Autumn Colours in North-East China

This is the time of year when it seems the whole of Beijing goes to the Fragrant Hills to see the maple leaves turn red. My friend Franky was lucky enough to escape the city crowds (and pollution) and travel to the Tianhuashan mountains in the North-East. A long trip but well worth the effort. He wrote the following:

"Tianhuashan, 200 km from the border (with North Korea) city of Dandong in the north-east of China, is said is to have the most beautiful maple leaves in China . It has an average elevation of about 1100m.

Besides beautiful maple leaves, Tianhuashan is also a good mountain to climb, with falls, brooks, forest, valleys and long gorges. One of the mountains even looks like Chairman Mao and has been named Maogong Mountain .

The best time to view the maple leaves is mid-October. This season is also the best time to eat crab in Dandong . Dandong has many people from North Korea , and some Korean restaurants have even opened there."

Let the pictures speak for themselves. Enjoy!

Fireworks Galore!

We are in the 'golden' period' for Beijing, where the weather is dry and sunny by day. Following the Oct 1st 60th birthday celebrations, the festive spirit has continued with the China Open 2009 (tennis), the Beijing International Marathon, the 12th Beijing Music Festival, Ditan Book Fair and Fragrant Hills Autumn Leaves Festival. No wonder the airport these days is unusually busy as more tourists come and go.

There have been a couple of wonderful fireworks displays this month: the October 1st celebrations and the 11th National Games which opened recently in Jinan. They reminded  me of the much grander 2008 Olympics, when I was lucky enough to go to the closing ceremony. (But I didn't get in to the opening ceremony where the fireworks alone cost over 1 million USD).

Fireworks are an old Chinese invention. However, the technology continues to develop, with compressed air launching and computerised ignition. They have even become green with minimal smoke emission. The displays get more and more sophisticated, coming in multiple colours and in 3D. We can even see more complicated designs such as smileys and dragons.

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy. The next chance for you to see fireworks may not be until Chinese New Year next February. Got any plans for Valentine's Day yet?

Happy 60th Birthday!

If any reader has their birthday today, Happy Birthday! But I'm sorry to say this blog is not really meant for you.......rather it's for the 1.3 billion or so Chinese who are celebrating 60 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

As I write, I can see the tanks rumbling along Chang An Avenue towards Tian An Men Square. This time though is quite different from 20 years ago. Like most of the other 1.3 billion citizens, I'm watching the parade on TV. The flags are out, smiling crowds line the street (an invitation-only audience), and Beijing, indeed whole country, is full of confidence.

There is a huge military parade - all those handsome soldiers in uniform marching by - stretching for 3km along the Avenue. In addition, there are 60 floats involving 100,000 participants, (which makes for a long and tiring parade when the 100th anniversary comes along). Students are in the Square, as volunteers today, to act out various coloured displays. Only China can present such mega-shows.

The build-up has been almost as frenzied as for last year's Olympics. The centre of the city has been closed off on several weekend days for rehearsals, some lasting well into the night. Every night on every TV channel, whether it's economics, news, lifestyle, sports, music, even Beijing opera, the programmers have managed to include a 60th anniversary angle. Various parts of the city have been spruced up and new construction projects finished off, including a new subway line.

Millions of potted plants have been laid out all over the city, making a blaze of colour under the otherwise dull skies of recent days. Miraculously, the skies have cleared today, though that is no doubt due more to artificial weather manipulation than to any divine intervention. We look forward to a spectacular fireworks display tonight with hi-tech innovations.

It is indeed a time to reflect on the huge changes that have taken place since 1949, when Chairman Mao stood on the rostrum to announce a new communist China. 60 years of uninterrupted government has very quickly transformed the 'sick man of Asia' into the one of the world's largest economies, with distinct capitalist overtones. The hi-tech displayed during the 2 hour parade is a far cry from the first one in 1950 with cavalry on horses. There is a great sense of national pride and love of the Motherland. The New China is certainly going places fast, but still has far to go.

I am sure Beijing will be a magnet for foreign tourists for many years to come. This month is the golden season for tourism in Beijing, so it's a particularly good time to visit. Hope to see some of you soon before, on, or after, your 60th birthdays!

Gay Travel China - Three Days in Beijing

Here is an excerpt of an article we wrote for Outraveler.com recently. There is some information of general interest, though it was written for a particular audience/scene in mind. See the full article at http://outtraveler.com/features/story.asp?did=1542&pid=170<http://outtraveler.com/features/story.asp?did=1542&amp;pid=170>

.......It's time to see the new Beijing, now that the Olympics fever is over. China has the world's longest continuous civilisation still in existence today, with a history of 5000 years or so, give or take the odd thousand years. Beijing is not quite that old, but is still steeped in history and culture, having been the Imperial capital of a united China for over 700 years. Years of spending recently on infrastructure and urban renewal have enabled Beijing to leap into the 21st century with changes in its appearance every year. There lies the fascination of this city of contrasts, blending traditional and modern, socialism and capitalism, and East and West.
Society has also been changing though not at such a frenetic pace. There have been gradual but significant shifts in attitudes towards homosexuality. Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1997, and declassified as a mental disorder in 2001. However, traditional values also place tremendous family pressure on young gays to marry and continue the family line.

