central Park, now called Zhongshan Park (after Sun Yat-sen). Sun Yat-sen was one of the early political leaders at the turn of the 20th century who managed to bring down the Qing dynasty and to kick out the emperors from the Forbidden City for good.

Zhongshan Park was a former imperial garden, right next to the Forbidden City, and contains structures from the Ming dynasty over 600 years ago. It is a fine example of classical Chinese landscape gardening.

This is the Confucian Altar of Earth and Harvests, built in 1421, on a 3-storey platform made of white jade. The emperors would come twice a year and pray for good harvests (spring) and offer thanksgiving (autumn). Note the 5 different colours of earth representing all parts of the country ( north, south, east, west and central), as well as the Five Elements (Earth, Wood, Fire, Metal and Water).

Next to the altar is a new concert hall, so you can have a stroll in the park before or after a concert for free!

There are also old cypress trees from 1000 years ago.

There are many quiet spots in the park, with charming names such as Lotus Pool, Water-side Pavilion, Pavilion of Four Contentments, Kiosk for Meeting New Friends and the Pavilion to Welcome the Sunshine.

One part is not so quiet, here you can see an amateur Chinese music group practising on their instruments, including the two-stringed 'erhu'.

Long corridors provide shade and are brightly painted, as can be found in other parks and palaces.

This is another Chinese instrument, a set of bronze bells. You will also come across a museum, no prizes for spotting an Olympic stadium or two in the model of Beijing city below.

And do you recognise this young-looking figure?

Interesting example of Taihu stone, called 'A Slice of Clouds', and which used to be in the Old Summer Palace.

We all love to have our photo taken, complete with imperial headdress..........

............and not just for kids!

Maybe the most impressive part of thepark is the moat at the northern end, where the watchtowers and walls of the Forbidden City can be seen.

It's a favourite spot for young couples to spend a lazy afternoon.

but what's this photo of a young girl doing here?

and another......praying for the deceased?

......details of age, height, looks, job, salary, assets.......

No, this is something I'm sure you've never seen, it's the area of the park where anxious mothers and fathers of unmarried sons and daughters will come to 'advertise' the availability of their children, in the hope of finding them a suitable marriage partner. So it's a kind of open-air matchmaking market, open at weekends and public holidays. Chinese parents think this is their responsibility, and probably think they know better than their kids who would be a suitable spouse. Luckily, I don't have this problem!

Perhaps this cartoon character, with the character 'fu' meaning happiness on his dress, is praying for good luck for the matchmaking! I also wish them goodluck, and if any of you need some help, I can take you to Zhongshan Park to browse around this special market.

Red Gate Gallery - 20 years in Beijing

2011-07-26T23:45:00.000+08:00

One place I take art-loving clients to is the Red Gate Gallery ('Hong Men' in pinyin), which celebrates its 20th birthday this year. Not only can you see the best in contemporary Chinese art, but the gallery itself is located in an unique historical Ming Dynasty building.

Furthermore, you could not have a friendlier curator than the Australian Brian Wallace, alumnus of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. He is the gallery's founder and has been chosen in recent years by Time Out magazine as one of the top 40 heroes of Beijing.

The gallery is located in the Dongbianmen Watchtower, an impressive structure and one of the few remaining parts of the old 30m-high Ming dynasty city wall (park adjacent). It is at the south east corner of the second ring road, and is easily accessible by subway, in contrast to other sites such as 798 Art Zone (see blog of May 20th, 2011) and Caochangdi.

The Watchtower is a fine example of traditional Chinese architecture, and is almost 600 yrs old. It was started in 1436 and finished 4 yrs later.

Apart from art exhibitions, two floors are devoted to some interesting artefacts, models and historic photos about the local district.

The current exhibition is called '20 Years - Two Generations of Artists', and here are some pictures taken from the Red Gate gallery website http://www.redgategallery.com/

Zen Quote - Amitabha

No and Keng
Survivor
Food
Oil on Canvas
Watching the Battlescene
Not a Tree but Not Not a Tree

If you are a budding artist, you could also consider applying for the gallery's residency program which provides artists, curators, writers, and academics with the opportunity to live and create work in China.
The objective is to provide facilities for artists to easily start their projects and offer a community in which they can participate as much as they like. Red Gate assists all participants to connect with the art scene, meet local Chinese artists and to source art materials. They help get you settled, show you around, tell you where to buy the best Peking Duck, which part of the Great Wall not to go to (hey, they're beginning to sound like competitiors of ChinaMango!), and where and when the latest openings are.

Thankfully not all of you are artists and would be quite happy just to visit the 'must-see' sights of Beijing, as well as other places of interest that have been described in this blog over the past couple of years. Do get in touch if you need any help.

Capital location - Capital M restaurant

2011-06-19T08:10:00.001+08:00

One of my favourite clients always takes me to dinner when in Beijing, he's so kind! If I were to choose, I would look for a small noisy dumpling or noodle place where the locals eat. However, this time it was his choice, and he chose Capital M which has been running successfully for sometime now.

As it says in their website, "Capital M offers diners an unforgettable combination of delicious, simply good food that is a collection of classics and nostalgic favourites; an iconic view of Beijing; a stunning ambience and warm service. Located on what has been Beijing's most celebrated shopping street for over 600 years - Qianmen Street -- Capital M is perfectly positioned for a breathtaking view of the city's heart. Whether from our terrace or our gorgeous interior, diners enjoy a view that unfolds from the Forbidden City to Qianmen Gate, including Tian'anmen Square."

Just south of Tiananmen

Square, approaching

Qianmen St.

View towards Tiananmen Square, with old City Wall watchtowers and Mao mausoleum at the back

Once inside, it's a different world!

Here I am on the terrace enjoying the view.

The inside decor is definitely not Chinese!

Some idea of the food. Chinese is always my favourite but you may not agree.

Looking over the terrace onto QianMen St, you can see the original Quan Ju De Roast Beijing Duck shop, one of the time-honoured brands of China.

And another well-known brand....well not quite, only in China!

So, I can take you to Capital M next time if you want some fine dining, a great Sunday brunch, a romantic drink at dusk, or take part in other social events such as Sunday afternoon teatime music recitals and literary festival.

I'm off to Europe for a month so please be a little patient before I write the next blog. Happy holidays to you all!

798 Art Zone - relax without any temples or palaces.

2011-05-20T14:18:00.001+08:00

In a previous blog I mentioned the 798 Art Zone (Dashanzi area). This area, full of converted workshops and military factory buildings from the 1950s, is a mix of Greenwich Village, SoHo and Covent Garden. It was built with Russian help when they were bosom buddies with China in the 1950s, with a touch of East German influence. As the factories closed, so the young artistic community found and built a new home starting around 15 years ago. Gradually designers, photographers and galleries moved in, and the increasing number of tourists brought in trendy bookshops, cafes and restaurants.

As real estate prices in the area rose, the Art Zone was almost closed down a few years ago, but lobbying by prominent figures in the art world has saved the area, making it a 'hip' place to stroll around in alone or with the family. I took some pictures during one short visit recently.

meet all sorts of people!

all done with mirrors

Plenty of places to sit down and have a cup of tea

yes, that is a dinosaur's tail!

"Reincarnation" by 1970s artist - political themes are less common with these artists, who are more interested in the rapid changes in modern Chinese society.

Dinosaurs in the street as well - but safely caged

This last picture says "Missing You", exactly what I wanted to say to you all!

You will be sure to find something of interest in 798 among all the shops and galleries that thrive in the area. You can even stay in an up-market hotel or eat in my favourite Chinese restaurant in the area just by the north gate. Or just take a break in one of the coffee shops. I can take you there, and also the nearby ceramics shop I talked about in the March 13th blog. Or to the nearby China Railway Museum or another new art area called Caochangdi...oh so much to see in Beijing and so little time!

Another Feast for the Eyes - architecture and art exhibits

2011-05-01T14:46:00.000+08:00

After last month's 'china' feast, and food feast the month before, this blog features another kind of East-West fusion, that of architecture and the arts in a modern luxury boutique hotel. I don't have shares in this company but some of my clients go there, and I love going there just to look around!

It doesn't look promising from the rather grey-green box-like exterior, but it opens up into a box full of surprises........ starting from a smiling doorman in front of 2 traditional wooden doors, a beautiful fusion of young and old.

A fine pair of exhibits, 'coat of arms' in Ming style china, greets you, with male in front of the female in good traditional fashion.

And then a wall of boxes, which actually is a representation of a Chinese medicine chest. This serves as the 'reception desk' for check in.

In case you haven't guessed already, yes we're in one of the top hotels in Beijing, the Opposite House (boutique luxury) hotel, where some of my clients stay, eat, drink or just stroll around. It has a striking minimalist style, and the architect was Kengo Kuma. It's situated right in the middle of Sanlitun Village, the latest 'hip' place where the trendy go to be seen.

There are numerous art exhibits which change from time to time, some light as a feather.

...others more life-like...

.....fancy an empress's embroidered dress?

......another feature is a huge stainless steel swimming pool open for all to look down on.

And even a modern dinosaur to greet you at the coffee shop, rather reminiscent of some you can see at 798 Art Zone - now that's a blog for another time.

Spring in Beijing's Hutongs

2011-04-15T16:06:00.000+08:00

Spring is here, I've written about this before in March 2009. Suddenly there are blossoms on the trees - white and pink magnolias, plum, cherry and peach. White cotton-wool like fluff from willow trees are in the air. What better way to enjoy the sunny weather than to go for a bike ride through the hutongs (small lanes)! Last week I went for a ride around the lake area Houhai with 2 other friends and we had a great time on one bicycle made for three. This week I went for a short ride round the Dong Si area.

