The Circle Grows

Within the circle-ring roads around Beijing, the past and the present swirl around each other. It is what makes this capital city such a remarkable place to visit. Grade seven was lucky to experience the new and old of Beijing in April. We saw the old men in Mao jackets smoking aromatic Chinese cigarettes on the street corners, and the modern college students climbing man-made rock walls. We saw the I.M. Pei designed office towers and the communist-style apartment blocks. We even slept on plush, duvet-covered beds at a modern hotel, and then we laid down for a night on a cold, stone slab covered with mattress pads at a village house.

In some ways, these might seem like contradictions in people, architecture and neighborhoods, but they are part of who Beijing was, is and will become.

During our trip, we were able to sample the different sides of Beijing today. We visited local produce markets where the students had to use their Chinese skills. We hiked The Great Wall and marveled at the scenery around us. We gaped at the feats of the acrobats who had us at the edge of our seats. We flew kites in Tiananmen Square.

Our trip was made comfortable by our two tour guides, but it is easy to feel out of your element in China. It was peculiar for us to see children who went without diapers, or bathrooms without walls and starfish and scorpions done up as snacks on kebab sticks.

Coming from Hong Kong, it was intriguing to see this city in transition. Hong Kong shed much of its past long ago as it segued into its current cosmopolitan state. It’s easy to forget that the mainland was decades behind our city here, and yet, it is catching up at a rapid pace as communism is replaced by capitalism. It begs the question: How much longer will you hear the woman hawking fresh tofu in the streets? How much longer will you see the green hills around The Great Wall unmarred by souvenir shops?

Its past was as the home of emperors and the seat of power for dynasties that stretched back centuries. Its future depends upon it becoming the new economic powerhouse of Asia. Caught between these two realities, Beijing just seems to expand, allowing its circle roads to encompass it all.

Doing the Duck

Back in Beijing, I had one goal: do the Peking duck.

Duck de Chine is one of the latest duck eateries to open in the capital city. Housed in the trendy, new 1949 complex, the restaurant is both glam and gourmet. Duck comes prepared in a wide array of cuisines - the duck tacos were fabulous - but the main attraction is the original Peking style.

The bird's arrival is announced by the low clang of a gong and it is then carved table side by a black-clad chef. From there, you can load it into light, wispy pancakes with a sprinkling of scallions and dollops of hoisin.

How was it? Check out Brian's commentary below:

Don't Forget the Charmin

OK ... it should be don't squeeze the Charmin, but when you go to China don't forget to bring toilet paper. Bathrooms are ... how should I put this ... rudimentary at best.

High-end hiking on the Great Wall

The Great Wall recently earned the title as a ‘Wonder of the World’ from the recent campaign to update the Seven Ancient Wonders, despite the fact that the terrain it covers, its engineering and sheer length have been a marvel for centuries.

I knew there were several quick daytrips out to The Wall that one could take, but I figured a world wonder warranted more time to be thoroughly enjoyed and explored. So we booked ourselves into the Red Capital Ranch at the base of where two sections of unrestored wall meet in Yanxi Township.

The hotel is a destination itself, fusing elements from Manchurian, Mongolian and Tibetan culture. Take for instance the Tibetan Tiger Lodge, the hotel’s bar that is adorned with brightly colored doors and furniture from the region. Even the cuisine takes its cue from traditional ingredients and spices: corn dumplings stuffed with mountain vegetables, leg of lamb with Tibetan rub, and chicken soup with forest berries.

The architecture is said to be reminiscent of a mountain lodge that Emperors of the Qing dynasty frequented. The owners boast of hiring crews responsible for restoring the Forbidden City to build the Manchurian-styled retreats. Inside, the rooms are decorated with a Zen minimalism that is rustic but comfortable. One of the highlights is the Kang style stone bed, which originally would have been heated by the family’s cooking hearth attached to it.

But the real attraction is the property itself. Nestled in a river valley below the shadow of the Great Wall, the hotel’s rooms and pavilions offer breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains, rivers and streams.

From the property, you can access two hikes. The Eastern Route is the more challenging trail, but the Western Route allows you to travel to Mutianyu, if you have the time and equipment; we found that upon reaching the eighth pavilion, the route became quite treacherous.

The trails along both sections are unrestored. This keeps the tourists away and affords the adventurous time to gaze out from watchtowers with no one in sight – just as the soldiers would have liked it!

