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Olympics Venues
2008-05-29 17:35:00
As the much awaited Beijing Summer Olympics is nearing (official date to open is on 8/8/08 at 8:08:08 p.m, as the number is one of the most auspicious number in Chinese culture), one should know to stay strategically near the venues of the games you’ll want to watch. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend any games so I’ll just take note for other people’s reference. The stadiums are neatly constructed in a way that is convenient. Number 1 in the map is the National Stadium which is famous for it’s Bird’s nest look. It has the capacity of around 91,000! This will be the one use for the opening and closing ceremonies. National Aquatics Center (2) “Watercube” is another famous new venue which will host competitions like Swimming, Diving, Synchronized Swimming. National Indoor Stadium (3) will be the venue for Olympic Artistic Gymnastics, Trampoline, and Handball competitions and the Paralympic Wheelchair Basketball competition. Beijing S...
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Shanghai Museum
2008-05-20 16:52:00
Visiting museums should actually be one of the top must see of tourists when visiting new places. You get to sense the culture, history but most of all, you can check out cool artifacts. I am actually fascinated about museums but I seldom go because either no one wants to go with me or it’s really out of the way. When we went to Shanghai , I knew I had to go because the structure itself looks enticing enough. Shanghai Museum is actually a museum of ancient Chinese arts. Featuring a lot of furnitures, art masterpieces, old coins & money, clothes, I pleasantly scanned the interesting pieces. However I still like the feel of going to Forbidden city to glance at “how it was“. I want to walk the steps they took long before and imagine being there. (more…)

Chengdu earthquake
2008-05-14 16:19:00
Disaster after disaster…Myanmar had just experience a terrible cyclone that left more than 100,000 people dead. Now, China with the strong earthquake that hit Sichuan at 7.9 magnitude. With a lot of people still under rumbles, it’s quite saddening to know that most of the buildings that collapsed were schools meaning a lot of children got trapped and now calling for help, hoping they can be saved. Pictures: Xinhua Hopefully, there’ll be more survivors than those feared dead… My landlady is from Chengdu also, I emailed her but no reply yet. Maybe their internet isn’t working yet. I hope they’re fine too. if you want to help even in small ways such as money, please check out these details..: For those who are looking to contribute to current aid efforts underway, you can now donate money to the Red Cross Society of China which has formed a disaster relief working group to be dispatched to the earthquake-stricken Wenchuan County in Sichuan...
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Chinese pod
2008-05-06 08:26:00
Interestingly, you can learn Chinese (Mandarin) at your own home. This sounds like an advertisement but I do think this is the best alternative for those who would want to self study Chinese. I found this site before, when I wanted to practice aside from our usual text books. I wasn’t really paying much attention to my teachers in BLCU because I have this tendency to deviate from my own thoughts (I think I have a slight Attention Deficit Disorder) so I push myself to learn online. It quite fun actually to learn in Chinese Pod. It has audio voiceover which you can choose if you’re not sure how to pronouce Pinyin. Plus there are also levels if you want to accelerate the lessons. Likewise, it’s fun to know the basics. Now they only have 1 week trial but before they had a month. I used two of my emails to access the lessons unfortunately, I’m still not the diligent student even if I’m my own teacher. Argh. Got to waste another opportunity to pract...

Wudaokou Best-Kept secrets
2008-04-27 10:07:00
A student like me with an adventurous heart and a big appetite (on certain a season like Winter!) had gone up and down in this lovable district called Wudaokou. It was my home away from home for a while with friends that shared memories with me at that time. We skipped from restaurant to restaurant, trying out things until we find the best around town. I recall having a hard time returning for one-last-taste/visit during February when we were about to leave. I wanted to immortalize the experiences and when I come back, surely I would be nostalgic. Here are the places I love: 1. Milk tea station- Though I forgot the name of the booth, I remember it’s along the front part of Hua Qing Jia Yuan. It’s located along the store strips. It’s not comparable to the powered ones, this one tastes sooo much better! 2. Cafe Bro - It’s also along the store strips, right beside the Mcdonald’s. I like their pastas and also their crepe cake is to die for. 3. ...
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Papa John’s Pizza
2008-04-09 05:44:00
I’m not actually familiar with Papa John ’s Pizza at first. I thought it’s just another pizza store. As I research, I saw that it’s actually a franchise from the United States orginating from Indiana. I discovered this in Beijing from a friend who recommended it for its variety of flavor. But what I remembered most is the pizza crust. I’m very particular with pizza crust, I often throw this part away if it’s too thick or starchy. We ordered this one for our friend’s surprise party that time. It’s a must to reheat this though when it becomes cold. (more…)