The hutongs are rapidly changing. Only 1000 remain out of 3000 in 1950. The remaining ones are losing their character because of new buildings in the alleyways which don't fit in with the 'olde worlde' surroundings, and cars parked in them. The old quadrangle or courtyard homes (si he yuan), some several hundred years' old, are in a bad state of repair and lack modern facilities such as toilets or showers, but they have electricity, TV and wifi. Some restoration work is going on but these are done by rich homeowners who don't let tourists step into their courtyards (surprise surprise).

When I turned from the main road into the first hutong, it was such a relief to escape from the noisy traffic and to suddenly enter the quiet narrow hutongs.It was another world. You can get a taste of what old Beijing was like. People were walking along with their shopping from the market, or sitting out on low stools enjoying the sun. Winter quilts were being hung out everywhere, and bicycles were everywhere.

At the first 'crossroads', there was an interesting collection of shops and stalls. Breakfast buns were being sold at a roadside stall.

Beside them was a noodle restaurant. The cook from Xian is making a typical north west China dish, 'dao xiao' noodles - a huge piece of dough is held in his hand and then shaved off with a metal cutter into strips that fall into the pot of broth. Meat and vegetables and spices are then added to make wonderful soup noodles.

Opposite, you can buy your own ingredients and make your own meal. Here a local man, Chinese but from the Hui minority (of Islamic faith) is selling lamb and beef at a street corner. I don't need to tell you what parts of the animal he was selling, but I can say they are all very tasty and probably also were put into the broth for the noodle shop!

Transport is changing from rickshaws/tricycles pulled by men to motorised versions.

Riding further down, I was surprised to see an old temple, built originally in 1376 for a former Prime Minister.

You can see from the signs that studying English is popular even in the hutongs!

Another grand courtyard house but not open to the public.

Favourite hobby especially of older Beijingers is keeping birds and goldfish, and they always seem to be sold together.

It's amazing how many newspapers and magazines are available, and many with pictures of famous actors/actresses/singers on the front cover. No nude models however, at least no yet! IC and IP cards are popular, after all there are over 21 million mobile phone subscribers in Beijing alone! They sent out almost 1 billion text messages as greetings on Chinese New Year's Eve.

I was lucky to spot a sign for a siheyuanan which belonged to a late Qing dynasty general. The outside did not seem anything special, but when I walked inside through all the household junk, I soon came across this marvellous carved arch.

This sign for a small theatre caught my eye. I thought it unusual to have this in such a small hutong. Then I realised I was getting near the famous Central Drama Academy, where Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi studied.

I was soon at the main entrance admiring the traditional gate....and also the many drama students going in for class. How come they all seemed so tall, beautiful and fashionably dressed? Want to come and see for yourself?

The hutongs are full of surprises!

Imperial Summer Resort of Chengde (Jehol)

2011-03-30T18:00:00.000+08:00

If you're planning your summer holidays in Beijing this year, you might consider a side trip (overnight) to Chengde (not to be confused with Chengdu down south), only 200 km northeast of Beijing along a new highway. The altitude is over 1000m so Chengde is particularly comfortable between June to September.

There are comfortable coaches going there from Beijing, or you can hire a car. When I drove there last time with some clients, we stopped on the way at Jinshanling, one of the best places to climb the Great Wall, but usually too far away for the ordinary tourist to visit. When we arrived in Chengde, we were happy to find it not so crowded and more relaxed than in Beijing.

There is plenty to see, including the old 18th century summer residence, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, and covering 5.64 sq km, almost twice that of the Summer Palace in Beijing or 8 times that of the Forbidden City, making it the largest royal park in China. We took the lazy way round by electric car, but if you have time you should walk around the lakes, palaces, pagodas and hills and get a feel for what it might have been like for the Manchu Qing dynasty emperors (and Dowager Empress). Apart from escaping the summer heat, they went hunting and horse racing here. And of course when foreign troops got dangerously close to Beijing, the imperial family would pack thier bags and flee to Chengde for safety.

Another famous sight is Sledgehammer Peak. We made it to the base of the rocks by cable car, but not to the temple on the very top.

View from the base of the rocks.

The Emperors built many temples over the years, called the "Eight Outer Temples" in varying styles.

How many symbols of longevity and happiness can you see in this carving?

The most famous of the temples is the "Little Potala Place", similar to the original one in Lhasa, Tibet. It was built in 1790 for Emperor Qianlong's 60th birthday. The Qing emperors were strong believers in Lama Buddhism.

Entrance to Puning Temple, modelled on a Tibetan temple. Note the nameplate inscription in 4 languages: Chinese, Mongolian, Tibetan and Manchurian.

Puning Temple features a 22 m high Buddha, Avalokitesvara, with 42 arms and an eye on each palm

If you liked "Ancient Scholars and Ancient Streets" (26 July 2009 blog) and Badachu Temple (13 Aug 2009 blog) then will surely enjoy a visit to Chengde.

A Feast for the Eyes - in China

2011-03-13T22:45:00.000+08:00

This blog is for you to enjoy with your eyes, not as gruesome as some of the last blog's pictures, and certainly not for eating - they are all made of China as well as made in China, Beijing to be precise. They come from one of my favourite shops I go to when I am looking for that special gift for a foreign or Chinese friend.

You will see pieces that look ready for eating or wearing as well as for decoration or practical use.

I don't want to say any more, just let you enjoy.....and I would of course be happy to take you there if you need ( and no, I have no connection whatsoever with the owners!)

Beijing's 10 Weirdest Restaurants - by Tom O'Malley, CNNGo

2011-02-23T17:30:00.000+08:00

The article below shows some of the weird and wonderful things you can eat in Beijing. They are off the beaten track and I haven't been to any of them. If you want to go, just let me know!
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Pressure affects people in different ways. Soldiers become "shell-shocked". Politicians "crack". Restaurateurs, on the other hand, forget the failsafe formula of good food, value and service, and start to think that novelty place mats are a neat idea. In a city with 40,000 restaurants fighting for customers, it's no wonder these Beijing eateries are acting a little odd.

1. House of Poo Poo

“Poo funny mud” is really just mash potato, silly.

A kindergarten “poo-scape” of smiley-faced turds, this bathroom-tiled restaurant is a daft tribute to the sit-down legacy of Thomas Crapper. Guests perch on toilets topped with Winnie the Pooh warmers (coincidence?), tucking into squidgy dishes like “poo funny mud” (mashed potato, pictured) and beef curries that float in table-top commodes. If it all gets too much, excuse yourself and go to the bathroom -- it's quite ordinary.

House of Poo Poo (便便满屋饭堂) Average price: RMB 25-50

Opening hours: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Address: 91 Dianmen Outer Street, Xicheng District (西城区地安门外大街91号), Tel. +86 (010) 8403 5296

2. Friends Cafe

Owner Du Xin has the Gunther look down.

Always stuck in second gear? Seek out this eerily precise replica of TV show "Friends" Central Perk for big cups of Joe, chocolate muffins, hot dogs and endless re-runs. A giddy student crowd fights over the famous couch, and takes turns strumming “Smelly Cat” on guitar. Fanatical owner Du Xin confesses to studying “millions of pictures online to get it right.” Yes, he dresses like Gunther.

Friends Café (老友记主题店) Average Price: RMB 20 – 50

Opening hours: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Address: Suite 0616, Building A, Chaowai SOHO, 6 Chaoyangmen Outer Street, Chaoyang District (朝外大街乙6号朝外SOHOA座0616室), Tel. +86 186 0119 1315

3. Grandma's Rabbit Head Restaurant

If Frank Miller did Watership Down.

This packed Sichuan restaurant is really turning heads with its Chengdu signature. Skinned, braised rabbit heads, to be precise. Select a sauce (Sichuan peppercorn or five-spice), and don the gloves and apron provided for a lagomorph lobotomy. After you've prised open the jaw to get at the surprisingly long, chewy tongue, you'll need more muscle to crack the skull and pull out the little brain. Looks ghastly, tastes good. Honest.

Grandma’s Rabbit Head Restaurant (双流老妈兔头)

Average price: 50-80 RMB (rabbit heads 8 RMB each)

Opening hours: 10 a.m. - midnight

Address: 48 East Third Ring Road (south of Shuangjing Subway Exit C), Chaoyang District, (朝阳区东三环南路48号(地铁双井站C口南), Tel. +86 (010) 6540 5858

4. Red Classics Restaurant

He's behind you!

Revel in a bygone slice of PRC history at this theater restaurant decked out with Mao portraits, revolutionary slogans and a life-sized red tractor smashing through the wall. Waitresses in green overalls and pig-tails dish up the Helmsman's beloved pork belly in portions that would make a Red Guard blush, as actors belt out “The East is Red” to drunken groups of flag-waving petty bourgeoisie.

Red Classics Restaurant (红色经典主题餐厅) Average price: 40-70 RMB

Opening hours: 10 a.m. - 9.30 p.m. (show begins at 7:20pm nightly)

Address: 66 Beishang Po, Qinglong Bridge, Xiangshan Road, Haidian District (海淀区香山路青龙桥北上坡66号), Tel. +86 (010) 6287 2185

5. Trojan Fairy

I like what they've done with the place.

For adulterers and paparazzi-shy celebs, this pitch-black restaurant is the place not to be seen (though before diners plan anything too naughty, be warned: the waiters wear night-vision goggles). Dark restaurants are nothing new, but online gamers have adopted Trojan Fairy for live-action “Farmville” antics, where diners compete by swiping food from each other's plates. Choose from three peculiar part-Japanese, part-Western set menus to join the fun.

