First, I apologize for typing in 繁體字(Fantizi, traditional characters) but I live in Taiwan now, and my computer is not set up for 簡體字(Jiantizi, simplified characters) anymore. I assume you're learning 簡體字 as you're going to the mainland. So here's just a few things that immediately came to mind when thinking of places in Beijing: -You can walk the lakes, all the way from 積水潭地鐵站(Jishuitan subway stn.) where you can connect to 西海(Xihai lake)，down to 後海(Houhai lake)，前海(Qianhai lake)，and 北海(Beihai lake). 中海(Zhonghai lake) and 南海(Nanhai lake) are part of the government officials private residence, so you won't be able to go in there. Houhai has lots of little bars and lots of traveling 老外(laowai's, racially obvious foreigners), but it's a nice spot. It's nice to pack lots of snacks and booze and rent a boat to relax on the lakes. -You'll probably find lots of KO toys around if you keep your eyes peeled for bright plastic. If you check Google maps, beside Qianhai lake you'll see a Jian Mart & the Di'anmen Shopping Mall. I remember there were a couple of places there with lots of KOs. For real stuff, I usually went to 地安門外大街 (Di'anmen outer street) where the shop owners are usually just young dudes who like toys themselves (this is where I got my Classics Ultra Magnus and Skywarp!). Be prepared to bargain. And even if you think you've just made a friend, keep bargaining -- it is in no way insulting or rude to try for a lower price. And it may seem frustrating at first, but try to have fun with it. Make jokes and stay in good spirits. -An enjoyable place and one of those places it'd be weird not to go when traveling to Beijing (like 故宮, the Forbidden City) is 頤和園(Yiheyuan, the Summer Palace). Both are really just for walking around. -Be at the main gate of 天壇公園 (Tiantan park) to see lots of people (mostly old people) doing 氣功(Qigong) and other exercises. And I'm talking early! Like 5am early. -Another park to relax at that I liked is 紫竹園(Zizhuyuan, Purple Bamboo park). Just a nice park. It's near the zoo. I went to Xi'an first in 1999. I have been there once since, but all of my time was for working, so I barely left my hotel and the theatre. It's probably changed a lot, and I'm sure the Terracotta Warriors excavation has grown immensely. The area of the city inside the old wall is split into four sections. I remember well the Muslim quarter, and the great smell of people making sesame oil and paste on the streets. At that time you could also walk the top of the old wall, but I'm not sure if that's still okay. You've gotten me all excited thinking back to my China days. That said, it can be a frustrating place for us honkies, as well as for your western friends with Asian appearance, especially if their families are of Chinese heritage. If hanging out with an Asian friend, people will likely, and understandably so, probably talk to them. A situation you may experience is that you ask a question and the person replies to your friend. Be assertive in saying that you can speak for yourself (even if you think your friend's Chinese is better). Anyway, it sounds fun dude! I wish I were going there to hang out for a bit too. Honestly, I still think about leaving this place (where people seldom talk in public, especially to a foreigner, unless in English) and moving back to Beijing (where people are proud of the language and not afraid to talk to me). I'm very envious of how well you're gonna be eating.
shit. I just wrote a whole bunch and lost it all. sigh. I'll try it again, abridged. 新街口（Xinjiekou）-good place for buying DVDs. Accessible from 積水潭（Jishuitan subway station）, and near the uppermost lake. Also has some good hutongs east of the street (this is where I lived in a hutong). 西單（Xidan）-shopping. And I used to buy TFs there. There's a mall area and on the 7th or 8th floor there are lots of miscellaneous cool things and a couple of TF shops. I think It was the building above the MacDonald's. 王府井（Wangfujing）-lots of foreigners here, so you'll get the foreigner fare, such as high prices and harder to bargain; vendors selling things that they think will appeal to foreigners but are not common, like scorpion kabobs and such. These vendors usually sell small, expensive, and not very tasty. Also here you may be approached by a small group of 'art students' who wish to 'befriend' you. It's a scam. They will invite you for tea where you will be expected to pay A LOT for the tea. Go with them if you like, for the chatting, and they're often cute girls, but just don't drink ANY tea, and of course don't pay. These young people have helped me with my homework on numerous occasions. 三裏屯（Sanlitun） and 女人街（Nurenjie）. Bar streets. Can be a good place to get your drink on, go dancing, and hang out and relax with the buddies. If taking a taxi, say Sanlitunr with a good strong Beijing 兒（er） at the end. Taxi drivers will be amused if it's said too 'foreign-like'. Oh, and if around those areas somebody (usually Nicaraguan dudes, I don't know why) come up to you and are smoking a joint, or asking you if you want to buy some weed, tell them immediately to fuck off and get away from you. Remember where you are and that it could mean prison, or if you have a good pocket full, possible execution. 鬼街（Guijie）-famous street for having lots of good eats. Go there. Eat lots. There's a little place there I remember quite well known for their suanyutang. 