Beijing-Markets, Parks, Scams and more!

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We set out to the market that Yannie told us about to buy a few more warm items. It was so nice to not be yelled at and to be given the correct price right away. We both walked away with a hoodie and sweatpants, and I also got a vest. After the market we decided to drop off our bags back at the house then purchase train tickets, and head to the Forbidden City. Rich accompanied us to buy the tickets. They are actually pretty expensive, but we don’t really have a choice. So we go Tuesday to Xian. We caught a taxi to the Forbidden City and walked in the park to a viewpoint where you can see the whole Forbidden City down below. You can really take in how big the place is. After, we wanted to visit the Forbidden City but they told us the entrance was at the other side, and tickets stopped selling at 3:30… it was 3:00pm. We made up our mind that will visit the Forbidden City on Monday, and just head to Tiananmen Square. We started looking for a taxi but everyone wanted to rip us off so we started walking. We were stopped by a rickshaw driver saying he would drive us for 3rmb. We made sure to say 3rmb for 2 people, not 2rmb per person.. and he said yes yes. The first rickshaw fell apart (richshaw is a peddle bike with a little chariot on the back) so we transferred to another. He drove down little back hutongs to avoid the busy street. He stopped half way down a hutong and said okay the Tiananmen Square is just around the corner. So when we got out we go to give him 3rmb and he trys to tell us no, we owe him more. He pulls out a little card and points to 300rmb which is like $50. I said very loudly “NO” and a bike stopped to ask what was going on. We told him and he said just give him 30rmb… and I said no, they told us 3rmb, we made sure 3 rmb I am not paying anymore. We started to walk away and the driver chased us, and we said all we are paying is 3 rmb, not 300 rmb or 30 rmb, and the driver goes “3 moneys” and I said “ya 3 moneys, 3 1rmb bills” and we stormed off. Obviously it was one of the many tourist scams that go on but we didn’t fall for it completely J. We couldn’t believe it.

There is another scam that goes on at Tiananmen Square where people will come up to talk to you in English being really friendly and then ask if you’d like to go get a drink. They take you to a really expensive tea shop, you hang out, you drink and then they leave you with the expensive bill. We had a lady and her friend tell us they were tourists from the South, bla bla bla, and asked if we’d like to grab some hot chocolate later.. but I politely said “no, we have to meet up with some friends after so we have no time.” We weren’t sure if it was a complete scam…but who knows, it could’ve been another.

We went out for dinner with Yannie and Rich to a bbq place where we bbq the food right on the table. It was there first time there as well, the food was good but service not so much. After we went to one of their favorite handmade noodle shops for a bowl of noodles. We might go back there tomorrow.

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Photos

a chinese treat
they all buy the apples

the back of our richshaw driver
if your driver is him, smack him for me :)