Trojan Fairy (木马童话黑暗餐厅) Average price: RMB 200

Opening hours: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Address: 8th Floor, Hunsha Dalou, 109 Xidan North Street, Xicheng District (西城区西单北大街109婚庆大楼8楼), Tel. +86 (010) 6616 0336

6. Guolizhuang

Who ordered the foot-long?

A strict, members-only policy operates here, but that's just the food. Guolizhuang's penis hot pot contains 10 appendages from dog to sheep, with exotic organs like seal available at extra cost. Potency is the promise that has middle-aged businessmen booking in their droves, though women are welcome too; it's good for the skin, apparently. Don't be hoodwinked by the grandiloquent menu: “Jasmine Flowers” is in fact sliced donkey penis.

Guolizhuang (锅里壮) http://www.glz.com.cn/ Average price: RMB 200-400

Opening hours: 10.30 a.m. - 9.30 p.m.

Address: 34-3 Dongsi Shitiao, Dongcheng District ( 东城区东四十条乙34-3号), Tel. +86 (010) 8411 6666

7. Haloing The Past

Take a trip down memory lane at this retro emporia.

Discover your inner Chinese schoolchild at this 1980s time warp. Vintage-clothed hipsters giggle over canteen favorites like savory baked eggs and comfortingly malty hot chocolate, as a ghetto blaster pumps out (well not exactly) old sing-along tunes. Retro toys, tatty school desks and other period kitsch abounds, including a replica frontage of a Beijing trolley bus that serves as the bar, with working headlights.

Haloing the Past (昔巷) Average price: 40-60 RMB

Opening hours: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Address: 3 Dajingguang West Alley, Gulou East Street, Dongcheng District (东城区鼓楼东大街大经厂西巷3号), Tel. +86 (010) 6406 5852

8. Heroic Mountain

Taste dishes lifted from martial arts fiction.

This eatery, themed on “wuxia,” or martial arts fiction, stands out from the hot pot joints that line Ghost Street. Bamboo walls hung with swords and bows provide the ambiance as waiters in black robes serve fanciful fare to the assembled acolytes of Jin Yong, the novelist who popularized the genre. White belts needn't tap out: the delicious “Beggar's Duck” and steamed “Hero Fish” require no prior training.

Heroic Mountain (英雄山庄) Average price: RMB 30-50

Opening hours: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Address: 181-1 Dongzhimenwai Avenue, Dongcheng District ( 东城区东直门内大街181-1号), Tel. +86 (010) 8403 5851

9. Ordos Hotel Restaurant

Grassland hospitality in the heart of Beijing.

Run by the Inner-Mongolian provincial government, this restaurant comprises eight dusty yurts, squeezed, incongruously, into the courtyard of a forlorn apartment and hotel complex in central Beijing. Diners are unlikely to hear the cry of an eagle, but can expect tender boiled mutton that falls off the bone as it should, plus authentically salty “milk tea.” Hungry raiding parties can order the whole sheep banquet.

Ordos Hotel Restaurant (鄂尔多斯宾馆内) Average price: RMB 40

Opening hours: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Address: 3 Shanglong Beixiang, Andignmen Outer Street, Dongcheng District (安定门外大街上龙北巷3号), Tel. +86 (010) 8412 4216

10. Kiev Restaurant

Ukrainian soldiers sing for your supper.

The mustachioed stars of Ukrainian opera sing out their careers at this grand eating hall much loved by moneyed Chinese. If you manage to get a table, Georgian wine, smoked trout and questionable baked lobster should get you in the mood for music; diners can pick from a songbook (Russian and Chinese only) and pay 80 RMB to have the full troupe come to the table for an ear-splitting aria.

Kiev Restaurant (基辅餐厅) Average price: RMB 70-100

Opening hours: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. (performances from 12.30-1 p.m. and from 7 p.m.)

Address: 13 Puhui Nanli, Yuyuantan South Street (west of the Millennium Monument), Haidian District (海淀区玉渊潭南路普惠南里13号), Tel. +86 (010) 6828 3482
Read more: Beijing's 10 weirdest restaurants
CNNGo.com http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/eat/beijings-10-weirdest-restaurants-150915#ixzz1DTuRxAb2

Happy New Year of the Rabbit!

2011-02-04T13:37:00.000+08:00

Photo courtesy of Utopia (http://www.utopia-asia.com/)

We're now in Bangkok enjoying the many delights here - good food, good service, good weather, friendly people.....ChinaMango wishes all our friends a good Rabbit Year 2011. Many thanks for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you again soon!

Happy Holidays - and some client feedback.

2010-12-31T21:02:00.000+08:00

At the end of a successful year for ChinaMango, we would like to take the opportunity to thank all our friends and supporters for their visits, introductions and help.

We now have associate guides in more and more cities, including Xian, Shanghai, Pingyao, Xinjiang and Nanning, so can offer a wider service. We have received clients from all over the world, young and old, rich and poor, male and female, singles, couples and a group of over 20 as well. They've stayed in 5 star hotels as well as simple courtyard hostels, stayed one night or stayed up to 3 weeks (in China). We've eaten in expensive restaurants overlooking Tiananmen Square (around USD 50+ per head) as well as local dumpling places for USD 5 per head. We've taken clients, upon request, to buy antiques (real and fake), tailor made shirts and cashmere jackets and trousers, pearl necklaces, and a whole range of other goods and services.

We have been successful in arranging day and night tours to meet client interests and needs. Our guides have been complimented on their level of English, and knowledge of local history and culture. Here is a sample of some feedback we have received.

" Hey Jet
I had a GREAT time touring Beijing with you. Thanks a LOT.
I did a quick upload of all the photos. Take what you like. Just attribute the photos to me. The first link are all the photos. The second link is you laughing – I think that’s your best picture. Enjoy, and I hope to see you again.

Let me know if you ever make it to San Francisco. Would love to show you our VERY short history, and I can introduce you to some local asian guys.

Doug

PS: You would be proud of me last night. I took the bus to the area you suggested. VERY fun and nice. Had a tea. Took the bus back to Tienamen Square. Chatted a little with some guys, then back to hotel. Great night. "

" Hi Jet

We had a wonderful trip. I was so jetlagged though. have just recovered. Your Shanghai guide was excellent, as was the content of the tour, and value for money. I would definitely use him again.

My one recommendation though is that the tip be standardised and built into the fee or be preset by you before meeting the guide. We dont come from a big tipping culture so its always an anxiety as to where we are overtipping or undertipping.

I would definitely recommend ChinaMango. I would like to visit Beijing in a year or so.
Regards

Shaun "

" Hello my friend,

We just arrived from our trip and wanted to say thank you for
the chance you gave us to visit your city in such a short time.
We really appreciated the time we had with you and I will recommend
your service to my friends that are going to visit your country.
If by any chance, you visit us in Canada, please let me know, I
would be more than happy to show you around.
Richard "

" Hi Jet!
Thank you for the wonderful tour of the Great Wall and the 798 arts district! Your tour was very informative and incredibly fun. It made for a fantastic way to see Beijing!
Warm regards,
Matt "

" Good morning Jet
.....we're just getting over our jet lag. As mentioned before, Martin and I are seasoned travelers and can gage pretty well travel services. We want you to know that you and your staff were excellent in every respect. There is not one single thing we would change from the itinerary to the restaurants to the staff. Each of your guides had his own charming personality; each knew exactly what we were intertested in and escorted us beautifully.
One of the greatest qualities your organization offers is dependability. Many Westerners are nervous about visiting China because of the language issue and the misconceptions we have about the New China. Your service was perfect! Everyone was where they should be at the arranged time. No waiting, no sweating! You held our hand as loosely or tightly as we requested. The greatest.
We felt the value for the money was exceptional and have no hesitation to recommend your services to anyone visiting China. If you can supply the same high level of service and guides to other areas from Thailand to Tibet, we wouldn't hesitate a second to use your agency again.
Thanks for the great job.

A & M "

" Dear Jet,

I want to confirm how satisfy I was by your tour and services. It was friendly, efficient, fun, fast, instructive etc. I will be happpy to recommend it to my best friends only!!!
This is what I talk about ( West side story song):

When you're a Jet you're the top cat in town

You're the Gold medal kid with the heavyweight crown

When you're a Jet you're the swingin'est thing

Little boy, you're a man, Little man you're a king!

(check this link if interested to hear the song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIdBHUpBeMA&feature=related)

Take care and enjoy your holidays.

Bertrand "

Do keep your comments coming - we welcome all your suggestions, just add comment below or click the contact button on the left to get in touch directly. We will be taking a break till after Chinese New Year (Feb 3rd). Meanwhile, I wish all readers a happy and healthy 2011 (Year of the Rabbit).

Old Shanghai! New Shanghai! (part 2)

2010-12-19T10:03:00.000+08:00

Various colonial powers like the British, French, and Japanese, as well as German, Russian and Jewish immigrants have left their mark on Shanghai, so a walk around this city can be very interesting. Or if you jog, as a recent China Daily contributor did, be ready for ".....bikes, cars, scooters, children, dogs, giant carts of vegetables wheeled by tiny women, uneven pavements, men sleeping on lounge chairs in the middle of the footpath, buckets of fish heads, families walking five-wide (and holding hands), dance classes, badminton...". If you're tired, then take the metro, which has 10 lines in total and reaches almost every corner of the city. It also connects with the maglev line to Pudong airport - an amazing 7 min ride at 400km/hr+.

Shanghai Expo (see blog July 2010) was a great boost to the local economy, and also the city government carried out a general clean-up and gave main buildings and houses a facelift. It seems however that all is back to normal now, including pollution levels. Contractors are rushing to complete building works delayed because of the temporary halt during the Expo.