The Western route climbs slowly uphill. On most sections, you can walk on the remains of the wall, but there are places where the deterioration is so bad, that you bypass the wall through the forest.

The Eastern Route is a vertical climb that then splits in a North and South direction. Legend has it that the contractor who built the Southern wall was beheaded: the general’s plans ran North. Hikes also follow the North route, high on the mountain ridge where you can gaze far out across the valley. Only three watchtowers can be reached before you come to an impasse in the trail.

Both climbs will take about half a day. But even on these treks, you only get a small taste of the sheer size of The Wall. It constantly snakes away from you into the distance … but it does this over 7,300 kilometers.

Back at the Ranch, I got some relief for my sore muscles with a Tibetan body massage. I’m not sure how often Tibetans practice this therapy, but for this infrequent hiker, the service was truly therapeutic.

Details: Red Capital Ranch, Yanxi Township, Huairou District. Rooms start at $200. Hiking from base of the hotel.

Back from Beijing, comrad

Sometimes a place seems to have a soul all its own; mystique laced with energy that keeps you in constant motion wandering from one fantastic spot to the other. Beijing is that kind of city.

Unlike other large Asian cities, Beijing hasn't been desecrated by Westernization. This is a Chinese city, first and foremost. There's just a handful of signs in English, and you can forget about getting a taxi driver who speaks a language other than Mandarin. In Beijing, you get the frenetic pace of progress mixed with remnants of China's long, cultural past.

Having said that, Beijing is at the tipping point: trendy restaurants are on the rise, hawker stalls are moving indoors to clean up the streets and there's even a good saturation of Starbucks on city blocks.

The worst part of Beijing is getting there. You can go to any of the China Travel branches, but make sure you bring proof of your itinerary and hotel bookings when you go. Bring lots of cash, too: all the rates have been raised for the Olympics, so a visa will set you back about $1600 HKD if you're an American like me.

My three-day itinerary included these highlights:

The Forbidden City - Built smack in the middle of Beijing, this compound that belonged to the Emporer is staggering in size. Do yourself a favor and splurge for the audio tour since there are few signs that will explain the history of the palaces and temples.

Green T. - This restaurant is the kind of party girl you hate: the one who is pretty and flaunts it. Green Tea is oh, so pretty, but it's pretentious to boot. Take for instance the menu .... it's written in poetry (I kid you not). However, the place will win you over first with it's food presentations - a tree with small butterflies in it accompanied spring rolls to the table - and then with the food - I'm still dreaming about the spare ribs that were reminiscent of oatmeal cookies. Sounds strange, but so good.

Dirt Market - This large, open air market only operates on the weekends, but it is a bonanza of pottery, art, handicrafts, Cultural Revolution paraphernalia, jewelry and ... well just about anything you can think of. (Brian picked up a pair of binoculars). The name reflects the pricing: it's dirt cheap! Well, at least most stuff is after you've bargained for it. Tell the taxi driver you want to go to Panjiayuan (the Chinese name for the market), and Skip the Silk Market, which is open all week, but has similar goods at three times the price.

Bei Hai Park - Even though Bei Hei is fast becoming the center of where expats eat and party, during the day it still belongs to The People. On the sunny day we were there, some were paddling along the large lake, others were just resting by the banks, while still others were singing opera and swimming in their Speedos like this crazy guy pictured.

798 Artist District -- Located in the Dashanzi district, this artists' enclave is testament to the forward-thinking momentum of the city - although there is a rumor that the area will be shuttered after the Olympics. That would be a shame, because you can spend the better part of a day flitting from shops to galleries to cafes here. The space that houses 798 used to be German weapons factories and there's still a stark, industrial feel to this place that's rich with creativity.

Dumplings - Going to Beijing and not having dumplings is like going to Philadelphia and not having a cheesesteak. These doughy delicacies can be found everywhere, but are best at the cheap corner stands.


Hutongs - Just a few years ago, hutongs, traditional Beijing homes built around a center courtyard, were a dying breed. Construction of hotels, apartments and shopping centers were destroying whole neighborhoods of these classic homes. Thanks to public outcry, however, the hutong is crawling back from the brink of extinction. In fact, many are being refurbished and even rebuilt. Go to areas east of the Forbidden City or near Bei Hai park to experience to hutong.