Going to Beijing in May

[Josh]

Staying with a friend in Beijing for about 8 days for some good relaxing vacation. Anything in particular I should do/bring/see?

 

[StevenYoo]

i've heard that you should carry around your own napkins and toilet paper

 

[sniperruff]

man aren't you just missing the summer olympics?

you should definitely go see the great wall, the forbidden palace

try not to eat from street vendors

 

[Josh]

Originally posted by: StevenYoo
i've heard that you should carry around your own napkins and toilet paper

well ill be staying at my friends apartment, whos from the United States and has been living there for a few years..

 

[theeedude]

Just came back from there myself.
If strangers are being friendly, stay tuned for scam.
Do not go to tea rooms with strangers, those are scams. So are people offering you acrobat show tickets.
Get a Capital One credit card, they don't charge exchange rate fees. If you have BofA ATM card, you can use China Construction Bank ATMs fee free.
When haggling, basically aim for 1/10th of what their first asking price is.
Link to give you idea of prices (Beijing cheaper than Shanghai):
http://www.shanghaiexpat.com/i...t=xiang+yang&start=325
Also, get Lonely Planet Beijing book. You can borrow from the library like I did.
What to see: Forbidden City, Temple Of Heaven, Great Wall (can take public bus there to Badaling for 12 RMB) Other parks and temples around Beijing. Check out some Hutong before they all disappear. Silk street for shopping. Haggle like crazy. You need to walk away from a few vendors before you get the feel for the price they'll take, so lowball them like crazy. Less than 1/10th of what they ask. Also, I wouldn't buy clothing there, because sizing is all messed up, and quality of the fakes is so so.

 

[LongCoolMother]

I find that clothing in China fits me far better than clothing in the US. It may be due to the fact that I'm asian. In the US, the only clothes that ever fit me are athletic fit and slim fit stuff. Suits are even worse, even the athletic cut suits here seem kind of fat. You might find you like clothing in Beijing if you're on the slimmer side.

Maybe you can check out Shanghai during your time there, too!

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Originally posted by: LongCoolMother
I find that clothing in China fits me far better than clothing in the US. It may be due to the fact that I'm asian. In the US, the only clothes that ever fit me are athletic fit and slim fit stuff. Suits are even worse, even the athletic cut suits here seem kind of fat. You might find you like clothing in Beijing if you're on the slimmer side.

Maybe you can check out Shanghai during your time there, too!

Well shopping in Asia is like shopping in Europe. They love using european sizes and everything is already slim fit. Slim fit @ express is a joke. It's like classic fit at H&M or something, but I don't even fit in medium stuff at zara, and it makes me look fat. I bought a couple dress shirts from Taiwan and they're awesome. Fits like slim fit, yet I expected them to be classic fit cuz they're more of dress shirts than they are casual/clubbing attire.

As long as you're not fat, generally slim fit is a better choice (but then again that's the fashion for the younger generation).

 

[homercles337]

Try to *not* get the avian flu.

 

[sunzt]

IMHO, the street vendor foods are as good as or even better than some of the food places, but depends where you go.

 

[Josh]

Originally posted by: DLeRium

Originally posted by: LongCoolMother
I find that clothing in China fits me far better than clothing in the US. It may be due to the fact that I'm asian. In the US, the only clothes that ever fit me are athletic fit and slim fit stuff. Suits are even worse, even the athletic cut suits here seem kind of fat. You might find you like clothing in Beijing if you're on the slimmer side.

Maybe you can check out Shanghai during your time there, too!

Well shopping in Asia is like shopping in Europe. They love using european sizes and everything is already slim fit. Slim fit @ express is a joke. It's like classic fit at H&M or something, but I don't even fit in medium stuff at zara, and it makes me look fat. I bought a couple dress shirts from Taiwan and they're awesome. Fits like slim fit, yet I expected them to be classic fit cuz they're more of dress shirts than they are casual/clubbing attire.

As long as you're not fat, generally slim fit is a better choice (but then again that's the fashion for the younger generation).

Excellent, cause im on the slimmer side. Oh, and I love haggling. Makes it fun

I plan to come back with quite the variety of high-end designer clothing at a fraction of the price :beer:

 

[summit]

Don't go to a student protest in Tienamen Square...

 

[Auric]

Originally posted by: sunzt
IMHO, the street vendor foods are as good as or even better than some of the food places, but depends where you go.

Try the cardboard dumplings!