Arrival in Beijing China!

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Arrival

We arrived in Beijing on Monday May 8th (after leaving San Francisco on Sunday at noon!). The trip there was uneventful. ANA (All Nippon Airline) is a great airline. We were on new planes with great movie selection and they were very accommodating in providing beverages!

When we got to Beijing, we took a cab into the city. That was an experience as the driver spoke no English and was not very sure where our hostel was in the city (even though we had a map in Chinese). Fortunately, we had the number to the hostel and he called them to get better directions. We got to the hostel, which is in a traditional "hutong" neighborhood and quickly went to sleep.

First day in Beijing

Our first day in Beijing greeted us with dreary weather (overcast and light rain throughout the day). We walked around Tianmen Square and the front of the Forbidden City. We then braved the metro station in search of food. After much walking we found a place. We then spent the afternoon walking around the city, the Hutong area in particular.

Dinner was an experience. Well, not dinner, finding dinner. The maps we have of the city are not the most precise in identifying all the streets. As a result we walked way out of the way. Also, we were less than excited to find that two of the restaurants in our guide book are no longer open. Finally, we found a place and had some Thai food. We took a cab back to the hostel, which was again time-consuming.

Great weather for day 2

The rain from yesterday must have helped clear up the sky as it was a beautiful day.
"Hello. Where are you from?" Wow, we just met friends in China who wanted to practice their English... Not so fast. After a few minutes conversation we discovered they had an art exhibit they wanted to take us to. We had similar encounters the rest of the day. Key learning point: "Hello. Where are you from?" = I want to sell you something. Cynical but so far true.

We spent a few hours visiting the Forbidden City. Very impressive. From a size perspective, it makes Versailles look like a trailer home. Laura was a little overwhelmed with the tourist hordes (mostly Chinese). The buildings had great colors. Additionally, we learned all about the importance of concubines!

After several hours of touring the Forbidden City we made our way to a restaurant that specializes in Beijing Duck. The restaurant was tucked away deep in the winding streets of the Hutong. We finally found the place. Mike was less than excited when he was seated 2 feet from an open refrigerator filled with dead ducks! We moved tables and ended up having an enjoyable dining experience.

We then walked back to the hostel and discovered the joy of 2 yuan ($0.25) beers at the store next door! China is great. A quarter for a 630ml (about 21 oz.) bottle. A great way to end the day.


Stay tuned for pictures and more updates!

Mike and Laura

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Photos

Big Mao
At the entrance to the Imperial City (aka the Forbidden City)

Mike's Beijing Duck Experience
Note the open fridge in the left of the picture!

Comments

[Ben Obrock]

Hu-Tong Clan
Glad to hear that you wandered back into the Hutongs and experienced life in the old city. I experienced first-hand the restaraunts, cheap beer, and "art exhibits." When you went to Tianenmen Square, did you get mauled by anyone trying to sell you postcards, mini-flags, or watches featuring the face of Chairman Mao?