BEIJING

It is incredible to see the city´s dynamic and urge to change. If you visit Beijing this year, the following year you will hardly recognize parts of it anymore. The whole image of the city reflects the communiste past and the capitaliste present. On the one side you find the King´s Palace in the forbidden city with its altars and temples, on the other, you find Beijing of the 1950ies up to the 1970ies with its tconcretel buildings and the Place of Heavenly Peace and finally Peking and it´s neverending skyscrapers, shopping malls and extravagant villas for Chinese Millionaires- many of those buildings are miniatures of French châteaus. In former times, the actual historic patrimonium has not been treated with respect, therefore only the main royal buildings have been conserved. Many sites were demolished or reconstructed. But yet, the old Beijing is still an adventure. The Royal Palace is an architectural masterpiece and its art collections represent the cultural heritage of 3000 years.

The airport is located about 25km north-eastwards of the city. I does not consist of a direct bus connection but the highway links the airport with the city

Five different Airbus-lines go to the centre, but this is highly complicated if your Chinese is poor. The easiest way is to take a taxi, which are outside the arrival area. But be careful: Only take official taxies and do not follow some pretenders that talk to you in the arrival area. A ride to the centre takes about 25 to 60 minutes, depending on time and destination and is about € 6,50 to €10, to hotels on the westend it can be more.

Taking public buses is very cheap but takes up a lot of time. The best thing is to ask someone to note your destination in Chinese. It is easier to take the tube, announcements are also made in English. Entrances are marked with a " D" in a circle(for " ditie", tube). You find net maps and appellations in latine letters on the tube, but hardly in stations.

On July 1^st2008 the Beijing Capital AirportExpress Line will go into service – then you will get from the airport to theDongzhimen in only 17 minutes.

 

Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall
The urbanism museum allows you to get an insight into former and future urban developments. A bronze modell of ten times nine meter represents the Beijing of 1949, the modell of recent urban development is far bigger and accessible and includes the preparations for the Olympic Games 2008. Moreover, you can enjoy a journey through Beijing´s history in a 3-D-cinema,in a 4-D-cinema sitting in an electronically navigated chair you can explore Beijing´s future traffic system.
Qianmendong Dajie 20, Di-So 9–7pm

Chinese Wall
No visit of the Empire of the Middle without the visit of the Chinese Wall. A part of the wall, that was already restored in 1957, with watchtowers from the Ming- time, is situated about 70km westwards of Beijing. There, the momumental limitation mark is 6 meters large and follows the course of the hills. The exhausting access is awarded with the feeling to stand on the largest building of the world.

Vernissages
Beijing´s culture scene focuses on vernissages. Wherever you inaugurate an exhibition of contemporary art, there will be an event going on. In the Culture Hall you have several vernissages a month. It is an advantage that many of their participants speak foreign languages.

In restaurants
No matter if you eat alone, in two or in a group,it is not well seen to order or pay seperately. It is the best to choose one of the group who does both jobs in accord with the others.

Rikscha ride
You should not do a Rikscha-ride without speaking any Chinese: They will take you for a topped price to the destination you have not chosen. Even Chinese people who speak English do hardly know the English names of hotels as they are not alike to the Chinese. We warmly recommend to always have the Chinese adress of your hotel with you.

Ignorance
Some Chinese can not be topped in ignoring their vis-à-vis. If you are lost in translation at a station counter or in a shhop, it can happen that after several tries the assistant takes the next client. For them, you do not exist anymore. This can cause anger, but it is obviously also common among Chinese people.

Din Tai Fung
You find a traditional kitchen on gourmet level. Gourmets highly frequent the Beijing´s restaurant of the Taiwan chain, where they pay three times more than elsewhere for their Boazi- pasta. Here, boazi is as delicious as the noodles and soups. The restaurant is very busy at weekends. Often you have to queue to get a table.
Hujiayuan 22, Yibei Building (northwest of Yuyang-Hotel, at the canal bridge Xin Donglu), Tel.: 64 62 45 02

Yiku-Sitian-Dazayuan
In that rural court house with north-Chinese interior you get dishes of game, scorpions and ants as well as fish. Three musicians accompany your meal, also shoe cleaners offer their skills. Rikscha- drivers wait outside the restaurant for the guests.
Xidan 17, Tel.: 66 02 26 40, 11–9pm.

