Beijing Adventures - Day 3: Riding the Subway During Rush Hour, the Bird's Nest and The Water Cube

     

     I had this idea to go to the Bird's Nest and the Cube via the subway.  I  mean, there's a subway station going to the Olympic Sports Center, so, might as well try riding the subway.  Well, it turned out to be a not-so-great idea.  You see, from our hotel, the Wangfujing Station is like a 15-minute walk, or so it seemed.  Then, it was rush hour, around 5:00 p.m.  The subway's clean and all, but it was packed!  We managed to get into a train even if it seemed impossible to get into an already full carriage.  It was so filled to the brim!  It's like the MRT along EDSA during rush hour, with thousands of passengers more who do not seem to cease coming.  It's an incessant and constant flow of people.  

     While it was as tight as inside a can of sardines, personally, I didn't get squashed, pushed, pulled or bodily harmed intentionally or not.  In fact, even if there seemed to be no more room at all, people still made way for the new passengers to get inside.  I felt the people in Beijing are far more polite and chivalrous because of that.  If there was anyone who tried to push and squeeze her way out, that would have been me.  But the people in the carriages didn't mind to be accidentally pushed, squashed or pulled.  It was as if it was part of their daily commute.

     We had to change lines a couple of times and there was this one station where we had to pass through a funnel-like entrance that people had to walk side-by-side, with slow, little steps, until we reached the other side.  It was such an experience.  I can proudly say that I've ridden the subway during rush hours on a work-day and I survived!  It was such a feat.  Heehee.     

     Well, too bad that I wasn't able to take pictures because you see, time is of the essence.  Everyone was scurrying.  The stream of people would not allow for a leisurely pace and for snapping pictures.  That'll be rude to those who are on a hurry to head home.  I was able bodied so I didn't have a reason to be slow.

    We reached our end station and we walked a considerable distance to the Water Cube and the Bird's Nest.  Both structures are stunning at a distance; moreso at a closer look.  The one looks fiery; the other looks calm.  The reds and the blues.  There were a lot of policemen on duty, so again, I felt so secure.  I felt more secure in Beijing than here in Manila, really.

     I think it was almost 7:00 p.m. when we reached the Olympic sites.  My friends were hungry and tired.  I think we only spent about an hour there, and we asked a policeman where we could go and hail a cab.  We don't know if he understood us but he motioned to the sort of highway that passes in the middle going to the other end of the Bird's Nest.  We dutifully followed the directions given us and it was also a long walk, and a little farther would have brought us to a huge hotel.  But thanks to that, I was able to get a better view of the Bird's Nest.  

     We hailed a cab on the main street; there were not a lot of people; well, just us and some others.  And there was this one freak, a young local it seems, who was shouting something in English; something like, "Hey missy!  Do you understand English?"  My friends didn't hear him call because they were busy hailing a cab.  I didn't think he was speaking to us; he was on the other side of the road for crying out loud.  As we got into the cab, I heard the freak started shouting, "Fuck you!"  I was like, was he talking to us?  Was he insane talking to girls like that?  Then I remembered what @ commoner  over at Pinoy Exchange Beijing thread once said. Guess it might be one of those overly-enthusiastic English-speaking locals who approach tourists...he's probably up to no good.  I mean, why the heck would you call out to someone from the other side of the freaking road and then then tell them to fuck off? Geez!  I was so damn pissed that I wanted to get out of the cab and kick the prick in his groin.  I think he thought we don't understand English because we weren't paying attention to him, so he started cursing at us for fun.

     Finally, there is another thing that I learned during our adventure to the Olympic site; procrastinators have no place in Beijing.  One must really walk, endure, walk and then walk some more whether or not you use a cab or the public transportation.  Either way, we walked a lot.  The same goes true with the other famous places in Beijing, like the Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, among others. 

Beijing Adventures - Day 3: Quanjude in Wangfujing

    

     Our driver and tour guide chauffeured us to Quanjude in Wangfujing.  I have read raves about this restaurant, presumably, it serves one of the best Peking ducks in Beijing.  Of course, we're in Beijing, and it's a must to eat this delectable dish.

