Comments on: Off the beaten path in Beijing http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/off-the-beaten-path-in-beijing/ The last honest travel site Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:38:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Joe Farrell http://www.consumertraveler.com/today/off-the-beaten-path-in-beijing/comment-page-1/#comment-4729 Joe Farrell Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:24:46 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=5083#comment-4729 just keep one thing in mind - Chinese culture is not as insistent on sanitary food production and the 'meat' you will be eating may be horse, dog, cat, or any type of critter they may have available that day - the oil could be days old - cooked over a charcoal cooker which is the source of the cities air pollution - millions of charcoal bbq's going 24 hrs a day, not vehicles with or without pollution controls. I was there for 2 weeks in November 2007 - also go to Hui Hai Lake - very interesting place with many Chinese bistros - friendly to westerners - be CAREFUL on the south side near the Hutongs - LOTS of pick pockets - be friendly, most Chinese here are relaxing - even the pickpockets. Lots of bar girls hawking more bar girls, if you know what I mean. Plus livebands singing the hits of the Beatles - in Chinese. This is probably in all the guidebooks now - but - its still a fun place for westerners in GROUPS. Do NOT go alone. I also went to a real Chinese flea market in Qufu, birthplace of Confucius, just outside the city wall - EVERYTHING from spices to televisions was on sale - antiques that were real - since they were for Chinese consumption, Tibetan rugs, the place was awesome. Too bad you can't haul this stuff back. Have fun, and be careful - Beijing is mostly safe - its the pickpockets you need to worry about. Chinese for the most part do not accept tips - do NOT insult them by offering except in the most Western of hotels and restaurants, just keep one thing in mind – Chinese culture is not as insistent on sanitary food production and the ‘meat’ you will be eating may be horse, dog, cat, or any type of critter they may have available that day – the oil could be days old – cooked over a charcoal cooker which is the source of the cities air pollution – millions of charcoal bbq’s going 24 hrs a day, not vehicles with or without pollution controls.

I was there for 2 weeks in November 2007 – also go to Hui Hai Lake – very interesting place with many Chinese bistros – friendly to westerners – be CAREFUL on the south side near the Hutongs – LOTS of pick pockets – be friendly, most Chinese here are relaxing – even the pickpockets. Lots of bar girls hawking more bar girls, if you know what I mean. Plus livebands singing the hits of the Beatles – in Chinese. This is probably in all the guidebooks now – but – its still a fun place for westerners in GROUPS. Do NOT go alone.

I also went to a real Chinese flea market in Qufu, birthplace of Confucius, just outside the city wall – EVERYTHING from spices to televisions was on sale – antiques that were real – since they were for Chinese consumption, Tibetan rugs, the place was awesome. Too bad you can’t haul this stuff back.

Have fun, and be careful – Beijing is mostly safe – its the pickpockets you need to worry about. Chinese for the most part do not accept tips – do NOT insult them by offering except in the most Western of hotels and restaurants,

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