April Fool’s Freeze Party
2008-04-07 10:25:00
I saw the Frozen Grand Central http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMj3PJDxu o which facinated me so much. Imagine people suddenly stopping and you feel like there might be something wrong! Cool right?? And last April Fool in Beijing, they also orchestrated the same thing! The location in Beijing was Jianwai Soho on April Fool’s Day..perfect way to celebrate the day! You can watch the Beijing version here I saw the article from TBJ Blog with really nice photos! Enjoy!
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Quan Ju De
2008-04-05 18:32:00
Quan Ju De equates to PEKING DUCK in Beijing. The brand had survived 100 years already in China and still going strong. With branches sprouting everywhere in Beijing and also supermarket brands (pre-packed Peking duck), you can say Quan Ju De had become a household brand for most Chinese. I remember my friend told me the name of this restaurant, I had a hard time remembering how to pronounce it. I think I asked him more than thrice when we were still in Beijing. And finally after eating there, my tongue became accustomed to the name. Do you have the feeling that when it’s quite famous already, it will lose its luster and might be overrated afterall? Well, in this case, it isn’t like that. I honestly think that this is the best Peking Duck from all the ones I’ve tried. Succulently tasty, the duck’s skin is shiny and fatty for my taste. I prefer this than Da Dong’s dry crispy skin. I want oily! Price is reasonable for me. Probably around...

Olympics torch relay begins
2008-04-03 08:53:00
I’m not really keen with Olympics when I was younger. I just know that the whole concept of Olympic games came from Greeks. I’m more facinated with history than sports and I know this Olympics 2008 in Beijing is history in the making. Starting with much controversy, first with Steven Spielberg pulling out from as artistic advisor for the Beijing Olympics and also the recent protest for Tibet’s freedom from China’s hold. Also the longest Olympics torch relay ever! The much anticipated torch relay started last March 24, 2008 and it will last 130 days. It will be passed in the five continients featuring important people, cultural heritage, sceneries to emphasize the theme of the Olympics which is “One World One Dream”. The Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay will traverse the longest distance, cover the greatest area and include the largest number of people, according to plans released tonight during a grand ceremony held in the China Millennium M...

Xijiao Hotel
2008-03-17 09:29:00
Xijiao Hotel is one of the hotels near Haidian district. Walking distance from BLCU, you can opt to stay here if you want to walk around Wudaokou for a short while. This hotel is quite convenient and clean but not that great. It’s probably a three-four star hotel if I remember correctly. There’s a bowling place right beside the hotel and also swimming pool area inside. On the third floor of the activity buiding of Xijiao Hotel, there’s a store selling DVD’s which is cheap plus you can check if it’s working. Though this is not the cheapest around the area, I feel that this one is quite value for money (for the quality of room facilities).

Sichuan Ethnic group
2008-03-06 14:35:00
It’s rare nowadays that we see people living in a completely different cultural society. Being cosmopolitan is the way of life in this century. However, if we set aside patronizing the liberated modern world, we can see ultimately unique people still existing amongst themselves. Well, I caught a glimpse of ethnic minority in China. Surprisingly, challenging my ignorance on this subject, I was able to experience first hand on some traditions of these people. I’m not quite sure though what’s the name of their group because I’ve googled this and according to China Culture: As one of the largest provinces, Sichuan has more than 15 minority groups living with the Han people. Among these are the Yi, Hui, Tibetan and Miao peoples. Each of these minorities has its own charm, ethnic style and folk custom. I was amazed on how they preserve their culture. They also look quite different than Chinese people in the city. I guess having a long history before has ...
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Sarangbang- Korean
2008-03-02 16:56:00
SarangBang is one of my favorite Korean restaurants in Beijing. I first experience this quite authentic Korean cuisine during my trip with friends a year before I went to study in BLCU. The spicy food complimented the cold autumn weather. Back in the old days, I had learn to love to Korean food when I was still in Manila, there was a really old Korean restaurant we often visit more than twice a month (it’s called Korean Village). I didn’t mind smelling like food (because of grilling by ourselves) after blissful dinner. I grow to love kimchi which I avoided years back. But I didn’t expect Korean cuisine could get even better! (I sound like an advertisement already!) My friend J taught us the know-hows of eating Korean style in Beijing. There are quite a number of appetizers and sauces to mix together. You’ll get to love mixing rice with everything when you get used to the spicy-ness. Be ready to get your hands dirty! Wrapping everything (meat, ap...

