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Chaoyang district Travel Blogs

Background: For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

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By MariaAbroad
December 4th 2007

Chinese Wedding

Asia » China » Beijing » Chaoyang district

The Happy Couple

The weekend after I returned from Malaysia, I had another event I was looking forward to: A Chinese Wedding. My Boss, David Fu, was getting married and all the employees were invited. I was looking forward to it very much, but I was also very concerned that I might make some unforgivable cultural mistakes… So I interviewed my colleagues about the dos and don’ts of a Chinese wedding. I am so glad I did, otherwise I am sure I had made some serious faux pas. I wanted to wear my black suit, as this would have been the most suitable [View Full Entry]

By MariaAbroad
December 3rd 2007

Surviving 3 Hospital Visits in Less Than 2 Weeks in Beijing

Asia » China » Beijing » Chaoyang district

Corpus delicti...

Unfortunately, I do not have fond memories of my long and exhausting trip back from Malaysia. I had been carrying my backpack all day long and when I finally arrived in Beijing, I could hardly walk. My right ankle was really badly swollen and hurt like hell. The strange thing is that I don’t even know when I actually hurt my foot. While I was in Malaysia, I cannot recall any incident in which I could have gotten my injury. May be it was the Langkawi curse that got me, when I tried to flee the island, who knows? Well, when [View Full Entry]

By Coxy Left
November 13th 2007

Week1

Asia » China » Beijing » Chaoyang district

Day 1 (7th November) Treked off to Tianamen square, forbidden city and Jingshan park. Very misy/smoggy day unfortunately, so the view from Jinghan Park was not the best :( Day2 Booked onto a tour through the city central youth hostel to go to the Great Wall. As can be expected with these cheaper, smaller tours, the visiting of factory shops was included! (Pearl, silk, jade and vase places) but was not too bad! Before the wall we visited the Ming Tombs, was a whistle stop tour but good. Obviously the visit to the wall after lunch was the highlight of the [View Full Entry]

By MariaAbroad
October 30th 2007

Going to Malaysia - Backpack Odysseey

Asia » China » Beijing » Chaoyang district

Hey everybody, this is just a short info blog post: Due to the strange regulations of my visa, I can only stay in China for 60 days at a time. As I will be in China 60 days on November 5, 2007, I have to leave the country before or on this date. Foreign expats with the same kind of problems usually go to Hongkong for one weekend. But I have been to Hongkong and so I decided to do something a little bit more exciting. Yes, I know, my life is sooooo boring at the moment.... So I decided to [View Full Entry]

By MariaAbroad
October 30th 2007

Bell & Drum Tower, Hou Hai Lake, & Soong Ching Ling

Asia » China » Beijing » Chaoyang district

Big Drum

Another week at work passed much too quickly, and time is flying by. I cannot imagine that I have been here for almost 2 months already. 2 weeks ago, Nir and I went to the Visa administration office, because he had to check something about his visa. When we were there, I also used this opportunity to check about my visa. I have a 6 month multiple entry visa and the woman told me, that I should come back in 2 weeks, bring the invitation letter from my company and it would be no problem to extend my visa. The problem [View Full Entry]

By MariaAbroad
October 30th 2007

Indian Summer at Fragrant Hills

Asia » China » Beijing » Chaoyang district

Fragrant Hills

On Sunday, the weather was absolutely gorgeous, and Sabrina and I decided to postpone our tour through the Hutongs for two reasons: First, we could do that on a rainy day as well, and second, her friend, a German-speaking tour guide invited us to go to Fragrant Hills. Fragrant Hills lays North West of Beijing, a few miles behind the Summer Palace. The end of October is the best time to go there, because of the Indian summer. The area is truly beautiful and the colors of the forest were just amazing. We went to a nice restaurant and since we [View Full Entry]

By twong
October 23rd 2007

Random Thoughts and Experiences...

Asia » China » Beijing » Chaoyang district

Tiananmen Square lit up!

so today I was just thinking how as you grow older, you start maturing and learning in different ways. The wierdest thing is SEEING yourself mature and become a "different person." For example, when you were little you questioned a lot of why your parents did this or that, but now that I look back, I begin to appreciate why they chose to restrict things from me or let me do this or that, all for good reason. as the chinese would say, "hen dao de." I even find myself longing to read the many books in this library I am [View Full Entry]

rainy,crowded...waiting for the raised flag!

art auction..car show.. very interesting!

By MariaAbroad
October 23rd 2007

Beijing Planning Exhibition Center and Rock'n'Roll

Asia » China » Beijing » Chaoyang district

Beijing Trainstation
This is where my jouney began...

I had visited all the major sights of Beijing on a previous visit, but all of them in 2 days, so yes, I can say I have been at the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Ming Tombs, and the Summer Palace, but have I seen them? Not really… So when I returned to Beijing to stay for six months, I decided to explore all the fascinating sights a little more in depth. I want to see all the all the sights again, and this time I want to explore them, see all what they have to offer. Every weekend I [View Full Entry]

Nice street, looks like the Garden District in New Orleans

Fred, me, and Sabrina... Simen was in the front

By Mewwitt
October 3rd 2007

Journey to the Top of the World

Asia » China » Beijing » Chaoyang district » Central Business district

The beginning of it all
Train Beijing - Lhasa

Mountains surround the city. The air is clean, fresh and crisp. The blue sky and dazzling sunlight force me to shade my eyes even though I am wearing sunglasses. Monks pass each other on the street as pedicabs whizz past, their bells clanking and ringing. Ethnic Tibetan families travel together in small groups, their skin darkened from the sun and their cheeks red from the wind. The faithful travel about the city, fingering prayer beads and chanting to themselves. The city is alive with a spiritual energy like none I have felt before. I have arrived in Lhasa, Tibet. DAY ONE [View Full Entry]

By Mewwitt
September 29th 2007

Time Waits For No One

Asia » China » Beijing » Chaoyang district » Central Business district

Some of my students and Me
I'll really miss them.

I am no longer a teacher. The phrase has been echoing in my head throughout the day. I wasn't a teacher before I came to China, but after spending a year with that profession as my identity, I feel a sense of loss. Every day for the past year, I have been known as "Teacher Merritt". When asked by inquisitive shopkeepers what my purpose is in Beijing, I proudly told them "I'm a teacher". I felt as though I had something to contribute to the world, the ability to teach something to those who desperately wanted to learn it. My last [View Full Entry]

National flag flying in honor of the upcoming holiday

Travel Blog » Asia » China » Beijing » Chaoyang district