Beijing

Our trip to the capital of China was a super delightful and restful one. This is the first time we ever stayed at one hotel for 11days. Here are some highlights and tips.

1) Oriental Taipan
A fantastic spa place, comparable to none I've experienced so far in Singapore. The rooms can fit 5 persons, all either for foot reflex or some foot reflex and massage tables, it had aromatherapy sets in every room, a plasma tv, some rooms had attached bath and toilets, free flow of food and drinks!!!! You can control the lighting, just press a button and a service staff will come knocking...and the best part, its cheap! Its high end range of spa and in no way cheezy. It makes spas in singapore crappy. Honest.

Check it out : http://www.taipan.com.cn/english/shop_jlb.htm

a) A four hand massage with aromatherapy oil for 1hr 30min is SGD $100 (before discount).
b) Foot reflex for 1 hr 30 min for $22 they have so much more!

2) Xiao Wang Fu
Best place to try Beijing food! they have this thing called "Basi" which is deep fried bananas (better then goreng pisang) and apples coated with warm malt sugar. Before you eat it, you have to dip in in water to harden the sugar so its crisp. Delightful!! The Xinjiang fried chicken with cumin spices super and the deep fried ribs in salt and pepper is exceptional. Suan la tang (hot sour soup) is alright. A cold starter of lotus root in black vinegar and sugar is phenomenal (never seen it before)

Basi







3)Xishui Silk Market
A shoppers haven for people who like to bargain ( really really bargain) for cheap and good clothes. Nuf said!

4) Xidan
Another place, much cheaper, much better than Ma Boon Krong in Bangkok. Really a million times better, cheaper and the sales staff (if you smile and make eye contact they are not as annoying as the bangkok sales staff). Forget Chattukchak!

5)Forbidden City
Pity the main supreme hall was under renovation but its majestic nonetheless. I think the tennis court the last emperor Puyi played on was made of concrete. Poor thing. I saw a photo of him lobbing in his pony tail. Not nearly as cute as Nadal though.






6)Great Wall of China
Its damn long, the part we went to was less touristy. another WOW! factor.

7) Quanjude Roast Duck
After having gone to the branch in Shanghai, we had to go to the headquarters.We went to the original shop (of course it has been renovated-severals times too). Best duck in China!

8)Dashilar
Its a fast disappearing hutong with touristy shops etc but its nice. While most of the street markets in Beijing have been converted to shopping malls, this is one of the few street markets left.






9) Summer palace
Still, mostly underconstruction but nice place. Its really a summer palace where most of the parts were kept cool under tall bushy trees and roofs. I doubt there were stalls selling Yanjing Beer for SGD$0.40 when Empress Dowager Cixi was around though. A huge lake, to paddle in.

10) Donganmen Food Street
This expensive street, very small scale compared to our Pasar Malam during the Raya month sold normal stuff like lamb, beef chicken on skewers, bread, sweets etc but it also sold exotic stuff like scorpions, starfish, sea urchins, sea horse, grasshoppers, testicles, snakes, some of the fear factor stuff we see on tv. We tried the scorpion. Okay, so ss ate most of it and i ate 5mm of the tail so wat? I bit a scorpion tail!!! it tasted like prawn crackers. yes. Yums.





11) Wang fujing
Too overhyped, all the expensive stuff, same prices as Singapore. NOthing much to say. It has the usual Giordano, Hush Puppies, Nike, Morgan, G2000, Folie Folie, H2O, fancyl all the american brands la. NO cheap bargains.

12) Tiananmen Square
HUge flat ground where masses of Chinese congregated or still do? when they want to complain/protest etc. Something Singaporeans have not done since............

Opposite side of the Tiananmen Square


Tiananmen Square





13) Oriental Plaza Food Court
Lots of fantastic Food

14) Beijing 2008
Many places selling souveniors, real and fake. Prices are alright. about SGD $60 for a set of limited edition.



Note:
1) Souveniors at the International Departure Hall of the airport is ridiculously priced. Something which cost (and value) less than SGD$2, you have to pay about USD$10.

2) Arrive at least 3 hrs before departure.

3)No tips expected (whoopee!)

4) Taxi's are cheap! Mrt is even cheaper!

5)Go in Sept or early june. Never go in April or may cos there are sandstorms!

6) SQ standard really has dropped. Their Krisworld has the most boring movies ever. Pink Panther??! Firewall?? *Yawns* The air stewardesses still polite but some not as pretty lar.