What about visiting the Museum of Tap Water or the Beijing Police Museum? Beijing has it all.
The Hutong areas to the East and West of Tianamen Square are decorated more than those to the north or south. Artists and merchants lived to the North and South traditional. And of course the artist area Li Liu Chang is just south west of Tianament Square so that makes sense.
Dongzhimen Transport Hub Station seems to connect services from the airport, buses and subway and is a good place to catch buses to the Great Wall.
A colleague suggested a must see in Beijing is the concert hall which I had thought was to the south of Tianamen but can't seem to currently find it so we might need direction.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Changing itinerary
We are doing fine tuning here and there for the trip.
It is uncertain in places if we can visit anytime or only when shows are on e.g. at the China Puppet Theater, but will hopefully sort that out before we go.
Backup options if things do not work out as expected include the Sony ExplorScience centre, Liu Ren Papercut House (artist assists children to make the papercuts) or if we got desperate there are a couple of fun parks such as the Happy Valley (queues can be up to 3 hours long 1 ride though - Disney take Chinese style), or the Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park seemingly very close to Tianamen square.
We bought some chocolates for the children at the orphanage when we visit Childrens Day. And it looks like we will visit at 9am and my father can do a show to help the celebrations. Last year the Children then went on to McDonalds for lunch so we will follow if possible. In the same city we will visit the world famous Laobian dumpling restaurant and a Korean area too.
Our last night we will dine at the Bai Jia Da Yuan Restaurant which will be a very special treat for Charlotte Qing dynasty style.
Just when you think you have what to do set, you find more info and things alter, but it is comforting knowing what is possible.
We have booked acrobats, tea ceremony folk show, the Beijing night show which includes a mix of Chinese talents such as kungfu, Chinese opera and again acrobatics.
We are yet to book the train tickets (we prefer the fast options just over 4 hours), and seemingly need to pre-book our visit to Happy City for the girls to spend and earn their fake yuan.
In the South East part of Beijing there is a Shadow Puppet museum, although when you look into it there is a museum for just about anything including postage stamps and shells or ancient coins.
A big concern is the traffic conjestion although by all accounts the subway takes care of that problem to a large extent. In a prior pre-child visit I recall having to listen so intently to the station names to work out where on the map you might be. Given the Olympics have been and gone it seems that magnetic ticketing cards can be readily used on the subway as opposed to paper tickets, but hopefully a little English or pinyin has crept into the signage.
Speaking of congestion, it surely couldn't be worse than HCMC Ho Chi Minh City and all those motor bikes, right??
It is uncertain in places if we can visit anytime or only when shows are on e.g. at the China Puppet Theater, but will hopefully sort that out before we go.
Backup options if things do not work out as expected include the Sony ExplorScience centre, Liu Ren Papercut House (artist assists children to make the papercuts) or if we got desperate there are a couple of fun parks such as the Happy Valley (queues can be up to 3 hours long 1 ride though - Disney take Chinese style), or the Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park seemingly very close to Tianamen square.
We bought some chocolates for the children at the orphanage when we visit Childrens Day. And it looks like we will visit at 9am and my father can do a show to help the celebrations. Last year the Children then went on to McDonalds for lunch so we will follow if possible. In the same city we will visit the world famous Laobian dumpling restaurant and a Korean area too.
Our last night we will dine at the Bai Jia Da Yuan Restaurant which will be a very special treat for Charlotte Qing dynasty style.
Just when you think you have what to do set, you find more info and things alter, but it is comforting knowing what is possible.
We have booked acrobats, tea ceremony folk show, the Beijing night show which includes a mix of Chinese talents such as kungfu, Chinese opera and again acrobatics.
We are yet to book the train tickets (we prefer the fast options just over 4 hours), and seemingly need to pre-book our visit to Happy City for the girls to spend and earn their fake yuan.
In the South East part of Beijing there is a Shadow Puppet museum, although when you look into it there is a museum for just about anything including postage stamps and shells or ancient coins.