     So, it was around 1:00 p.m. when we got to Quanjude.  We thought that we would not have a table, but to our surprise, there were vacant tables.  Yay!  It's not that there weren't any diners, mind you.  Rather, the restaurant is just huge.  It's like a ballroom of a hotel; it's that expansive.  The restaurant seems really classy, with those beautiful chandeliers and red and gold table cloths.  There is also a stage, what for, I don't know.  I slipped out of my coat and I hung it over my chair.  Immediately, a waiter came, placed a cloth cover over the back of my chair, and another one over my belongings which I stashed on top of the chair beside me.  Viola.  No coats hanging that skews the aesthetics of the place.  Very effective. 

     We ordered of course a Peking duck, well, half a duck, as well as the pancakes and the side dishes.  We also had dessert, I couldn't remember what it was, as well as another dish.  We just had Peking duck the night before but what the heck. The only complaint I have is that the tea is not free.

     So, a couple of minutes later, a chef with a cart came near our table and proceeded to prepare the duck.  I was really amazed with the look of the duck.  Although the one we had the night before was tasty, it was nowhere near the beauty of the duck laying there before our eyes.  Quanjude's duck looks moist, full, smooth, and huge.  Also, the skill of the chef in slicing the duck is superb.  Having witnessed two separate preparations, Quanjude makes it better. The slices are thin and even.

     The chef first sliced off some duck skin, and it looks so crispy!  The waitress brought a small plate to our table. When we ate it, it was full of fatty oil from the skin.  It was yummy but oily.  A little later and another plate was filled-up with duck meat.  It was delicious!  We weren't disappointed, not in the very least.

     And I met my second future husband here, too.  He was with his grandparents, I suppose.  Well, they may be his parents.  Like my first  future husband, he's tall, but he's more of a risk-taker when it comes to fashion.  He's wearing a pink sweater and cool sneakers.  If he's wearing bright pink and remains manly, then, he's so comfortable with his sexuality.  I took a photo of him.  He can be seen, too, in the second photo board.

This photo doesn't do him any justice.

He looks way better in person.

He's carefully checking the bill while waiting for his parents/grandparents.

Beijing Adventures - Day 3: Hotel Kapok

  So, this is our third day in Beijing, and our package tour ended here.  Before that, the tour guide and our driver chauffeured us to our new hotel, in Hotel Kapok near Wangfujing.  After we checked in our belongings, they drove to Quanjude restaurant for lunch.  And we parted ways, sigh.  I started missing having a chauffeur and a guide after an hour or so.

     It's small, just four to six floors, but it gives off a different vibe.  It's a lot hipper, if I may say so, very urban, very modern. And it's cheaper there than at the Marriott.  I think we paid USD 100.00 or so per day.  While the hotel was small, we were able to sneak-in a third person.  So, we saved a lot.

   

     The rooms are decent sized, ours was a courtyard room, but the huge bathroom took half the space.  No complaints, though.  The bathroom's super clean and the all-glass walls made it really cool. For the size of the bathroom, however, they didn't put in a tub.

     The twin beds are comfy; the sheets crisp.  For pillows, you get to choose which one you prefer; just ask housekeeping for a kapok pillow, for example.  The closets are small; the bathroom hogged the space.  We put our luggage at the entryway inside the room.  And, there's free internet!  Yipee!

     The lobby is small but the front-desk personnel promptly greets you every time you come and go.  The hotel restaurant is small, but pretty and they serve their buffet breakfast there.  They also have a mini library and cubicle spaces where one could read or browse the net. 

     At night, the hotel looks like a starry sky.  It's all the more beautiful.  Plus, you could see the Forbidden City nearby.  There's a gate which is walking distance from our hotel.  You can see it from the street.

     Over-all, I like it here than at the Marriott.  The buffet tastes better, too.

Thoughts - Planning a Rendezvous with Mr. J in Taipei

     I went to the theaters yesterday, as I always do almost every week.  This time, I watched the Green Hornet.  I was curious because I used to watch the Green Hornet tv series' reruns when I was a kid.  I mean, Kato in the tv series was none other than Bruce Lee; who wouldn't want to watch?  Well, I was also  a little confused that Green Hornet's Seth Rogen.  He is more known for his comedy films.  So, what the heck, I might as well give it a shot.