There is a contrasting mix of old and new architecture and buildings. Beware of high-rise buildings under construction - every has been talking about the recent tragic fire when 58 died, an unfortunate mix of a new high-rise building and old low-rise firefighting equipment, and unlicensed welders. Also beware of the pretty girls. Shanghainese girls are known for being very strong, and the husbands for being hen-pecked.

We would be happy to take you on a walking tour of the French concession, or browse around Tian Zi Fang, the new "hip" area built around old workshops. It's Shanghai's answer to the 798 art zone in Beijing, or explore the night life.

Or, for the more adventurous, take the high-speed train to Hangzhou (Paradise on Earth, see blog Aug 2010), only 30 mins away now... or go to Suzhou, "Venice of the East"....or take a ride on the longest road bridge over the sea, all 36km of it, to get to Ningbo in only 2 hours, and visit this historic old seaport and modern commercial centre...or 5 hrs by train to Beijing ( well not quite yet, but watch this space after end of 2011)...the list goes on！And if you can really wait, then go to Shanghai Disneyland in the year 2013. It may resemble Disneyland Paris - quite fitting for Shanghai to become Paris of the East again. (Photos courtesy of Danny).

Old Shanghai! New Shanghai! (part 1)

2010-12-03T21:48:00.000+08:00

According to Wikipedia, Shanghai "... is a tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as the Bund and City God Temple, and its modern and ever-expanding Pudong skyline including the Oriental Pearl Tower." I went there during the summer (see July 30th blog) when it was wet and humid, and now I have some photos from Danny who went there recently during the cooler dry season. (You can see some of his Guangzhou pictures in my blog of 5 Nov 2010).

With a population of over 20 million, and over 100,000 foreign expats and nearly half million Taiwan and Hong Kong residents, there is plenty to see and do in Shanghai. Shanghai was the "Paris of the East" in the 1920s and attracted the rich and famous. Now it's your turn to enjoy the city! Old and new, traditional and modern, and Western and Oriental can be seen in the photos below. It was the most Westernised city in China in the last century, and seems set to be the most Westernised city in Asia this century.

Shanghai led the country after 1949 in terms of quality of industrial goods and fashion. It was everyone's dream to own a Forever brand bicycle (cost was up to 3 months salary, and a quota system under the planned economy always meant supply could not keep up with demand) or a Butterfly brand sewing machine or "White Rabbit" candies. Now that has changed with many dreaming of Shanghai made cars from the VW or GM joint venture factories in Shanghai (though the socialist market economy still means a waiting list of a few months for the more popular models, even though prices may now be up to one or two year's salary). Of course for the super rich, you just buy an imported Rolls Royce or Porsche (I'm sure many of the 60-odd USD billionaires in China live in Shanghai!). See Motor Show blog Apr 25th, 2009.

part 2 follows.

Tourist favourite - Panjiayuan Flea Market

2010-11-15T21:58:00.000+08:00

Many of my clients like to visit this place for a break from the various 'heavy' historical and cultural sites in Beijing. Here you can see a lot of local culture but not much real history. The market is sometimes called "Dirt Market" or "Antiques Market", I think there is more of the former and not so much of the latter. In some ways, 'dirt' may have been a suitable description in the early days of the 1980s when it started in a hutong as a kind of black market for secondhand goods, but the market has been expanded and renovated several times and now is quite a respectable place to browse around. However, 'dirty' be a suitable description for some of the goods on sale, see below, so to avoid embarrassment don't take curious young children round those parts.

Not quite sure if this what you were thinking of for the children's Christmas stocking.

The official website www.panjiayuan.com (in English also) describes it as an important sight for any tourist in Beijing, along with climbing the Great Wall, touring the Forbidden City and eating Beijing duck. Here you can mix with people of different colours, languages, religions and social status. Even royalty and presidents have visited, so you don't have to feel embarrassed to be seen here. In case you do there is now even an online purchasing option on the Panjiayuan website.

The market is situated on the 3rd East Ring Road, and will be more easily accessible when the No. 10 metro line extension south is finished. So of course before then you should have a guide to take you there.....and also to help you bargain. Beware, starting prices will be higher if you have a 'foreign' face! It is open 365 days in the year, but weekends are still the best time to go, though you would be joining 60,000 others on average with the same idea. Even if you visited 80 stalls a week, it would still take you one year to visit all 4000 stalls and their 10,000 staff!

There is a huge variety of stuff to look at, great for Xmas shopping......antiques, paintings, jewelry, classical furniture, books, folk art, chops and seals, snuff bottles, stamps, porcelain, Chairman Mao alarm clocks.......And the latest addition...yes diamonds in the flea market, started by a Ms Yang in August this year! That really is going upmarket. She helps customers choose using her secret TGF method. Also, there's now even a cafe (but no Starbucks yet) so you can sit down whilst your partner takes his or her time looking around.

Ready, Steady, Go.......go to Guangzhou!

2010-11-05T23:45:00.002+08:00

Yes it's time for another major international event. Following on from the Olympics in 2008 in Beijing, World Expo 2010 in Shanghai (just finished with a record 73 million visitors over 6 months), it's now the turn of Guangzhou, which is hosting the 16th Asian Games. They start on Nov 12th for 2 weeks, and so of course the city has had a thorough facelift. I have not been lucky enough to go but my good friend Danny is there and I am grateful to him for the photo selection below.

Guangzhou, or Canton to the diehard colonialists, (not to be confused with Guangdong, the name of the province) is China's third largest city with a population of over 10 million. It's history goes back over 2,000 years. Geographically, it's located on the Pearl River and so is an ideal location for an international port. It's just a hop, skip and jump from Hong Kong (especially when the new high-speed train is built). These factors, together with a common dialect and culture with Hong Kong, have helped it to grow rapidly in the past few decades. It's per capita GDP is already over 13,000 USD, so would rank in the top 50 countries in the world if it was a country rather than just a city.

There is such a mix of old and new, local streets and large squares, day and night......the photos below are in no particular order, see if you can spot the TV tower, the CBD, the Pearl River New Town and old temples. You can get some of the best and most varied food in China there. I'm looking forward to going there some time when the crowds attending the Games have gone ....anyone fancy going with me, or even better sponsoring me?

Seductive Ancient Silk Road (5) Kashgar

2010-10-18T23:32:00.001+08:00

And finally we come to the end of our journey along the Silk Road, or at least the Chinese part of it. Having started in the old imperial capital Xian, of Tang dynasty fame, we end up in a totally different world in Kashgar. Kashgar (Kashi in Chinese pinyin) is a wonderful city, full of surprises, the most westerly- but by no means westernised, yet - city in China. It's a city within China but somehow so unlike the rest of China.

You just have to walk around and see the buildings and markets and mosques to appreciate that.

Traditional handicrafts and metalwork can be seen on the streets.

Old Uyghur farmers bring their produce in to the city to sell, as they have been doing for hundreds of years.

There are of course more modern articles for the tourist market, inevitably.

We were in time for the pomegranate season, and the fresh hand-pressed juice was just delicious, not to mention the sweet figs, almonds, nuts and local street food!

The famous old quarter, home to Uyghurs, Tajiks, Kyrgyz and Uzbeks, is being restored and renovated for the benefit of the local residents, and for the tourists - I just hope they get the balance right between commercial/tourist and residential areas. It was sad to see a lot of demolition going on as well - you should see it soon before it all becomes modernised.

We were treated to a traditional lunch at a Uyghurs friend's home, it was sumptuous! The picture shows just the starters!

This impressive building is the family Tomb of Abakh Hoja, one of whose grand-daughters, Xiangfei, became the famous fragrant concubine of Emperor Qianlong. After her death in the 18th century, the journey back from Beijing to Kashgar took 3 years.

And we couldn't miss the famous bazaar, which has been a meeting point for traders around the region for hundreds of years.

You should start planning your holidays for next year in this region, allow at least 2 weeks to do it justice. Let me know if you need any more information.

Seductive Ancient Silk Road (4) Urumqi and Nalati Grasslands

2010-10-01T23:22:00.000+08:00

It's the National Holiday starting today, not the same big celebrations like last year's 60th (see blog). However, there seems to be just as many people on holiday. Beijing is looking at its best as we come into the "golden season' here. However, I want to continue our travel along the Silk Road with a group we took recently, this time to the modern capital of the Xinjiang region, Urumqi, and to a lesser known area of unspoilt grassland Nalati.

Home-baked naan bread , fresh and hot from the oven, great smell and great taste, wonderful way to start the day!

And aren't those bagels....?

The Xinjiang museum in Urumqi is worth a visit to learn more about Uyghur culture - so many hats, and that's just the men's section!

You can see lots of old musical instruments - not sure which came from the West and which from the East!

In case you don't read Uyghur or Chinese, they have signs in English too, fortunately.

No English here, but can you guess what it is? Free goodies given out, found inside the Men's room, and installed by the Rainbow Care Centre.

You can also see some strange sights on the road if you keep your eyes open (photo expertly taken by Nick as we drove by!) - yes it's real, live and not on a lead.

And now on the road to the Nalati grasslands after a 2 hour flight west - quite different kind of traffic on the roads here, and more Kazakh people, not surprising since we were quite close to Kazakhstan.

Breathtaking views

The Nalati grasslands covering 400 sq km are one of the 4 largest grasslands in the world.

How would you like to live here? Very alpine looking. Certainly cleaner air than in Beijing. We can help you come here and rent a yurt perhaps for the summer?