Chinese New Year Traditions
2008-02-24 10:52:00
Chinese New Year Celebration is based on the start of the Lunar Year. As the year starts, there are a lot of activities Chinese practice to welcome the year with ,luck, fortune and prosperity. Back in China, there were a lot of temple fairs and fireworks during Chinese New Year ’s Eve. Scheduled huge fireworks were anticipated especially in the central area of Beijing. We had our own celebration in a traditional Chinese restaurant called Hua Jia Yu Yuan. It was a feast literally as we devour ala carte orders that was a set for Chinese New Year. In Beijing, the streets are almost empty as a lot of people who came from different provinces went back to their home to celebrate this holiday. It was expensive to rent a van this time of year as they would not wait for you until the wee hours since the drivers will also celebrate with their families. Back in the Philippines, we celebrated Chinese New Year but not so much as Christmas or New Year. We had our usual tikoy (sticky ri...
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Temple Fair (Bai Yun Temple)
2008-02-11 11:13:00
During Chinese New Year, there is a tradition in China which celebrates by having temple fairs. Celebrated in temples around the city, people gather around to pray for luck, good fortune, health and all possible good tidings that one can ask. One of the temple we visited is Bai Yun which means White Cloud. It’s actually fun to see a lot of people burning incense and praying to Taoist saints. They also have a lot of activities like this one which I tried. You will need to buy gold plated huge coins to aim and throw on the big bell on the middle. It’s said that it will bring luck but I’m more into trying out cultural activities like this. And I hit the target! (not captured in the video though) Here’s a peak of throwing coin activity… (more…)
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Train connecting SG to Kunming?
2008-02-02 18:15:00
I’m excited! I heard that the news that they are planning to link the train form Singapore to Thailand to Kunming China! I’ve always wanted to see Kunming. According to sites I’ve read, Kunming is famous for its breathtaking scenic natural landscape. You can try to visit the Stone Forest which is famous in this region. There are also a lot of temples and caves in the area you can visit. Although it can be a waste of time to wait to get there, it’s rather an adventure to see the views along the way. Cities can look all the same but when you see the untouch beauty of nature along the way, you’ll be amazed with things you thought can be seen in movies only. Well, problem is, when will that plan be finish?? Strait Times Article (more…)
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Yuyuan Garden Shanghai
2008-01-27 11:39:00
Yu Yuan actually means Contentment according to one travel site I saw. Yu Yuan Garden is a “five-acre garden consists of six sections separated by boundary walls: Grand Rockery, Ten Thousand-Flower Pavilion, Hall of Heralding Spring, Hall of Jade Magnificence, Inner Garden and Lotus Poo located in Shanghai .” The place has a magnificent colorful architecture. The vibrance of red makes you feel “China”. But amidst its beauty, the place really attracts a LOT of tourist/people! It was literally full and I was finding my way to places I need to meet my friends. There was a lot of shops, food inside the Garden. This is where I got to try the HUGE Xiao Long Pao. I was literally shocked that I had to sip the soup inside the big pao. It was really hot! I wondered why the straw didn’t melt. The xiao long paowas actually cheap (around 5rmb). We ate at some famous restaurant inside garden, we saw pictures of Clinton and other famous personalities insid...