     So, I was sitting contently in the movie house, then all of the sudden, Jay Chou appeared as Kato, the barista?  I knew Jay Chou's in the film as Kato, but I couldn't care less.  After all, I only know him to be super famous in Asia but I don't know any of his songs or films.  But then, every single time he appears on screen, not just as a barista but as a genius car-and-arms designer/inventor/martial arts expert, my heart starts to go, doki doki.  Really.  And I've never seen nor heard any of his works but his presence onscreen?  Amazing.  He was so darn charismatic.  I mean, he had me when he sang Gangsta's Paradise.  By the end of the movie, what started as a fleeting admiration became an adoration that by the time I got home, I knew I fell in love.

     I tried to rationalize everything.  Can I really be converted into a believer after just one movie?  Am I really that easy?  Hmm.  Yup, I think I am that easy.  Heehee.  Anyway, it's a good thing that I'll be back to Taiwan this April where Jay Chou hails and I'll be able to go to his  French-Italian restaurant in Taipei, Mr. J.  You see, the last time I was in Taiwan, I was contemplating on whether or not I should go to the restaurant.  Not that I am a fan; I don't even know him then, but only because it's one of the must-visit restaurants in Taipei, along with PS Bubu which is where one of the scenes in Meteor Garden was shot.  I was supposed to go there on my first day in Taipei but the restaurant would not open until lunch time and I didn't have the liberty to wait since it was just almost 10:00 a.m. and I must be on my way to see the Taipei 101.  Besides, I was supposed to go the Hello Kitty Sweets the following day so I dropped Mr. J.  I didn't know him then anyway.

     Now, it's a different story.  I feel I need to go to Mr. J, and settle my feelings once and for all.  I'm planning a rendezvous.  I hope Mr. J waits up for me.  Lol! 

     Here are the details of Mr. J's, courtesy of m1m1 -

Mr. J Restaurant 義法廚房

台北市光复南路308巷43号
Address: No.43 Lane 308, Guangfu St., Da-an District, Taipei City 106
Tel 2377-9090/(02)2731-2245
Opening hours: 1130am - 10:00pm
http://www.mrj-tw.com/

2. Mr J II at 吳興街250號 within the Taiwan Medical University

Photos from the Mr. J website/Wretch account

Beijing Adventures - Day 2: A Very Satisfying Peking Duck Dinner at Jin Xing Lou

This is where we ate.  I forgot the name of the restaurant, though.  Who can help me?
EDT:  According to commoner over at PEX, this is called "Jin Xing Lou," a typical Beijing-style restaurant.  Thanks a lot, commoner!

     A short ride from the Pearl Market and we reached our last destination for the day, a restaurant for our Peking Duck dinner.  According to our tour guide, the restaurant is famous in the vicinity.  Which vicinity, I don't know.  But I noticed that it's located in a locals area; there was a supermarket, food stalls and  eateries selling noodles, and those food-on-sticks.  Also, it seems to be located in a residential area because I've seen some apartments and/or condominiums there.

     So, this is our Peking duck dinner.  We had a table at the back; the moment we entered, all eyes were on us.  Really, I'm not kidding.  I scanned the restaurant and we were the only non-Chinese there.  It was full of families dining.  There was one family with a child, around 7 years old, and the girl's in some sort of a costume, so I guess she just performed somewhere.  And then, there's this table adjacent to ours; he's obviously dining with his parents.  And he's my future husband.  Lol! 

     Then the guide told us that the Peking duck will be prepared in front of us.  Then there goes this chef of some sorts with a cart and a full Peking duck.  He started cleaving half a duck.  It was not my first time to see the process.  After all, I live in the Philippines and there are a lot of Chinese here, as well as Chinese restaurants, but to see it in Beijing is kinda special, don't you think?

The chef was very amiable.  I can see through his mask that he's smiling!