Sheep shearing 100% by hand

Whole family helps in collecting the wool

After several stages of cleaning, sorting, tamping and dyeing, the result is a beautiful felt rug - I bought one for my dining room

The local Kazakh community use the felt to line their yurts.

Last part next time!

Seductive Ancient Silk Road（3）Turfan

2010-09-16T21:40:00.000+08:00

City of grapes, we were there at the right season. The superb pictures in this series of 5 blogs on the Silk Road are courtesy of friends Peter and Mary - the not so good ones are mine!

Bunches of grapes everywhere, this was at our lunchtime restaurant

Excellent food and entertainment

Uyghurs have fascinating facial features, some even with blue eyes.

Uyghurs love to sing and dance.Lots of delicious food, including lamb kebabs

No, not a mosque but a drying room for grapes (or are they raisins?)

Haven't seen so many different shapes and sizes of raisins before!

Flaming Rock, which every child has heard of in the Monkey King, and yes, it was very hot!

Folk dance at the ruins of an old town

My Shanghai trip - part 3 Hangzhou and Huangshan

2010-08-27T22:11:00.000+08:00

After the water village of Xitang that I described last time, our next stop was to Hangzhou, an hour's drive away. The city was founded 2,200 years ago, is called "Heaven on Earth", and was also praised by Marco Polo. Hangzhou has the famous West Lake and Dragon Well ('long jing') green tea, and was the Imperial Capital for the southern Song dynasty (1123-1276).

It was a cultural centre and very prosperous, even today it has one of the highest per capita GDPs in China (USD 11,000). We could see all the famous top brand cars had showrooms in the city.

The airport had the usual shops, with famous and some not so famous brands - not quite sure now to pronounce some of them, hope they're easier in Chinese.

And how do you like the latest in bedroom furniture for the nouveau riche?

There is still some work to be done on improving English. I couldn't understand this sign in a bookstore, can you.....?

you have to look on the other side of the sign! (i.e. first sign should have read "Our Choice"!)

After Hangzhou, we went to Huangshan, a 3-hr coach ride away. It's a double World heritage site (cultural and natural).

It is said that after visiting this area with 72 peaks, you won't want to visit any other mountain, since they can't compare. "Peak, rock, pine, everything here is marvelous; cloud, water, mountain all seem to be living." The scenery changes with the weather, and we were lucky to have a good mix of sun and cloud. We had talked about getting up at 4 in the morning to see the sunrise, but it was only empty talk in the end. Even with cable cars up and down, we were ready for a long night's sleep.

Nearby villages of Hongcun and Xidi are worth seeing. They are like Chinese paintings, and one famous Chinese film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" directed by Ang Lee was partly filmed here. For fengshui reasons, Hongcun was designed in the shape of a cow, so it's fun to try to identify in the village different parts such as the horns, stomach, legs etc.

I also took my clients to Datong to see the Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Monastery, before finally returning to Beijing.

I was so glad to get home, I think the T-shirt says it all, I just love BJ. Don't you?

Well that's all for this trip, perhaps we can get back to the Ancient Silk Road next time!

My Trip to Shanghai - part 2 Xitang

2010-08-13T23:34:00.000+08:00

Around Shanghai, there are now many old 'water villages' developed for tourism (e.g. Zhouzhuang, Zhujiajiao, Tongli, Wuzhen), and they are particularly busy these days due to Expo visitors. I think they are very similar and all rather commercialised. We chose Xitang, location for some scenes in Mission Impossible 3.

It is very pretty, but the narrow streets along the river were not designed for so many people! And there's plenty of water falling from the sky as well, so we were more than happy to have a tricycle as our baggage cart to help us to our rooms in a traditional old riverside inn.

Xitang has a romantic atmosphere, and at night, couples could be seen floating off their 'love candles' as a sign of true love. I hope they didn't see the bargeman clearing up the candles out of the water a hundred yards downstream.

It was a pity that disco music could be heard coming out of a riverside bar, but that's modernisation for you! Some traditional arts continue, such as playing the 'erhu' (2-stringed instrument) by the river, woodblock printing handmade by an old master in his fine family courtyard house, as well as frying stinky beancurd and making wonton.

My Trip to Shanghai and Surroundings (part 1)

2010-07-30T17:25:00.001+08:00

I'm back, but not on the Ancient Silk Road where I left you all in Xian last month. That trip will have to wait for another time. I want to tell you about my trip to Shanghai with some clients, partly to see this commercial capital of China, and the Expo, but also to explore some of the picturesque towns and cities in the area (Xitang, Hangzhou, Huangshan or Yellow Mountain, and Hongcun), all in 2 weeks. This first part covers Shanghai and Suzhou. Thanks to Bonnie, Sugar and Peter for making all this possible and for contributing some of their photos.

Upon arrival in Shanghai by plane, we took the maglev train from Pudong airport, and yes got up to 431 km/hr (260 mph) without feeling a thing!

July is probably the worst time to visit Shanghai since it is still in the middle of the "huangmei" season which means wet and sticky weather everyday. This year, it was combined with high temperatures. We were ready for some refreshing watermelon, but wait, these weren't for eating! The delicious 'sanjian' fried dumplings were definitely for eating though! I'm not sure about some other items on this menu, want to try?

It's not surprising many cases of sunstroke were reported at the Expo. Can you imagine lining up for one or even two hours to get in to a pavilion? How about in a rainstorm? Well that's what I and 500,000 other people did that day at the Shanghai Expo, which I first wrote about in May. (By the way, 500,000 is also the number of free condoms that will be placed in Expo-designated hotels).

I got into a couple of pavilions such as Argentina (live salsa demo) and Africa (smiling faces), but just took pictures after that.

And I was told the country pavilions are not the most interesting - one should go to the other side of the river, Puxi, to see the organisations and urban planning pavilions. More than 34 million visitors to the Expo have been recorded, see official website http://en.expo2010.cn/

We went to the Shanghai Museum to escape the weather, but so did many others too! There are beautiful exhibits of all sorts there, well worth a visit. How about a new chair or display cabinet?

Suzhou is a popular place for a day visit to see its Chinese gardens. Just as Shanghai used to be the "Paris of the East", so this city could be the "Venice of the East". As you can see, we were in time to see the lotus flower bloom. See next part for rest of trip.

Seductive Ancient Silk Road (2) - Xian

2010-06-23T22:59:00.003+08:00

Xian (pronounced 'she-an', meaning western peace) used to be called Changan (perpetual peace), and was an important capital of several major dynasties including Han, Qin, Tang and Sui. It was the eastern starting point of the ancient silk road (northern route), which no doubt helped it to become the largest city in the world over 1400 years ago.

China's first emperor, Qin Shihuang (221BC-210 BC), made Changan his imperial capital.

It is because of him that nowadays, tens of thousands of tourists come to Xian to marvel at the terracotta warriors. The warriors protect the yet to be excavated main tomb of Emperor Qin. They are of course buried below present day ground level.

You can only view the excavations from an elevated distance nowadays, unless your name is Bill Clinton or something like that, in which case they will let you go down and have eyeball contact. It's quite an experience, and I have even helped arrange some of my clients go there on a day trip out of Beijing. No wonder millions of visitors go there every year.

Around this time, there were several shifts of the capital back and forth further east to Luoyang. Because of this, Luoyang is a city full of history and connections with the silk road (e.g. the 2000-yr old White Horse Temple is China's first buddhist temple, and the large Longmen grottoes with 30,000 buddhist statues carved out of stone rock), but that's another story for another time

The most famous outbound Chinese 'tourist' to start from Changan and travel along the ancient silk road was probably the monk Xuanzhang, who made the Journey to the West (yes, title of a subsequent novel in which the famous Monkey King accompanies Xuanzhang on his trip to India) in the 7th century, and back again. He brought back Buddhists scriptures from India by the camel load, so much in fact that a new storeroom, the Big Goose Pagoda, had to be built to house them.

Changan was also the capital of China during the Tang dynasty 600-900 AD, the golden age of ancient Chinese civilisation. The uniquely well preserved, intact city wall is from the Ming dynasty, and was effective in making it difficult for outsiders to get in (and get out).

Nowadays, however, the wall with its limited number of openings, is effective in making it difficult for cars to get in and out, thereby causing endless traffic jams! It may be more fun to get around by cycling along the top of the wall.

This is the most famous western 'tourist' to Changan, travelling in the 13th century.

Do you know who he is? See below for the answer*

The local culture is not pure Han Chinese. Being so far West, it's not surprising that Muslim Chinese form a sizeable minority group, with their own 1400-yr old Great Mosque.
There are plenty of flour products and lamb in the local diet, and also 'rou jia mo', an early MacDonalds Chinese style, but made with lamb.

I often wonder how long it took the merchants along the ancient silk road to travel from Changan to Urumqi/Turfan or Kashgar or Persia or even to Rome. Today, it's so simple to contact and do trade with these faraway places - one click on the computer and an email goes off instantaneously to anywhere in the world. If you visit Xian and want to write home, it's not a problem, since Xian claims to have the world's largest internet bar (3000 PCs), covering 4 floors, and charging only a few RMB per hour.

I'll continue with the seductive ancient silk road in August after a summer break. Happy holidays!

*Marco Polo

Seductive Ancient Silk Road, Seductive Xinjiang

2010-06-10T11:42:00.001+08:00

Now that Xinjiang is getting back to normal and the September peak tourist season is coming, I thought I would try to 'seduce' you to go there with some photos and stories of my previous trips to this huge N.W. region, part of China yet so different from the rest of China. It's area is one sixth of China, comparable to Iran or Western Europe, and has borders with 8 countries, including Russia, Mongolia, India, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan. It has been known by various old names such as Sinkiang, Uyghuristan, Chinese Turkestan, Chinese Tartary, Kashgaria and Little Bokhara.