A big concern is the traffic conjestion although by all accounts the subway takes care of that problem to a large extent. In a prior pre-child visit I recall having to listen so intently to the station names to work out where on the map you might be. Given the Olympics have been and gone it seems that magnetic ticketing cards can be readily used on the subway as opposed to paper tickets, but hopefully a little English or pinyin has crept into the signage.
Speaking of congestion, it surely couldn't be worse than HCMC Ho Chi Minh City and all those motor bikes, right??
Thursday, May 19, 2011
What to do in Beijing
The options available in Beijing of what to visit/do is mind blowing.
We will try our best to group things in areas.
Near the Temple of Heaven park is the HongQiao Pearl Market, and adjoining toy market, a little south-east the 'dirt' market with all sorts of goods. After the Temple of Heaven we could then take in the Natural History Museum (in the same park as the Temple of Heaven) that has dinosaur bones - and if there was any chance of any steam left there is the Tiandi acrobat theatre again very close.
Re the Great Wall we will take a bus from near a subway station and go to Badalong (the really steep overcrowded part), and then another bus to the next section which is not so bad.
Inbetween times we will visit various hutong areas, the HouHai lake area at night time not far from the hutongs, the summer palace, and the zoo to see the pandas of course.
In the Chaoyang district there is the Ya Chow market which is meant to be good, but that is also the area of the acrobatics so that would be best combined in one trip.
Charlotte's Chinese teacher has asked we buy some Beijing opera masks for the school.
Re night shows it seems there is also a wide choice: Kung Fu, numerous acrobatic troups, the Beijing Show (with a mix of all sorts) etc.
We have to factor in what is open on weekends, some down time and maybe some mummy and Charlotte time alone especially in her city.
There are number of areas that will look very beautiful at night time like the Olympic stadiums, the old traditional Qing dynasty buildings with lights decorating them etc (but don't expect anything as full on as when we visited YuYuan gardens just on CNY.
Oh and there is an artist area where will buy some camel hair, horse hair etc brushes as Anne Spudvillas had pointed out to us. OK more homework to do to find out where that is. In Charlotte's city we have arranged a guide/van to visit the SWI and will have one day to visit the shopping area and another day to visit the palace (a comparative holiday before/after Beijing).
We are all excited.
In reality a month would be better than a week or so, but plenty to do next time we visit.
We will try our best to group things in areas.
Near the Temple of Heaven park is the HongQiao Pearl Market, and adjoining toy market, a little south-east the 'dirt' market with all sorts of goods. After the Temple of Heaven we could then take in the Natural History Museum (in the same park as the Temple of Heaven) that has dinosaur bones - and if there was any chance of any steam left there is the Tiandi acrobat theatre again very close.
Re the Great Wall we will take a bus from near a subway station and go to Badalong (the really steep overcrowded part), and then another bus to the next section which is not so bad.
Inbetween times we will visit various hutong areas, the HouHai lake area at night time not far from the hutongs, the summer palace, and the zoo to see the pandas of course.
In the Chaoyang district there is the Ya Chow market which is meant to be good, but that is also the area of the acrobatics so that would be best combined in one trip.
Charlotte's Chinese teacher has asked we buy some Beijing opera masks for the school.
Re night shows it seems there is also a wide choice: Kung Fu, numerous acrobatic troups, the Beijing Show (with a mix of all sorts) etc.
We have to factor in what is open on weekends, some down time and maybe some mummy and Charlotte time alone especially in her city.
There are number of areas that will look very beautiful at night time like the Olympic stadiums, the old traditional Qing dynasty buildings with lights decorating them etc (but don't expect anything as full on as when we visited YuYuan gardens just on CNY.
Oh and there is an artist area where will buy some camel hair, horse hair etc brushes as Anne Spudvillas had pointed out to us. OK more homework to do to find out where that is. In Charlotte's city we have arranged a guide/van to visit the SWI and will have one day to visit the shopping area and another day to visit the palace (a comparative holiday before/after Beijing).
We are all excited.
In reality a month would be better than a week or so, but plenty to do next time we visit.
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