    

     Of course, there were other foods served, but I really, really loved the flavor of their Peking duck.  This is the best restaurant we've eaten at in our Beijing tour package.  Everything was delectable and really tasty!  And of course, my future husband, as well as my future mother and father-in-law were looking at me (I wish!), well, looking at us, sneaking glances every once in a while.  Don't worry future husband, I was also looking at you; if only it isn't rude to stare, I would have gazed at you longingly.  Hahaha! Mother, father, I'd be honored to be your daughter.  Hohoho!  Speaking of which, my future husband is not only tall, like really tall at least 6 ft in height,  handsome and curious at other nationalities, meaning, us, he seems to be filial.  He took his parents out for dinner, I guess.

     Enough of my boy-hunting.  By the way, my friends and I were all saying, my the best girl win!  LOL!

     Going back to the food, every thing served to us proved to be really yummy.  It wasn't as oily as some of the dishes we've tried, and again, the food was more than we could consume.  As for the Peking duck, well, we all know how to eat it, no need for instructions.  We're still Asians and Peking duck is very famous and as I've said, many restaurants in our country serve Peking Duck.  Yeah, but that didn't deter me to pick up a slice and eat it with rice.  I'm such a rice-loving person.  Heehee.

     So, we left the restaurant, and I was trying not to look at my future husband but in my peripheral I saw him, and my future in-laws looking at us, following us with their gaze.  Farewell, okasama, otousama; good bye, anata.  Lol!

Beijing Adventures - Day 2: Pearl Market

     Pearl Market is like Divi Mall, only with jacked-up prices, a place where tourists get to buy souvenirs at tourist rates.  The guide told us to bargain really hard and quote price really low.  The shopkeepers are good in English and in the art of acting and persuasion.  A lot of the stuff there I could buy in Divisoria.  There are some items though that cannot be bought just anywhere, like souvenir shirts, any item with Chairman Mao in it, anything with Beijing logo.

     We roamed around the market for an hour; my friend brought some shirts and table runners.  I wanted to buy those I ♥ Beijing shirts, not the regular kind, a special one which would make any Filipino laugh out loud when they see it.  We noticed that some shops sells "I ♥ BJ" shirts, and BJ, in the Philippines, is a shortened term for "blow job", so there you go.  I also wanted to buy the I Climbed the Great Wall shirts, because it'll remind me that I am such a liar...I just walked a section, and climbed the first stairs, so I'm not entirely lying.  Heehee.  Well, I didn't buy any because I thought I could buy it anywhere in Beijing.  Well, I was so wrong.  We didn't find anything like that again.  I guess those kinds of souvenirs can only be found at the tourist traps shops like the Pearl Market.  I didn't want to haggle so I didn't buy.  My bad.

     I have no photos of the Pearl Market; I left my cameras in the van because I didn't want to stand out as a foreign tourist.  Then I realized when we went inside the market that I may be Asian but my eyes are definitely not almond-shaped or chinky; they're big and round.  I was not successful in trying to assimilate.  Haha. 

     And speaking of which, I get stared at, a lot.  I don't know why.  Is it really seldom that people from Mainland China sees Southeast Asians? I'm quite fair, and skin color-wise, I could pass off as Chinese, although I'm more on the pink side than the yellow side.  My hair is black like theirs as well as the colors of my eyes.  Is it because of my big, round eyes?  I thought at first that I just look really, really cute that's why I get stared at.  Heehee.  But that is just my inner diva and vanity speaking. LOL.  Or maybe because I'm rotund?  Heehee.  I guess, it is the latter reason.  I haven't seen any plus-sized people there. Yup, that might be it.

Beijing Adventures - Day 2: Tong Reng Tang

The TRT pharmacists at work during the olden times.

This is one of the paintings at the stairway inside the Tong Reng Tang building.

 

      From the Temple of Heaven, we were ushered to Tong Reng Tang (TRT), a Chinese pharmacy practicing traditional medicine, or something. The guide said TRT served at the Imperial Palace and just by checking your pulse, the doctors would know your ailment.  Sounds like quack? I don't know.  To each his own.  You'll never know.  Just keep an open mind.