To start with, some history from "A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World" by W. J. Bernstein."

"Millennia ago, only the most prized merchandise - silk, gold and silver, spices, jewels, porcelains, and medicines - traveled between continents. The mere fact that a commodity came from a distant land imbued it with mystery, romance, and status. If the time were the third century after Christ and the place were Rome, the luxury import par excellence would have been Chinese silk [hence the start of the ancient Silk Road].

"History celebrates the greatest of Roman emperors for their vast conquests, civic architecture, engineering, and legal institutions, but Elagabalus, who ruled from AD 218 to 222, is remembered, to the extent that he is remembered at all, for his outrageous behavior and his fondness for young boys and silk [he seems to have a lot in common with some Chinese emperors, but that's another story]. Nothing, however, commanded Rome's attention (and fired its envy) as much as his wardrobe and the lengths he went to flaunt it, such as removing all his body hair and powdering his face with red and white makeup. Although his favorite fabric was occasionally mixed with linen - the so-called sericum - Elagabalus was the first Western leader to wear clothes made entirely of silk.

"From its birthplace in East Asia to its last port of call in ancient Rome, only the ruling classes could afford the excretion of the tiny invertebrate Bombyx mori - the silkworm. The modern reader, spoiled by inexpensive, smooth, comfortable synthetic fabrics, should imagine clothing made predominantly from three materials: cheap, but hot, heavy animal skins; scratchy wool; or wrinkled, white linen. (Cotton, though available from India and Egypt, was more difficult to produce, and thus likely more expensive, than even silk.) In a world with such a limited sartorial palette, the gentle, almost weightless caress of silk on bare skin would have seduced all who felt it..

"Although the Romans knew Chinese silk, they knew not China. They believed that silk grew directly on the mulberry tree, not realizing that the leaves were merely the worm's home and its food. ...

"[Silk] was costly enough in China; in Rome, it was yet a hundred times costlier - worth its weight in gold, so expensive that even a few ounces might consume a year of an average man's wages. Only the wealthiest, such as Emperor Elagabalus, could afford an entire toga made from it."

Now silk is not just for emperors, empresses, kings and queens. It is available for many uses, not just seductive clothing. You don't have to travel along the 4,000-mile (6,000 km) long Silk Road to find it. But you can still see many marvellous sights if you start from the ancient capital of Changan (now called Xian, site of the terracotta warriors) and go West into Xinjiang and beyond, following in the footsteps of those brave Han dynasty traders over two thousand years ago.

Walking Wild - Untouched, Unrestored, Undamaged Wall

2010-05-21T21:03:00.002+08:00

It's over 30 degrees C (high 80s F) in Beijing now. As a friend said, Spring barely happened--the trees and flowers are very confused--and we just rushed straight into Summer! Last weekend, before this sudden hotspell, some friends managed to drive to the countryside just over the border into Hebei province, to get away from the city for one day, and enjoy some fresh air, fresh food and some gentle hiking.

It wasn't any special holiday weekend but traffic was bad on the highway to Badaling and other (restored) sections of the Great Wall nearest to Beijing. They knew they should start out early at the weekends, but 8.30am was too late, 7.30am would have been better. To compensate, however, there are some magnificent views of the Wall following the peaks of the mountains.

The group had instructions to go to Chenjiapu, a small village of old farmhouses with some families settled there since the Wall was built, many with surname CHEN. From there, it's a short walk to the base of the mountains on top of which are several beautiful untouched sections of the Wall - undamaged (by Man, but not by Nature) and unrestored. One can hire a guide for 100 RMB to take you on a range of walks, such as High and Round Towers (only 3 such round ones on the whole Wall, the guide said), demanding but rewards with one of the best views over the Chenjiapu valley and beyond, or Hunchback Curve, also demanding but with some of the most picturesque Wall curves and fairy-tale like staircases in beijing, or Easy Over, a short walk of 3 or 4 hours.

My friends went for a shortened version of the short walk . They met no one else on their 2 hour trek, no tour groups, not a single backpacker even and no ladies selling postcards. They were welcomed by groups of lovely blue butterflies. They were able to scramble up a part of the Wall which descended into the valley, but gave up halfway up because it got too steep and there were too many loose stones. Later on they met a group of local people on a survey mission, looking to develop the area for tourism. That was bad news!

They got back in time for a hearty, healthy lunch. They even picked some of the fresh vegetables and leaves themselves from the farmer's own plot, grown organically they said, but no questions were asked on what they used for fertiliser. The farmer's wife cooked up a table full of dishes, all freshly made.

It was only the (plastic) flowers in the dining room that were not 'fresh'.

The farmhouse also has simple rooms for overnight stays, only 50 RMB per person, complete with traditional 'kang' bed with underbed heating in winter. There are even hot showers available, courtesy of the solar water heater. And TV via satellite dish, but no CNN or BBC I'm afraid.

A short walk round the village rounded off our trip. They met an old lady in her courtyard home, doing her daily housework, all very traditional, in contrast to the wedding photo proudly hanging on her wall.

I wonder how she spent her honeymoon? staying up to watch the sunset (or sunrise) over the Wall, or the stars at night? How romantic!

Beijing Auto China and Shanghai World Expo 2010

2010-05-06T23:07:00.001+08:00

The May holiday weekend has just passed. It was a bad time to visit the tourist sites since there were so many people visiting Beijing, not just foreigners but also other parts of China. 4.36 million visitors came to Beijing over the 3 days, 17% more than last year. And 230,000 people crammed into the Forbidden City. On Apr 30th, a record number of 6 million passengers used the 9 lines of the Beijing subway, that's like the population of London all on the move in one day.

Some were at the Auto China 2010, which featured 990 cars from all over the world. The show attracted 800,000 visitors over 10 days, making it the world's best-attended auto show. I'm glad I went last year (see my Apr 2009 blog "Moo-ve over Ox, this is the Year of the Car"), and bought my car then, because in just one year, prices have gone up and delivery times increased to several months. My car is cheap compared to the 40 luxury cars sold for 150 million yuan, that's an average of just over half a million USD each! The most expensive one was a Bugatti Veyron 16.4 sold for 5.6 MUSD.

And for those without that kind of money, there were always the free parks, currently with lots of blossoms and tulip displays. But again there were crowds of people, since the weather finally turned warm, and every day, over 500,000 visited the city's 11 parks.

Some of my Beijing clients were on their way to the Shanghai Expo. You hear about this every day on the TV, a bit like before the Beijing Olympics 2 years ago. Twice as much money has been spent on this Expo than on the Olympics. 70 million are expected over the 6 months to end of October, in a city of 22 million people. It will be a chance to show off China's economic development to the world, but since 95% of the visitors will be from within China, it is more a chance to show the world to the Chinese.

This is the world's largest Expo since the first one in London in 1851, with 246 countries and organisations taking part, 102 government leaders attending and 2 million volunteers to help you around the site, whose area is equivalent to 1000 football pitches.

Tickets sold out on the opening day, May 1st and large crowds came over the long holiday weekend, over 200,000 a day. However numbers are now down to less than half because of the hot 30 degrees C temperature or maybe because of the rain or maybe because it's too expensive for locals. They may have to start giving away free tickets or organise company outings to reach the targets. During the soft opening, the most popular pavilions, apart from China's Oriental Crown, came from United States, Australia, Spain, France and Japan.

I plan go in July with some clients. For those of you who can't come, there's always the virtual site on http://www.expo.cn/.

Beijing's Bloomin' Beautiful(ly)! And How About You?

2010-04-22T17:04:00.002+08:00

At a reader's request, a friend has gone around with a camera to show you what is blooming now. Finally we can see some colour in the city. It's also one of the peak seasons for tourists, so I'm busy showing them the blossom as well as everything else in Beijing!

Actually he already went 10 days ago with some friends to the oldest temple in Beijing (even older than the city itself) and saw some beautiful old trees, but not the usual spring blossoms. One small yulan magnolia (indigenous to central and eastern China) tree was just starting to show some flower buds. The temple has both white and the less common purple varieties.

Three other temples also have purple, white or pink lilacs in their grounds, and some are over 200 years old. Then it will be the turn of the peonies in their various colours, including black and green. And the most famous place to view the largest area of lilacs is the Temple of Heaven.

Now, in our area, we can see a whole range of colours, and even more is promised as the weather warms up.

up.

Most of the photos were taken in my neighbourhood, but of course you can see much more in various parks and the botanical gardens - crabapples, and apricot, cherry and peach blossom (70 varieties of these alone in the Beijing Botanical Garden). One photo taken near the Ming City Wall shows the new plants in front of this old historical structure. See if you can spot the artificial trees/flowers, and the one I took before in South Africa (see last December's blog)!

And how about you? Are you ready for Spring? Have you done your Spring cleaning? It's also time to make yourself 'beautiful' too with some body and spirit 'cleansing' according to the earliest ancient Chinese traditional medicine compendium "Yellow Emperor Internal Medicine":

"....Spring is the season of growth, and a new beginning to the year. The movement of the air seems like a rebirth of our mother earth. To get used to the spring, sleep later and wake earlier, take walks with your hair flying in the wind, wear loose clothes, allow an open and joyful outlook to life. Instead of killing, let things grow. Instead of stealing, give abundantly. Instead of punishing, reward by teaching. This is the way of the Dao....."

I think the easiest piece of advice to follow is the first bit about sleeping later. Agree?