前門（Qianmen）-a maze of outdoor shopping streets around the old hutongs there, if they still exist. Google 北京地下成（Beijing Underground City） and go check it out. The area accessible to the public is alright and interesting enough, but the real hidden treasure is in knowing that the tunnels actually were an old escape route for Mao Zedong and other Communist Party officials. There are doors in the 'allowed' areas that you'll need to jar open to get into the sealed tunnels. They go as far as an area near 故宮（the Forbidden City） all the way to 天壇（Tiantan Park，Temple of Heaven), although I've not found a way out except for walking back again. Be careful though, you never know what kind of homeless weirdos are dwelling down there. And trying not to get caught is half the fun. When you do get back, the ladies selling the tickets may be pissed that you've been gone for hours, but whatever, it's worth it. I often used this website while living there. For more cool hutong weird finds: Hidden hutongs - Visiting Beijing - Time Out - Beijing
^Thanks for the info! Since I'm going with a big school group, I probably won't be able to choose where I go very much in terms of stores or restaurants, but it's nice to have the info anyway. Hopefully I'll be able to access this site while in China. Although I'm pretty sure I'll be of legal drinking age there, they aren't letting us drink (just like my principal to make us follow U.S. laws in foreign countries, yet somehow, a class that's going to Greece this week is getting allowed; go figure...). I'm leaving tomorrow. Just got done packing. I packed things like toilet paper, napkins, tissues, and plastic silverware (I'm terrible with chopsticks).
Dude, you've really got me thinking back to my good ol' Beijing times again. I can't help but compare my experiences here to the ones I had there -- totally different in every way. My life has brought me here, but I still miss [some things] about Beijing. Toilet paper, napkins, and tissues are all the same thing, aren't they? Find some cool yokels from the countryside and drink with them anyway. You may need to explain to your teacher that given the situation it would have been rude to refuse, and you didn't have a good lie prepared (such as you're allergic to alcohol, or a Buddhist, or your teacher won't let you). Learn how to use chopsticks! Even if you have to take a pair to the washroom with you on the plane. Figure it out. And have fun!! Be amused by the weirdness, and the 'foreign buzz' you get from being in cool places like that.
Where the hell did you find forks in China....I've never seen/been offered one at a restaurant before. Toilet paper thing is true...just in case. Hell even going to Gugong (Shenyang's Forbidden City...a museum/tourist destination,) there was no toilet paper. As was said, be careful crossing the street and watch out for busses driving on the sidewalks...on that note, always trust your cabbie, he will get you there, even if it feels like a roller-coaster ride of illegal driving. Eat like crazy. The amount of food variety is staggering, and make sure you grab some street BBQ...I recommend the chicken hearts. Meals tend to be communal, and don't get grossed out of offended if someone uses their chopsticks to put food on your plate...it's just them being nice. Always drink the tea unless you're eating in a super-seedy looking place...in that case, drink beer, and lots of it. There's no legal drinking age, and what's your teacher going to do, deport you? If you go to a club don't take the drugs they give you...you can't talk your way out of it if you get caught as well, nor have as much early warning of the police coming as a native Chinese might. When buying stuff (not in a brand name store/mall,) be prepared to haggle a lot of the time. Merchants will take advantage of stupid foreigners. You can always get a better deal than they're offering you. If you go to a public bath house, don't be shy, and ignore the room of girls in schoolgirl outfits, (or don't, your call.) Pick a decent one, be prepared to spend a little money on it and have one of the best massages ever. Anything you want to know, I'll give you my northern experience, just ask I absolutely love China.
If you look old enough to the locals, they won't stop you buying booze or smokes. You can even buy a pack from machines like these: "Baby Party" Cigarette Grabber Arcade Machine | NowPublic Photo Archives And I agree with what the others have said re: buying things in China. If you're not buying from a department store or supermarket, you can haggle for it.
Learn Kung Fu before you go. I've seen it in all those films and such, people will openly challenge you in the street for some reason or another. 'Your Kung Fu... is no good.' *fite*
Well, no legal drinking age in China...don't have to look old enough. My wife said she used to go out and buy liquor for her dad all the time at age 8....said in elementary school parties, the teachers drank beer with the students. Also helps to live in a society where most people don't have cars in which to have opportunities to do stupid shit after they drink. Which brings me to another point...don't piss off northerners when they're drunk...they all have knives.
China has over a billion citizens, with the populations of their largest cities rivaling that of many countries. You put enough people in one place, you don't really need to operate heavy machinery to do stupid shit.