     I was quite apprehensive of this tour to TRT, a compulsory inclusion in our tour package since I've read negative feed backs about it in forums.  Like, you'll be forced to buy something from them, they'll make suspicious diagnosis about you, they'll tell misdiagnosis, etc., etc.  However, when we reached there, and we were the only ones since it was late already, the atmosphere was chill.  The doctor, who's quite a looker at  his age (he's in his early 40s, I guess), and his interpreter-assistant, made diagnosis for each one of us.  

     The doctor looked earnest, maintaining eye contact while he divulged his individual assessment.  In Chinese, he asked me if I get tired, and I said, everybody gets tired. He then told me that by tired, he meant if I easily get tired.  And I said no.  In fact, I don't tire easily and among most of my friends, I have the best stamina for walking, shopping, travelling, etc.  I realized that if you just answer what he asks of you, the doctor will say no more.  His responds based on your answer, like if you get into details, he'll tell you details.  If you don't challenge the doctor, the diagnosis could actually be informative.  I guess, some people who does not believe the system gets suspicious and defensive, that is perhaps why some gets irritated.  If you're not interested, the doctor wouldn't push the topic, at least, in our case, he didn't.  I mean, we were interested in what he would say but not with what TRT would sell. 

     By the way, the doctor told me that I'm generally healthy.  He said the same thing to my friends, that we're generally healthy with different questions whether they're concerned about their back, or something.  When my friends told him that not really, only sometimes, the doctor  just nodded and gave his positive diagnosis.  On the other hand, I've read in some forums that the doctor would tell them that they have real problems with their organs, like kidney problems, etc.  So, we were really happy that the diagnosis for us was really positive.  Yay!

     There's also a plus side to TRT; they offer free foot massage, and soaking your feet in warm water, especially in winter, is never a bad thing, right?   Although it's not entirely free since you have to give some tip to the masseuse, which you must really do since they are eager to do their jobs.  I had a back massage, by request, and I gave the masseuse 20 RMB (the guide said 20 RMB's just enough).

     Over all, I found the experience really informative.  It's not everyday that you get that kind of diagnosis, and you can tell it to your friends and family.  Also, their rooms are nice, and their chairs, really comfortable.  The staff are courteous and professional.  I have no complaints.  By the way, the TRT branch we went to is in a building with 3 or 4 floors.  It's very clean, too.

    

Beijing Adventures - Day 2: Temple of Heaven

 

     The Temple of Heaven doesn't look like any other temples I've seen.  It's the only circular temple I know of.   The guide told us loads of data about the reason why it is circular and why the Temple holds such importance but I forgot about it.  So at @ m1m1, if you're reading this, better listen to the tour guide.  Heehee.

     All I remember are these tidbits:  1)  it's round because it represents heaven; 2) it has something to do with good harvest and prayers; 3) the emperors of the olden days used to visit the temple, which ones I forgot; and, 4) it's a UNESCO heritage site.

     We came to the temple through a gate, this gate:

     
      And according to this map, this is the North Gate.

      I immediately fell in love with the temple grounds.  There are trees, and more trees everywhere.  Leave me in a piece of land with tree-lined paths, manicured lawns, plants and flowers carefully tended and I'd be a happy gal.

     I was walking way behind my friends and the guide because I was busy snapping pictures of the surroundings.  It was almost 4 p.m. and the sun was about to set in a short while.  And so, the beauty of the almost setting sun and the faint glow that it cast made the Temple even more beautiful and divine.

      
   

     

 
     There's a mini-museum inside with a small scale Temple of Heaven as well as photos.

     The guide told us she's going to show us something interesting.  Guess what it was?  People playing cards at the Long Corridor.

     I really, love this photo.  It's kinda serene and calming, but there's a hint of the cold weather and loneliness.

     Winter's almost here...

Beijing Adventure - Day 2: Lunch at Beijing Siwei Restaurant

     After an hour of walking to and from a short section of the Great Wall, we went to our van so we could move on.  However the tour guide was speaking with an elderly lady who got lost.  She said she'd been walking around for 2 hrs looking for her tour group but she couldn't find them.  It broke my heart.  The guide asked us permission to stay a little longer so she could help the old lady.  When a tour guide who can speak the old lady's dialect came, our guide passed on the old lady's problem. According to our guide, there are four, more or less if I remember right, car parks and they all look alike.  The old lady couldn't remember which carpark she came from.  Our guide told us that the reason she asked us to walk back the same way at the wall is because after a while, everything will look the same.  It'll be easy to end up another section.