Holiday Weekend in Beijing

2010-04-05T21:51:00.002+08:00

It was a double holiday last weekend with Easter, not known by many and even forgotten by some, and Qing Ming, or Tomb Sweeping Festival. It's the time to pay your respects to those who have passed away (perhaps they have also risen from the dead), and offer gifts, made of paper, deemed necessary for the after life.

Of course, you have to keep up with the changing times - and with the neighbours- so in addition to the traditional items of paper money, other sacrificial articles now available, all made of paper, include villas, sedan cars, garments, wines, cigarettes, seafood, pianos, violins and other "luxury goods", so reports the China Daily. This year's creative thinking by those out to commercialise the festival has led to some novel ideas. "The 18-yuan ($2.6) bra and a cosmetics set, which costs 28 yuan, are new products this year. The cosmetics set includes foundation, perfume, lipstick, facial cleansing cream, lotion and shampoo". It's not clear if they are only for women, but I know a few men who would appreciate these as well.

And of course you can remember your loved ones on the internet on special memorial websites for those too busy to go to the cemetery. After all, who knows, there may well be life after death in cyberspace.

I did not join the half million Beijingers in their tomb-sweeping and instead just spent the sunny day in Ritan (Temple of Earth) park. Whereas its more famous counterpart, the Temple of Heaven, lies to south of the city, Ritan Park in the north is a much more modest affair located near the earliest diplomatic area. It is nevertheless an interesting place to stroll around in on this holiday. The many tress there were starting to blossom like the magnolia in the photo.

There were lots of families out enjoying some local snacks (roast sweet potatoes and strawberries already), as well as flying their kites or practising 'tai qi'.

They do seem to start young these days. The boy in the photo was only 5 yrs old and not only performed a vigorous set of movements for me, but could also speak some simple English.

The city traffic was light because of the long weekend, and some local farmers even ventured into town with their horse-drawn carts.

Another traditional form of transport is the rickshaw which can be found outside shopping malls where foreigners like to go, such as this one called "Alien's Street", written in English and Russian.

Let me know if you want to go for a walk in a park, eat local snacks, ride a rickshaw or go shopping. I can tell you the best places to go (for cosmetics as well but not for bras!).

Healthy Living - Vegetarian Food in Beijing

2010-03-24T13:18:00.005+08:00

After all the excessive eating over the Chinese New Year, it's a good time to eat something a that's bit easier on the stomach. Of course, Chinese eat many vegetable-only dishes anyway, but nevertheless there are many good vegetarian and vegan restaurants in town, and I went to one of my favourite ones recently, see photos.

Now don't get turned off by the thought of bland vegetarian food which you get in the West, such as beans, lentils, raw carrots, alfafa or plain tofu even. Here in Beijing you can find many different vegetarian dishes, with different styles and different tastes. They can be quite different to the mock meat dishes you get in Hong Kong, where it can be too oily or too sweet.

China has a long tradition of vegetarian food starting over 1500 years ago in Buddhist temples, and no egg, garlic or spring onion was allowed. Confucius was probably vegetarian as well. From there it spread to the imperial family and then to ordinary citizens. The main ingredients used are soybean products such as tofu, fresh vegetables and even some flowers and tea leaves.

There are several dozen different restaurants to choose from in Beijing, some near tourist sites, some in outlying temples, some easy to find, others hidden down narrow hutongs; some with character and charm, some decorated like fast food cafes; some with cheap buffets, and a few with expensive a la carte menus. Some are state-owned with minimal service and traditional dishes, and some are privately-owned with innovative fusion food; some cater to foreigners whilst others don't have any English-speaking staff at all.

Some have Buddhist inspired names such as "Lotus in Moonlight", "Pure Lotus", "Still Thoughts", "Sea of Mercy" and "Bodhi-Sake", so you can expect calming and tasteful decor. Others have more common names such as Veggie Love Kitchen, Loving Hut, and Vegetarian Tiger (particularly appropriate for this year). Some, such as Wo Xing Wo Su and Xu Xiang Zhai, are unpronouncable and won't mean anything to you unless you know Chinese and the pinyin system of 'spelling'. Talking about pinyin, perhaps the phrases 'wo bu chi rou' or 'wo chi su' for "I don't eat meat" and "I am vegetarian" will come in handy for you.

There are some good vegetarian restaurants near the National Museum of Fine Arts, Lama Temple and Confucius Temple (see blog on Ancient Scholars July 2009) or MOMA, which you might be visiting as part of an architectural tour (see blog on Beijing Architecture Jan. 2010). Try Roast Beijing Duck without the duck, or Chicken in Chili Sauce or Stir-fried Prawns or Grilled Fish Country Style, all meatless. Another dish I saw on the menu, Steamed Sliced Pork with White Gourd, said it can "....promote weight loss, reduce inflammation, release heat and purge pollution and toxins....". We certainly need that with all the recent sandstorms!

Beijing's Fabric Market is Fab!

2010-03-07T22:34:00.002+08:00

Some of my clients have been to Beijing several times and so want to go somewhere different, away from the must-see sights full of tour groups. I wrote about Badachu (8 Great Temples) last August and shopping at my local market last July. Well, this time I want to tell you about a huge market, the so-called fabric market. There, you can fit yourself out with a complete new wardrobe, tailor-made if you want, choose soft furnishings for your whole house, and lots more!

I took a friend to this off-the-beaten track market recently and he raved about the unique fabrics available. It doesn't look promising from the outside, a series of dull warehouse buildings on a dusty, crowded road, but inside, well a whole new world of weird and wonderful goods: not just fabrics, such as linens, cashmere, silks, cottons, printed, woven, cut to any size or length you need, but also accessories, cosmetics, bags, wallets, belts, jewelry, clocks and watches, .....if you like markets, if you like hunting for something unusual, if you want a unique souvenir from China, then this is a fun place I can take you to!

Of course if you are a Harrods, John Lewis, Macy's or Nordstrom customer (or perhaps in these days of recession a Wal-Mart customer), you won't want to go near this market. Silk Alley, Friendship Store, Yashow or any of Beijing's new shopping malls will be enough of a downgrade for you. Similarly if you are on a 10-day-see-all-of-China tour then you won't have time to go off the beaten track for some adventure. Not only is the market a 40 min drive to the edge of town, it's also laid out in a random way.

However, if like my friend, you want to explore places where the locals go and get an unbeatable opportunity to pick up a bargain, then this is the place for you. The service can be a bit, well, minimalist, but I can help you deal with that. And although everything is very cheap, I can help to negotiate the price down even further for you.

You can be creative, mix and match, choose your material and accessories and then take them to a tailor to make something to your own design....or make a copy of your favourite Armani shirt or whatever. Just let your imagination go! How about new curtains, or sofa covers or duvet cover? How about making a new suit or shirt? Silk underwear? Leather trousers? A new party frock?

I couldn't resist getting something. I picked out a cotton print with a colourful flowery pattern, just like a Paul Smith design, and will take it to my favourite tailor, the one who made the winter coat I showed you in January's blog, to make into a new shirt for the Spring. I'll show it to you - and the market - next time you come!

Chinese New Year - still celebrating!

2010-02-26T13:06:00.002+08:00

We're nearly there! After all the build up and excitement before February 14th, the start of the Chinese New Year, it will soon be day 15, which marks the official end of the "tiger" celebrations.

And thank goodness. No more paying high prices for vegetables and fruit. No more dumpling making and dumpling dinners. No more crowding in the parks to see the temple fairs, and 50 yuan (7USD) charges if you want to park your car nearby.

No more deafening fireworks and firecrackers which keep you up after midnight or wake you up at dawn (especially on the fifth day, 'po wu', when it seemed everyone rushed out to be the first to get up and let off fireworks in the early moming!). No more forgetting what the date is since during this period we count the days starting from February 14th, which is 'chu yi' or '1st day of the month'.

Of course it has been fun in many ways.

We decorated our flat with papercuts and flowers, including fragrant narcissus which have bloomed throughout the holiday.

It was a good time for me to get together with my family, not just brothers and sisters, but also uncles, aunts, cousins and their children and children's children, who call me 'yeye' or grandad! Each kid was particularly excited to see me and other relatives because each one expected a 'hongbao' or red packet with money.

Thank goodness each family only has one child! I don't mind because one day when I really look like a grandad they will be giving me 'hongbao'!

There was time to play cards with friends and relatives. Driving around was a pleasure with few cars on the road, except near each temple fair.

You can see some interesting things at the temple fairs, some even get up your nose! The shopping malls were all open and decorated with lots of red colour.

I bought a new hat to welcome the spring - don't I look cool, haha (but it doesn't match my new coat I showed you last month)! And of course, when it was too cold to go out, there was lots of TV, and lots of repeats of old and new spring festival gala shows.

For those of you who like numbers, here are some taken from the "Global Times":

Fireworks
90 � number of fires caused by fireworks from New Year's Eve to the fifth day of the Spring Festival
347 � number of injuries caused by the fires
960 � number of cameras in Beijing's 11 parks watching out for firework accidents
2,200 � number of security guards prepared to prevent firework accidents in Beijing's 11 parks
79.69 tons � firecracker remains cleaned up on the morning of Near Year's Day
730,000 � number of police sent out to prevent accidents and control fireworks on Feb 18, the fifth day of the Spring Festival
Transportation
200,000 � number of people returning to Beijing on Feb 18
Restaurants
1,500 � number of trays of dumplings sold by Huifeng Traditional Beijing Restaurant on Feb 18
300,000 yuan � turnover in one day at Gushengli Barbecue, Ditan Temple Fair during the first five days of the Festival
35.9% � sales increase in Beijing's restaurants on Spring Festival eve
Accidents
621 � number of ambulances sent out on Feb 13 and Feb 14
563 � number of emergency medical technicians travelling around to give medical treatment on Feb 13 to 14
288 � number of injures caused in total on Feb 13 and Feb 14
Temple fairs
25,000 � number of visitors Ditan temple fair welcomed on Feb 13, the first day it opened
66,000 � number of visitors Changdian temple fair welcomed on Feb 14, the first day it opened
80,000 � number of tourists attending Chaoyang Park International Temple Fair on Feb 15
50,000 � number of visitors Shijingshan Temple Fair welcomed on Feb 15
Tourist attractions
166,500 � number of visitors Beijing's 19 most important tourist attractions welcomed on the first day of the Spring Festival
60,000 � number of pilgrims visiting the Lama Temple on Feb 14

Feb 28th marks the Lantern Festival (and further eating, this time of round dumplings called yuanxiao).

