by Paul on November 10, 2009
The Great Wall. In my mind it stands as the ultimate irony tourist trap. What was started ages ago to keep foreigners out… is now responsible for bringing millions of foreigners into the country every year.
It’s one of those tings you just have to see or do… like getting a hot dog / bagel in NYC. If you’ve visited China the first thing anyone will ask is if you visited the Great Wall (ignoring the fact that there’s a LOT of China you can visit that is nowhere near the Great Wall). So we did it. [keep reading…]
by joanna on November 2, 2009
Highlights of what to see, do and eat in China’s capital city
We sometimes worry that a short trip is giving a majestic city like Beijing short shrift, but when all is said and done, wouldn’t you rather have visited a place briefly, than not all at? That said, you can get a lot done in this big city, and beyond, in 48 hours. So don’t miss the opportunity to give Beijing a run for its money even if just for 2 days….here’s our highlights of what to see, do and where to eat in the capital city. [keep reading…]
by joanna on October 30, 2009
Enjoy a cocktail at sunset overlooking the former residence of the Chinese Emperor
The Yin Bar at the Emperor’s Hotel might just be the best rooftop bar in the city of Beijing. The hotel itself is one of the Design Hotels of the World, a list we often respect when we are hotel hunting in a new or familiar city. It usually stands for cool, hip, well-located, boutique hotels in exciting cities. [keep reading…]
by joanna on October 26, 2009
An elaborate tasting menu makes for a decadent fusion dining experience
We were delighted to be in Beijing…an unexpected detour on an extended business trip brought us to the former 2008 Olympic city. Immediately Paul, I and a colleague (Andy) set out to find the most distinctive of culinary experiences, and so it was that Blu Lobster emerged on our radars. The Spanish chef, Jordi Villegas Serra, had come from a distinctive background including a 2-starred Michelin restaurant in Barcelona and a 3-starred Michelin restaurant in Paris. Rumour has it Chef Serra is now after his own Michelin star. We heard that tasting menu was not to be missed, and so notebook and camera in hand, we set off to the Shangri La Hotel to try for ourselves. [keep reading…]
by Paul on October 5, 2009
Sampling traditional, regional Chinese dishes in China can be a bit overwhelming for most travelers. The city is hectic, English is non existent, street stalls seem scary and unwelcoming to the uninitiated…. the best you can do is point at what others are having and hope for the best. Thankfully, in Beijing, there’s Made in China. A wonderful open kitchen dining experience where you can take in the sights, sounds, and smells of a hectic street market in a beautiful and inviting location. A perfect place to try your first Peking Duck, dou zhi, or zhajiang mian. [keep reading…]
by Paul on September 28, 2009
I was in China for a week… first in Shanghai, then on to Beijing. In that time I only ate one proper Chinese meal. It wasn’t that I was scared of the food, it’s just that the western food on offer here is so appealing. Take Ristorante Sadler, an authentic Italian restaurant, in a beautiful location… oh yeah, and it’s also founded by a 2 Michelin Star rated chef! With a lunch set, including wine, at only 200 RMB (less than 30 bucks) it was a lunch I had to try. [keep reading…]
by joanna on July 21, 2009
The relaxing ritual of tea ceremony after a day of sightseeing
When you go to a place like Beijing where there are tourist attractions so historically important that they make their way onto the Unesco World Heritage site list, you figure you ought to go see them. The problem is…so does everyone else. Unfortunately this can make what is supposed to be a refined cultural undertaking a bit frustrating – jostling tourists, endless lines, and after all that work, you feel a bit beaten and battered…and maybe not even in the best state of mind to fully appreciate the significance of the attraction that brought you there. This is what happened to us on a recent visit to the Forbidden Palace in Beijing. After hand-to-hand combat with a sea of international tourists, we longed for an escape. And so after making a surreptitious exit out of the East gate of the Forbidden Palace, we stumbled upon the Terrace Tea House, a quiet retreat from the chaos. [keep reading…]