     So, we went to this restaurant for lunch.  Of course there was a lot of food.  I ate a lot.

     There's a gift shop at the other side and the guide was almost pulling us out from shop because we still have loads more to do.  Then I saw the old lady who got lost there.  She's been found and her sister was fuming mad.  Apparently, they've been for her for hours.  Lol!  All's well.

     Next stop is the Temple of Heaven.

Manila Chronicles - Winter Clothes on Sale at the Malls

    

      Last week, I bought an autumn/winter shearling vest at Dorothy Perkins for half the price.  It was so pretty, and I only paid less than Php 1,500.00 for it.  It's so cute!  I know, I know, I'm not going to use it anytime soon, but since I'm planning for an autumn visit to Japan, and perhaps a new year's travel to Taiwan or Beijing, I'm stocking up.  It's not something that would be burrowed in obscurity.  BTW, this is the exact vest.  You can zip it 2/3 of the way if you want to have a normal lapel.  The aviator coat below is also on sale. at 50% off.

      

     Dorothy Perkins is only one among the many stores on sale right now.  Some stores have been on sale since the first week of January.  Top Shop, Mango, Marks and Spencer, Terranova and Promod, among others, have autumn and winter clothes on sale.

     So, hurry, grab those winter garb before it sells out!

N.B.


Scarves, gloves and bonnets are on sale from Php 595 at Promod.

Beijing Travel Adventures: Day 2 - Great Wall of China, Juyongguan

     Whoever goes to China must visit the Great Wall, at least, that is what people in our country thinks.  "Oh, you've been to China, have you seen the Great Wall?"  If I went to China without seeing the Great Wall, my relatives would be quite disappointed, really.  It's like I failed to offer my greetings to and get my blessings from a venerable elder or ancestor.  So, going to the Great Wall is a must. No excuses.

     I was excited to see the Great Wall.  Even on the highway, we could see its outline on the mountains. My only concern about it was my quasi-fear of heights.  It's not really a fear, but I just don't like descending from steep stairways.  I always think I'm going to slip and fall, which really happens.  I'm a klutz.  I don't have a problem going up, which is a problem for most; after all, going up is tiring.  I have a problem going down.  When I was in high school, I had to rappel from a small cliff as part of our citizen's army training in school, and I had no problem about it.  In fact, I volunteered to go down first.  It was just a cliff, there were no steps, of course, and there was no steep incline unlike in stairs.  But I was looking forward to going around the Great Wall, at least, be able to walk some 1 hour along its length.  Oh, it was just a wishful thinking.

 

As seen from the highway.

     The guide told us that we were going to visit Jyongguan of the Great Wall, and I was like, what was that again?  I did my research, and guide books, including forums, point to four main sections near Beijing: the Badaling, Mutianyu, Jinshaling and Simatai.  There was no Juyongguan Pass spoken of.  Huh?  I asked the guide why there and why not in Badaling, she told me, it's the closest to Beijing.  And I was like, isn't it Badaling?  The guide said, no, it's Juyongguan Pass.  Besides, she said, Badaling is almost always packed with tourist, but this side of the Great Wall that we're going to is not so much.  Moreover, it has a military pass that couldn't be found in Badaling.  She told us that there are only three passes like Juyongguan.  And I was like, lucky!

     So, before we went to Juyuongguan Pass, we stopped by a silk factory on the way.  We didn't stay long, just around 30 minutes, perhaps less, only because my friends seemed really interested to buy something.  It wasn't a lost cause, actually.  The tour guide was explaining to us that while it's a silk factory/shop, we could really learn something about it.  And in fact, we did.  From how the silk cocoon looks like, to how the silk is unraveled, to making a comforter from silk cocoons.  We even tried to stretch out a cocoon that went on top of the heap of a comforter.  It was like we were on a field trip in elementary school.

