Blogs from Chaoyang district, Beijing, China, Asia - page 2

My brother said, “I guess it’s too bad you’re in Beijing at this time, no decorations to get you into the Christmas spirit.” I laughed, “Are you kidding? Nobody does bling like the Chinese. The Christmas decorations are great. The outdoor displays at shopping centres are huge and colourful!" I hope my photos capture the bling. While I have you captive, maybe I'll tell you something about winter in Beijing. It snowed about a week ago and it was amazing to see so many people out sweeping the sidewalks. I heard that seniors are told that if they come out early in the morning and sweep, they will be paid maybe €1/$1 for a few hours work. I appreciate their work because they make it safe for pedestrains to walk when the streets and sidewalks are ... read more

Last Month in China Since returning from Guilin my friends and I have been trying to see as much of Beijing as we can between classes and preparing for finals! Confucian and Lama Temples These two temples, though representing two very different philosophical ideologies that are predominant in China are situated right next to each other! When you walk through the gates of the Confucian temple you are greeted by Confucius himself. Stone white and about three feet tall; he represents the moral code that many Chinese today still lead their lives with. Confucianism emphasizes the importance of relationships and how one should act within each of those interactions. For example, a man is a son of his father, a husband to his wife and a subject to the emperor. Within all three of those relationships, ... read more

A little bit outside the general tourist loop, the 798 Art District is now one of my favorite places in Beijing. The area used to be a series of military factories, but after the factories closed down contemporary artists set-up shop in the vacant spaces. The entire area has a really great low-key vibe that I find western and trendy. The buildings have also been modified or at least obscured by sculptures and trees, so you don't feel like you are walking into a defunct military factory complex. Artists have also placed sculptures along the road, so there is always something eye catching to look at. As you walk down the main road, you can turn onto any of the side streets and go look through some small galeries or happen upon a peaceful courtyard. The ... read more

On Sunday we went to eat at a Japanese place, and on Monday we somehow managed to stay out late again in the pleasant setting of Hohai park. It was a long way from where we all lived, but worth the trip- it consisted of a large lake laid out in a figure of 8 surrounded by bars and restaurants whose lights lit up after dark and glimmered out across the water. On the way back from the park we discovered a gigantic screen had been set up on the square near where we lived, upon which was being projected some pictures of London and various Chinese olympic stars (of which this year there have been many). Seeing foreigners taking such a keen interest one of the women running it bounded over and explained. Apparently it ... read more

There is no way around this. I was nervous on the flight. The food seemed to taste like cardboard in my mouth (though in all fairness most airline food does anyway), and I couldn't sleep. Though again in all fairness, I can't do that anyway either. So to distract myself I put on some podcasts about Chinese history. On the onscreen map the plane hurtled across Central Asia. Finally in the mid morning the plane landed, diving through what looked like a layer of thick cloud and touching down in Beijing Airport. The imagined hastle of getting through customs turned out to be effortless, and soon I found myself walking out through the Arrivals gate with my bags and £100 of changed RMB in my pockets, feeling ready to see what the city had in store ... read more