Unique Tea Serving
2008-01-24 12:15:00
Tea is more popular drink in China rather than coffee. They have too many kinds of tea leaves I never get to memorize. The famous ones are Jasmine, Oolong Tea, Green Tea. I’m not really a tea addict, we usually order those free ones (house tea) in Chinese Restaurants. I prefer coffee’s caffiene! Anyway, I saw an interesting act while I was in China. When we were in Shanghai, we went to a facinating restaurant called 1212 which is very hard to find. From the outside, it looks like an ordinary building but when you get in, you’ll be amazed how ironic the setting is. For the first time, I was able to watch some guy waiter doing some Kung Fu Tea (Gong fu) Serving. When I saw him, I thought he would be showing some moves, but it was just pouring. I heard in Beijing, there’s this place, a traditional tea house where they showcase this famous Gongfu Pouring. I should have watched one! I would have been much more amazed. (more…)
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Si Chuan Food
2008-01-18 15:41:00
If you really like spicy food, and you think that you haven’t tried anything that can make you give up eating that…you must try SI CHUAN cuisines. This is one of the spiciest food I’ve eaten and it really made my stomach growl in disagreement. We didn’t just order in some restaurant in Beijing, we got to try it where it orginated..Chengdu. Since we were adventurous enough to try something local when we had this free time on our tour in Jui Zai Gou, we went to the nearest restaurant we found. Trying our luck with the best local food, we asked the waitress to suggest what are their best sellers. The menu was full of food pictures so it was easy to choose even if it’s all in Chinese. Because Si Chuan cuisine is famous for their spicy entree, we had to try it for ourselves. (more…)
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La Mansarde
2008-01-08 12:47:00
Delicieux! I have this facination with speaking French, I really want to learn the language. It all sounds so sophisticated and elegant. I wanted to taste the famous crepes and other French cuisines so that I can feel a bit closer to French culture. So we managed to search for one of the well-known French Restaurant in Beijing. La Mansarde was once featured in That’s Beijing so we ought to try it before we went back home. Best known for crepes, the restaurant offers variety of French cuisine. I am really not a fan of kebabs types of food. I think I ordered wrong because the ones I tasted was just so-so. I was not impressed by the entrees. We tried the lunch set (which is a value for money because there’s an appetizer or dessert, entree for around 40rmb if I remembered correctly). I guess there are only few good choices for the lunch sets. The ambience was nice, pleasing and home-y. The service was not so spectacular but ok for a classy restaurant. (more...
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Volunteering for Olympics 2008
2008-01-02 10:17:00
Do you still plan to volunteer for the Olympics 2008 in Beijing China? You can still apply! Check out this site Volunteer Information . That’s free pass to the event your helping! Plus you can also rub elbows with some of the best athletes! Coolness! However, you need to be very fluent in English and also fluent in Mandarin is a major plus. If you’re already in Beijing, you can go try applying. It’s a whole lot different experience!
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Fresh Plus Buffet
2007-12-22 18:17:00
While walking along a shopping strip in Zhongguancun , we stumbled upon a buffet dining area which looks snobbish at first, but since we were facinated with the ambiance and desserts, we managed to walk in and asked about the price of the best-looking dessert on the display stand. Luckily, we were able to talk to one of the marketing managers of the restaurant. She was very accomodating even if we looked like students (cheapstake ones). She toured us around the restaurant which I think was very chic. After letting us look at the entrees on the buffet tables, she gave us a dozen or more discount vouchers (20 kuai off!) to distribute amongst our friends in BLCU. The buffet restaurant is called Fresh Plus International. The lunch buffet is originally 90 RMB per person but with our discount voucher, we managed to have a value-for-money buffet meal! Everytime you eat there, they will replace the discount voucher with new ones so that you can invite friends/family to try the rest...
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Southeast Asian players get ready for 2008 Olympics
2007-12-20 04:49:00
In the recent 24th Sea Games in Nakhon Ratshasima Thailand, Southeast Asian athletes were able to get a feel of competing with the best of the bests before the awaited Olympics 2008. Thailand leads the Southeast Asian pact of atheletes having a total medal of 409. With a big gap from the first, Malaysia follows with 216 medals then Vietnam with 204. I’m still skeptic about their skills if they can actually defeat China’s bets or US. But I’m sure they are all vying for the gold in the Olympics. With only 232 days (as of Dec 19, 2007) to go before the Olympics, athletes are cramming to improve their statistics/goals/skills. Read More: Southeast Asians hone traditional skills for 2008 Olympics Also check out the official SEA games site.
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Baxi Ice Cream
2007-12-19 09:20:00
This took me soooo long to find! I was trying to google BAXI Ice cream but I couldn’t find a decent anything about my favorite ice cream in China. At long last, I was able to scavenge through my collection of Beijing pictures one mouth watering picture of Baxi. Baxi Ice Cream is a local brand of ice cream which has variety of flavors but the one flavor which is our favorite is Blueberry. (more…)

World Park
2007-12-17 18:31:00
Paris? Pyramids? Close…for budget tourist like me, I’m estatic seeing almost ‘real’ world attractions at World Park . These life-size replicas ignite the historical curiousity in you. Imagine seeing mythological scruptures from “ancient” Greece/Rome! Or the Japanese temples and gardens! or life-size Angkor Wat! The World Park in Beijing is located in southwestern Fengtai District, and is about 17 kilometers from the City center and 40 kilometers from the Capital International Airport. The park opened in 1993 and is estimated to receive 1.5 million visitors annually. When we went there, it was so gloomy that I was depressed seeing the cloudy sky. Although the weather was not with us that day, we managed to go around the place and take lots of pictures as usual! My favorite is the Eiffel Tower replica! I do dream of Paris…so hopefully one day, I’ll be in the real one! (more…)