     Anyway, after that, we went straight to the Juyongguan  and it was really something to behold.  Whichever part of the Great Wall we may be, it still looks imposing and magnificent.  Out van was parked at the parking lot with the Great Wall as backdrop.  Wicked, right?

 This is our van.  The guide and driver are inside.

     So, it was finally time for us to enter the gates.  What lay before our eyes was a sort of a tunnel going inside with some sort of temple at the end.  On the left side, there was a huge leafless tree with papers tied on its branches.  The stairs up are beside the tree.  We went up and we saw spit on every steps.  I didn't notice those when I was in the city, but in this part of China, spit was everywhere.  I was trying to avoid them, but, what the heck.  I might fall slip if I do that, so I stopped being concerned about sanitation.

 

This is the tunnel; up ahead is the temple

      Up ahead is the pass, and on each side, we could choose either way to go.  On the right, the stairs are steep.  We could see the incline so well because the steps to the other side are on a sort of zigzag pattern.  On the left side of the Pass, is a small bridge which passes above the highway.  Cool, right?  We chose that side but then again, we didn't go there.  The incline going down is sooo steep.  I told my friends I may slip if I try going down and the uneven and slippery steps were a threat.  Turns out they didn't want to go and down, too because they'll have a hard time going up.  Hahahaha.  So, we just took pictures on a small section of the wall.  Well, yup.  We're all sissies.

 

 

Mentally ill people are forewarned!

 The sun was harsh, it was noon already.  All I got were shadows, so I tweaked this one.

More tweaking led to this: looks like a Chinese painting, right?

 This area has shops, the rest of the structures are closed.  They're so pretty!

It was like we were in a Chinese movie.

This is just outside the entrance.

Hotels & Accommodation - The Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, Chongwenmen, Beijing (Now rebranded as Penta Hotel)

   

     My friends and I opted for a hotel+land arrangement package for our Beijing trip.  Since we dilly-dallied in applying for a visa (we got ours a day before departure; mine was expedited and we received our passports just before we went to the airport), our reservation for everything was last minute.  Yup. 

     Our supposedly 3-day tour became a 2-day tour because I didn't want to sleep at the airport and wait for the sun to rise.  So, our airport pick-up service, a huge van, greeted us when we arrived in Beijing and we were promptly chauffeured to our hotel, Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Chongwenmen.  My friend chose this hotel because it's a Marriott.  It was expensive, though. We were booked for 3 nights, Tuesday to Friday.

     Beijing looked kinda sleepy when we arrived. Maybe because it was already past midnight.  The Courtyard, too, looked sleepy.  It was so quiet it seemed as if were the only guests there.  But the lobby had a Christmas tree, yay!   The hallway on our floor smelled of newly-installed carpeting.  Our room, too, smelled, looked and felt new.  And it was decent sized and spotless. No plumbing smells from the bathroom. 

     All's well?  It should be, right?  We checked-in late, 12 hrs. past the regular check-in and the third bed was not yet set-up.  We had to wait for an hour before it could be arranged.  No one was answering the phone at the housekeeping.  We had to call at the front-desk lobby to tell them our concern.  Plus, the phone's not working properly.  It kept on unhooking and thus the dial tone sound on speaker came on  frequently.  It was annoying and it was did so on unholy hours!  I unplugged it so we could have peace.

     Aside from those, our stay was okay.  The beds were comfortable; it was hard but it's hard everywhere.  Besides, it was good on the back.  Buffet breakfast had a good variety: rice, porridge, bacon, ham, has brown, assorted bread, juices, fruits, but it was the same everyday.  Still, it's filling and delicious.

     The biggest pluses staying at the Courtyard are: 1) close proximity to the subway station; and 2) grocery, shopping and dining.  The Courtyard is connected to a mall with a grocery at the basement, the New World Shopping Plaza.  Also, there's an H & M near the hotel as well as smaller malls like Soshow.   There's a nearby Starbucks and Mc Donald's, too. On the downside, there's no free wi-fi, not even on the lobby.

     This is the view from outside our room.  The mall in front is Glory Mall; there's an H & M there.  Below, on the left, not in picture, is the underpass to the subway.  On the right side, not in picture, are Starbucks and Mc Donald's.