Despite all this progress, there is, as in many other countries in the world, a 'long march' to go before gay marriages and gay rights are recognized. If as a tourist, you are restrained, and don't come here for the same reasons as you would for going to Bangkok or Rio, then you also can have an enjoyable time in this discreetly gay-friendly city. You would never believe you were in a country ruled by the Communist Party if you could see all the goings-on beneath the surface.
October is the 'golden month' for Beijing as far as weather goes, with dry, bright sunny days and cool autumn evenings, but it also means peak tourist season. November is somewhat cooler and less crowded. Winter does not see Beijing at its best, with no greenery or leaves on trees, and long dark nights. April to May sees the short spring here, and benefits from tree blossom everywhere, whereas the summer months of July and August are not peak season because of the high temperatures and humidity.
A word on tipping. The usual custom is not to give any tips. However, if you feel you have been given exceptional service, by say your bellboy or tour guide, then do show your appreciation. Service sector workers are on very low wages (average worker's wage in Beijing in 2008 was around 3700 yuan RMB or 550 USD - per month!).
The scene is dynamic in Beijing and is constantly changing. It's best to get up to date information from your local tour guide or English language websites such as Utopia, Gayographic, Time Out, the Beijinger, Agenda and City Weekend.
Lay of the Land
There are frequent direct flights to Beijing's very modern Capital Airport from major cities around the world. Beijing is very spread out, and the city proper is laid out on a rectangular grid, so get to know which way is North, South or whatever. The city's spiritual and geographical centre is Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) Square and the Forbidden City (Palace Museum), around which a series of ring roads (up to the 6th at the time of writing) have been built. Transport by taxi is cheap and easy, though few taxi drivers speak English and hotel and place names sound different in Chinese, so make sure you have the destination name/address written down for you in Chinese. Allow longer travel times during peak hours or rainy days, since traffic can be heavy and empty taxis few and far between. There is also the rapidly expanding metro system which costs only 2 yuan for any distance.
For those of you who are eco-conscious and with time on your hands, you can rent a bike and get to see the real Beijing down the narrow hutongs or traditional lanes. Beijing is flat and there are bike lanes on most main streets. Traffic speed is slower than in cities in the West and accidents relatively few, despite the aggressive car driving, no crash helmets and no lights on bikes.
Whereas many of the local sites are within the city proper, if you are going out of town to say, the Great Wall and Ming Tombs, then the most efficient and comfortable way is to hire a private car or taxi. The cheapest way is to catch a bus or join a group tour. The entertainment areas tend to be concentrated on the east side of town, so it is advisable to choose a hotel near the 2nd or 3rd East Ring Roads.
Beijing is a convenient base for exploring surrounding areas such as the old port city of Tianjin, the Imperial summer resort of Chengde and the UNESCO heritage site of Pingyao. Many tourists also go for a couple of days to Xian, only a 90 minutes flight away, to see the terracotta warriors............

Beijing's Biggest........... Outdoor Swimming Pool

We had sauna-like weather in Beijing for several weeks recently so it was a great relief when I went to Liulang swimming pool. The complex consists of 3 large pools plus an area for serious swimmers to do laps. Tall trees enclose the whole area, and there is ample poolside paving to lie out on and relax. Can you recognise me among the sunbathers? Even on a hot sticky Saturday afternoon, the pool did not feel crowded (by Chinese standards).

Of course, the Chinese have their own way to enjoy the sun. Most of them don't like to get a tan - black is not beautiful here - so they sit in the shade or paddle by the pool holding an umbrella. You will see serious cardplayers as well as much more energetic volleyball players. Most people, though, young and old alike, enjoy themselves in the cool water, with water pistols, watermelons, inflatable ducks and the latest in swimwear fashion (nothing to get too excited about!).

It's an interesting place to see how local Beijingers 'chill out'. And if the water is not refreshing enough for you, there's always the cold-water-only showers afterwards for the real men. Is that you? If so, then let me guide you to this place, and/or to other parts of the 'real' Beijing. You have to hurry though since Autumn officially started early August according to the Chinese calendar.

Badachu Temple

Some of you may not be interested in temples, be they Buddhist or Taoist or even Islam. "You've seen one you've seen the lot" I can hear you say. Funny, that's what Chinese tourists going round Europe say about the churches, abbeys and cathedrals there.

Nevertheless, I want to tell you about my recent visit to see my friend who lives and works as a monk at Badachu, at the foot of the Western Hills. It is one of my favourite places since there is such quiet and coolness, away from the hustle and bustle and heat of the city. It was a long walk - mostly uphill to an altitude of 460m- to view all the 8 temples, but there is a cable car for those feeling lazy. There are so many ancient trees - pine, gingko, cypress, willow - which are particularly beautiful in autumn (late September/October).

It was not so peaceful at the lower temples. I wondered what the crowds of locals were praying for as they burnt their incense - perhaps for good luck, for their sons to get to university, for their only child to find a good spouse (even a foreigner would be OK?) and to have a baby son, or for themselves to get rich on the stock market?

In contrast to the some of the grand buildings, stone sculptures, gods, warriors, buddhas and wall murals, the place I enjoyed the most was the simple dining room where I had lunch with the monks. It was a unique experience, and with such an atmosphere of peace and calm as we all ate in silence. And what delicious food! Totally vegetarian and totally healthy! The monks looked so contented, and so youthful, without any cosmetics or facials. I really like their natural living environment - fresh food, fresh air, away from the pressures of the material world - but I'm not sure I envy their celibate lives. I mean, would you?

I hope I can take you to Badachu. And if not, then there are many other interesting temples in Beijing that we can explore together. Not just the famous Temple of Heaven, or Confucius Temple (see Ancient Streets blog), but how about off-the-beaten track Eunuch Temple or Fahai Temple (with rare Budhhist murals)?