Wouldn't you like to taste those delicious balls (made of glutinous rice powder with a sweet filling)? I can save some for your next visit, if you like.

Happy New Year of the Tiger!

2010-02-12T13:35:00.004+08:00

In case you didn't know, the Chinese New Year starts on 14th February this year. If you are 36 or 48 or 60 (or other multiples of 12) years old this year, then it's your year, Tiger! Join such famous people as Marco Polo, Beethoven and Marx, and be prepared for lots of good fortune, energy and power, as well as 'virility, prowess and cunning', as shown by theTiger Man, courtesy of Utopia.

Like Christmas in the West, this is a time for family reunions. Out-of-town workers have been going home since the start of the 40-day travel season end of January.

That's why there have been long queues at main railway stations to buy tickets, and even more pushing and squeezing to get on a train. It is estimated that 210 million train journeys and 29 million plane trips will be made in the 40 days, that's almost the whole of the population of the USA on the go! Luckily I just have to drive my car for less an hour to get to my old family home.

Also like Christmas, it's a time for eating, eating and eating! I've already had several dinners and reunions with friends and relatives whom we don't normally have time to meet during the rest of the year. I've also made several shopping trips to local markets and supermarkets to prepare for eating and cooking at home.

Every family will make dumplings, whereas the richer ones will splash out on a banquet at a restaurant. However, although business will be brisk, the owners, as well as flower and chocolate sellers say it's a disaster for them that Valentine's day is also at this time.

According to the fortune tellers, it's not a good year for marriage, this year being a so-called widow year, so there has been a last minute rush to get married in the old bull year. If you didn't make it in time, you'll just have to live in sin and/or keep up the Valentine romance for the rest of the new year. And if you're lucky (or unlucky) enough to be single, and you're looking for a mate, then beware of those tigers (and tigresses)out there, especially the beautiful young 24-yr olds, they could be strong, aggressive and difficult to tame.

New Year decorations and papercuts will be put up everywhere, with red being the favourite lucky colour of course. Even used coke cans have their uses, as the model of the China pavilion at the Shanghai Expo, beginning this May, shows.

Tigers can be seen in every shape and size. And my younger relatives are all waiting for me to give them red packets, hong bao, or lucky money.

This is my last blog for the old year, and I've covered a whole range of topics which I hope you have found interesting. Do let me know if there is anything you want me to tell you more about. I look forward to being in touch with you again in the new year.

Modern Architecture in Beijing

2010-01-29T18:06:00.004+08:00

Last year, I was honoured to show around a professional architect, Paul, from USA, and he is my guest blogger today. What better person to describe some of the highlights of Beijing's new skyline! I would be happy to arrange an architectural tour to show them to you also.

Beijing National Stadium (Bird's Nest)

A 'must-see' during anyone's lifetime. Designed by Swiss firm

Herzog & de Meuron in collaboration with Ai Weiwei, the tangled

web of steel mesh was inspired by pottery to form a container

for 91,000 spectators. Sure, the stadium went way beyond budget, but this is a once-

in-a-lifetime project that could never again be replicated, just like the other

world wonder to the north, The Great Wall, or the Great Pyramids

in Giza. The reflective steel finish bounces the Beijing atmosphere,

be it smoggy gray or dusky blue. At night, the stadium turns into

a sculptural lantern that sits well against the plaza that bustles with locals

flying kites, mingling, or simply promenading around what surely hands-down

is the most spectacular building of the 21st century.

CCTV Headquarters

This 'Extra-Large' project by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas/OMA

is a Post-Constructivist take on the skyscraper. It has become

an iconic fixture in the Beijing skyline even while it was under construction

that it has been dubbed "underpants" due to the shape, by the locals. The

engineering was made intricate in that two separate buildings had to be

weld together to form one structure at a particular temperature, and hence time, to minimize

the effects of differential expansions of steel. The future of the burned annex remains to be seen, however.

Go to the Park Hyatt next door for the best view of the CCTV, and the

Central Business District for that matter.

Beijing National Aquatics Center

Otherwise known as the 'Water Cube', the other prominent sports complex erected

for the Beijing Olympics. Designed by PTW Architects from Australia, the slice of

oversized water bubbles glows within and without.

Linked Hybrid

A mannered study of form, links, and the public spaces that they create. Designed

by New York architect Steven Holl, the multi-use project features apartment

units, a hotel, retail spaces, offices, a movie theatre, and floating pools.

The 20-storey-plus 8 towers are reminiscent of the Corbusian idealized urbanism,

but humanized to foster people interaction. A pleasant surprise indeed when one

walks around the public plazas to notice how the elements of water and earth are

incorporated into what could have turned into a sterile conglomeration of apartment

shoe-boxes.

National Theatre for the Performing Arts

Yet another iconic architecture constructed just in time for the 2008 Olympics.

The titanium and glass structure sits above a man-made lake, thus giving the

appearance of 'an egg' when viewed with the reflection. Designed by Frenchman

Paul Andreu, the theatre was subsequently re-evaluated for safety upon completion

after the collapse of an airport terminal building in Charles de Gaulle Airport, also

water reflection from the pond above. The three main performance spaces are the

Opera, Theatre, and Music Halls, that are distinct from the other. The stairs and

escalators that connect the tiered halls create a complex set of circulation of a

Piranesian scale.

Capital Museum

The volumes, one sheathed in wood, the other in bronze, are encapsulated in this

modern glass box under a breathtaking roof cantilever. The focus of the collection

are cultural relics, specifically those found in Beijing. The interior has a restraint

feel to it that allows the visitor to unearth, at their own pace, through the different

collections of chinaware, calligraphy, jade, bronze, and sculpture. From the upper

floors, one can get a great view of the modernized old town.

The Village at Sanlitun

A collection of vibrantly colored low-story structures to form a retail village. While

the graphic appeal may be more Tokyo than Beijing (Kengo Kuma was, after all,

the architect), the open-air layout recalls the Beijing night-markets. International

retail brand names and eateries can be found here including Adidas, Uniqlo, Puma,

Nike, and Starbucks.

The Opposite House

Yet another Beijing project by Japanese architect, Kengo Kuma. Every city has to

have its own minimalist boutique hotel so Beijing has The Opposite House. The interiors

are spacious, lofty, and wallpaper*-worthy. The hotel mixes and matches modern

materials such as glass and steel with traditional wood and tile to great effect.

LAN Club/Beijing

Uber-glam restaurant and lounge by baroque-interior meister Philippe Starck.

There is no mistaking who or what the center of attention will be in this

6000 square meter venue. It has all the signature Starck elements such

as elongated tables, gazing artworks, mismatched chairs, etched glass countertops,

and furniture styled from many '-isms'. The decor may be a bit hyper to match

the hyper-inflated prices of the menu, but nothing that a few drinks won't

fix to tone everything down.

Commune by The Great Wall

Modern boxes, and lots of them, are littered next to the Badaling section of The

Great Wall. 12 Asian architects were each given a villa to design in this sprawling

complex, and the result is a clash of restrained design egos. While each villa maintains

some relationship with the surrounding mountains and the Great Wall, the collection

of buildings seen as a whole, reinforces the notion of architects designing on a whim.

The repertoire of building materials is exhausted when one sees a bamboo house here,

and a rammed earth structure there. Granted, the interior spaces are beautiful, and

worthy of consideration for weekend getaways. The Peacock Room and the bathrooms

at the Club House alone are worth a visit.

Melting Snow and Freezing Temperatures

2010-01-14T22:12:00.002+08:00

What a week we've had! Everyone's been talking about the cold temperatures and when was the last time it was so cold - 40 or 50 or 60 years ago? The heavy snowfall did cause much disruption, car drivers kept off the streets and so it was great to be able to drive without much traffic, though speed was still slow in the icy conditions. Taxis are doing great business, as are hotpot restaurants.

I thought I could have a quiet time in January. However, I have had quite a few brave and lucky, or perhaps unlucky guests, who could see the Great Wall and Forbidden City with a new white coat of snow. There was not much outdoor walking and more time spent in coffee shops recovering from the cold! Actually it's not too bad if there is sun and no wind.

I treated myself to a new padded coat, Chinese style, which I designed myself and got made up in a few days at a local tailor - highly recommended! Guess how much, or rather how little, it cost? Well, actually, just about the same as you would pay me for one day's work as a tour guide. Now that's really a bargain price!

The temperatures are creeping slowly back up to zero. The Embassy area has been cleaned up with neat piles of snow under the trees and pavements clear. Perhaps it's to allow the guards to be able to march from one posting to another. You may think they have smart uniforms, but I still prefer my coat, and I hope you agree!

Tomorrow the first ever Mr Gay China pageant, organised by www.gayographic.cn will be held in Beijing. Now there's an exciting event that is sure to warm everyone up and melt many hearts.