|
Quote:
Don't ever order a hamburger there unless it's from a chain. BTDT. Cut like roast beef and same problem as above. I had italian style pizza too - tomato flavored oil, chinese sausage on top and what seemed to be about a cup of sugar mixed into the dough. . McDonalds Big Mac was exactly like USA however, I did test that. |
also - there is no shortage of western style food, fast food like KFC, MCD, starbucks,
I remember going past what I thought was a really big, cool pagoda (it was on the corner) as we went around the corner and faced the front of the building there was a huge KFC sign hanging on it. I missed that shot. |
You never know what you'll be eating there.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199465835.jpg But I never had a bad meal there. I'd never think of eating at a western franchise in any country, especially China. There's just too much great and cheap food in the local huts. |
Quote:
Ian The main McD's on Wangfujing. http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h3.../mcdonalds.jpg |
another thing, while I was there I'd ask Duan things about his country - you see, he's pretty Americanized, whether he likes it or not :)
He takes Chinese citizens through Africa, Scandanavia, and Eastern USA (although not as much- it's tough for a Chinese citizen to get a travel visa- it appears they have a nasty habit of escaping once they are there) Mrs. Duan actually oversees the adoption of Chinese kids to USA parents she represents the Chinese govt. in those matters, meets prospective families, so on and so on. He spends a lot of time in Wisconsin for some reason. He's a great guy. I was asking him if they had problems with terrorists and all he said was "you hear about it once in awhile, then the problem just goes away" - I'll bet the guys with the death vans show up and problem solved. Getting on airplanes - if you have a bottle of something, you just have to take a swig in front of the guard to prove it's real. I do appreciate the simplicity they have in dealing with those matters of security. |
Randy, the reason Chicoms have a hard time getting visas is not because of their own government, but rather because of their sheer numbers and likelihood of not leaving the country that gives them the visa. China, like East Germany treated its retirees, is happy to have their people emigrate abroad. They have far too many people as it is. Mainlanders even need visas to go to Nong Kong, though Americans don't! Best thing about a U.S. passport is that we can get visas to just about anywhere with little problem. I've had more than one Chinese friend be denied a visa to come to the U.S., even after posting a $10k deposit with the U.S. embassy to guarantee their return. My wife literally won the lottery in getting a student visa to come here and it took several days of standing in line for many hours at our consulate in Guangzhou. When I go the Chinese embassy for a visa, I drop off my passport, visa app., $50 and I go back to get visa a few days later. No problem.
|
if you're eating "sweet and sour", you're not eating Chinese food. That's 'merikun food.
I had amazing food in Beijing, and even better in Shanghai. But I had great hosts...in Beijing the ministry of education wanted us happy, and in Shanghai my ex-g/f wrote the Frommer's Guide. Beijing isn't always ugly skies http://nostatic.com/blog/china1.jpg http://nostatic.com/blog/beijing/china3-1.jpg http://nostatic.com/blog/beijing/china3-5.jpg http://nostatic.com/blog/beijing/china4-3.jpg http://nostatic.com/blog/beijing/china5-11.jpg http://nostatic.com/blog/beijing/china8-0.jpg |
Yup, that's the kind of food I'm talking about. Luckily, I get it here several times a week too, both at home and in super local restaurants.
I really wonder what they're gonna do about private car traffic in Beijing during the Olympics. No way can someone run a marathon in that smog. |
Damnit Rick, Todd...the apple I was gnawing on just lost all flavor. That food looks incredible.
|
The pollution is much worse in the winter due to coal heating. You can smell it as soon as you leave the airport. When we returned to Beijing at the end of our trip, it was much clearer due to a weather change.
Ian Temple of Heaven on a bright February day. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199475999.jpg |
Saw a traditional Chinese bridegroom on the subway this morning. Full silk get-up and head gear. His Mother was a step behind nagging him as all Mothers do! I wish I had a camera.
Going to City Hall to get married I imagine. Come to New York - very good Chinese food, no visas, and decent hotels! |
Quote:
imho the only way to travel in China is with someone who knows the place (and speaks the language). In Shanghai I was my ex g/f, in Beijing with ministry hosts, and I'm going to Hong Kong in Feb with the new g/f. You avoid all the tourist trap places. But you also have to be willing to engage things that aren't western at all. |
well, the tour guide did everything - the only things we ordered were drinks.. We wandered off on our own a few times and had food at some local places, where there were was NO english -
I was on the hunt for Dim Sum but incidentally no one knew what that was - I've got some pics of some serious restaurants we ate at cafeteria style, and the stuff they serve (deep fried breaded squab on a stick comes to mind) was real adventerous.. Had some great crab dumplings tho.. |
Dim sum is mostly Cantonese, which is way south. It's everywhere in Guangzhou and Hong Kong.
|
Also had dim sum in Shanghai (as evidenced in the pics).
I can't wait to go to Hong Kong next month. |
day 2 - The Great Wall and Ming Tombs..
Aaah, after a nice refreshing rest on the bed at the Best Western Beijing we went to the Great Wall -http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199499719.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199499798.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199499863.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199499901.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199500340.jpg To put things into perspective, we climbed the stairways accessing to the top of one of the lookouts - each step was approx 14" high, and basically a near vertical climb. Climbing this, with thousands of young, old, male and female tugging and fighting to go up and down can be a harrowing experience- remember, in Asia there is no Queue system. People do not wait their turn, they get in where they can. I ran to the top lookout, got my pic and proceeded straight down. The sensation of height scares the crap out of me. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199500260.jpg Next was the Ming tombs - http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199500109.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199500202.jpg http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199500414.jpg I like this one a lot - for good luck, put your money in front of the big Emporor statue - I need this guy on my doorstep http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199500532.jpg quite a sedate day. The Ming dynasty had a huge footprint in early China |
day 2 part 2
|
Did you have lunch at the cloisonne factory between the wall & the Ming tombs? And a visit to a jade factory near the Ming entrance?
Ian |
nope, but we did visit a Jade factory on the way to the Terra Cotta soldiers.....those pics are all to follow
|
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 04:57 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2025 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Pelican Parts Website