Fangshan
China´s most famous restaurant in the royal lust château. You do not order single courses but a whole menu.Tablecloth, dish and deco are kept in royal yellow.
Northside of"Jadeinsel" Qiongdao, Tel.: 64 01 18 89 or 64 01 18 79, lunchtime until 1.30pm, evening until 8pm
menu from € 10,–

Chains City Hotel
If you like to explore the night bars around the entertainment district Sanlitun and the get home easily, you will like this standard- equipped hotel near the main road.
Gongrentiyuchang Donglu 4, Tel.: 65 00 77 99, DR from € 90,–

Jingguang New World Hotel
In this skyscraper you find confortable appartments and rooms, as well as a "food street" with Asian specialities, a nightclub and a Chaozhou-Restaurant.
Jingguang Center, Hujialou, Tel.: 65 01 88 88, DR from € 140,–, www.jingguangcentre.com

Jianguo Hotel
The hotel in the shopping and embassy district was built in the early 1980ies. It is popular due to its convivial atmosphere and experienced service staff. Although the house offers 426 rooms , it seems to be small and even intimate with its pretty garden courts. The French restaurant Justine´s belongs to the best in town.
Jianguomenwai Dajie 5, Tel.: 65 00 22 33, DR from € 100,–, www.hoteljianguo.com

The in-district is located around the marble bride Yinding Qiao, that separates the lakes Houhai und Qianhai. It is along the old streets and on the riverbank promenade up to the drum tower and to the northend of Houhai. Most of the bars have exceptable prices for drinks and food, whileas the "Lotus Lane" on the Qianhai-Westbank is hip and expensive.

Babylon
This quite rustically equipped bar has several floors. During the week you find Rock and Pop radio music, whileas on weekends you have live Jazz and Blues.
Xingfu Yicun Shi Xiang 7, Tel.: 64 15 74 70

NASA
The name makes you guess, what is waiting inside: in between futuristic decoration with space flair you get to hear recent music, on the north side of the Beijing film academy.
Xitucheng Lu 2, Tel.: 62 03 29 06

Beijing Curio City
This mall-like complex is the adress fo antiquities. On the ground floor you find new arts and crafts amd jewellery, on three upper floors you find about 100 small, private, upper-price antiquity shops.
Dongsanhuan Nanlu, 400 m south of Panjiayuan-Lu-junction, Tel.: 67 74 77 11

Panjiayuan-Markt
About 3000 stands and shops invite to watch and grub. You find real antiquities, as well as imitations, new China and typical fleamarket rummage.
Panjia-yuan Lu/corner Dongsanhuan Nanlu

Wangfujing
Beijing´s most famous shopping mile and main shopping street, the southern part is pedestrian zine with street cafés.You find a huge offer on seven floors in the new consume temple: supermarket, delicatessen, tea, spirituoses, clothes and many more. On Old Beijing Road in the cellar you get embroidery, china, opera masks, silhouettes and many more.
Corner Jinyu Hutong, tube 1: Wangfujing

The art and antiquity road Liulichang is a paradise for souvenir-hunters. In the new , renovated buildings following the old style you mostly find expensive shops for paintings, calligraphies, jade, china, carvings and more. Moreover, you find shops and stands of private traders. Jigu Ge (Liulichang-east, close to the pedestrian bridge) offers the largest selection of replicas of former Chinese dynasties, livesize warriors made of terracotta, old china and new arts and crafts. The teahouse on the upper floor is quite expensive but special.

 

Rongbao Zhai
The "Chamber of glorious Treasure" used to be Beijing´s most significant art-dealer. The quite expensive offer varies between classic ink-tableaus, oil-tableaux or dyewood-silhouettes, that are designed in complexe hand work.
Liulichang-West 19-49

Qinglinchun
This well selected shop sells tea out of huge boxes. You find a number of specialities, for instance different blossom teas or white tea.
Qianmen Dajie 22

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