Beijing Center for Performing Arts
2007-12-08 05:08:00
This is one of the anticipated architectural masterpiece designed by the French architect Jean Andreu. Formally known as National Grand Theatre, Beijing Center for Perform ing Arts opens to the public this December 22, 2007. An inaugural concert will be given by the China National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO) and the Beijing Symphony Orchestra. Soloist Li Yundi, a young Chinese pianist, will play a piece by Maurice Ravel, said Deng Yijiang, deputy president of the National Center for the Performing Arts, during a news briefing. The Mariinsky Theater Opera Company (known until 1991 as the Kirov), from St Petersburg, Russia, will perform Alexander Borodin’s Prince Igor on December 25. It will be the first foreign art troupe to give a performance in the building. (more…)

Beijing Subway
2007-12-06 16:34:00
Beijing has a notorious subway line not just of the crowded area but more of the smell. Well, I’m not really discouraging people to use the subway because it’s rather convenient on some parts of Beijing. Going to Wangfujing or to Forbidden city is easier through this. Ultimately, you never been to Beijing until you tried riding the subway during peak hours! I mean, literally, an adventure. People wouldn’t really care if the train seemed like a big tin can of sardines full of people. You would have to push your way out even if it feels like part of you is stuck somewhere in the middle of the train! (more…)
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BLCU Chinese restaurant
2007-11-27 10:13:00
When I was still studying in Beijing, we had this rule that we will eat cheap during weekdays and splurge on the weekends. As far as I am concerned, it didn’t bother me because eating cheap wasn’t that bad in our school restaurants. Inside BLCU campus, there’s a Chinese restaurant at 2nd floor of the cafeteria, which is our favorite value-for-money treat. . Interestingly, we were never left dissatisfied with our orders. At around 10 RMB per person, we get to order 7-8 dishes for 10 people already! Our favorites were the sweet crispy chicken and the fried mantou with condensed milk . There is a standard taste to all entrees…for standard, i mean the entrees don’t just look the same, they sometimes taste the same too! Also take note that during lunch time, BLCU students flock to this area to eat. Service is bad (the fuyuan or waitresses are sometimes so nasty, you’d wish you can just get things by yourself.) (more…)
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Li qun Kaoya (Peking Duck)
2007-11-21 05:22:00
Li Qun is one of oldest restaurant that served the popular Peking Duck in Beijing. Located at the heart of a Hutong, you might feel ancient dining here. The place reminded me of an old Chinese house. We almost got lost looking for this but you can ask taxi driver to drop you directly near the restaurant-house. Made of bricks, the house- turned-restaurant maybe your trip down Chinese history. Upon entering, you would see a lot of pictures of the owner with celebrities from all around the globe. Using old-school roasting style, you can see the duck being roasted right before your eyes. You can also ask that the waiter could slice the skin of the duck at your table side. (more…)

Snow in Beijing
2007-11-19 13:28:00
Upon news of snowfall for the winter season 2007 in Beijing , I began reminiscing my first snowfall in Beijing. Snow falls are incredibly rare in spite of common misconception of winter season for Beijing. Since the atmosphere is dry, the rain/snow are probably less than the usual compared to other countries. During my stay, I recall only around two times when it snowed hard. But the temperature would drop around -10 so suddenly. Yahoo widgets was my best friend during those times. I can’t help but reminisce. Firsts are really memorable, the year 2006, Nov 25 was one of the best moments in my life. My first touch of the snow ever! It was surreal because I was awaken in the middle of my sleep. My friends were all yelling that I should wake up and see the first snowfall! As far as I remember, I was slacking because of the ungodly hour when that happened (3am). (more…)

Dusty Beijing
2007-11-18 16:18:00
You might be shocked upon seeing heavy dusts around the city of Beijing ..so be forewarned. I think the government is now having plans to correct this problem before the Olympics starts. If it’s windy, for sure…these pesky dust come charging into unprotected eyes, heck I would often rub my eyes for this. Don’t wonder too if your house is already close, then when you come back, ‘dustballs’ would still pop out of nowhere. You better have a good set of vacuum for that. (more…)