Hi everyone! We arrived back in Beijing last night at 7:00 p.m. local time. We went to friends for fresh dumplings and stayed there until about 10:00. Then we went to our apartment and yes, the key still fit which was a relief. We opened our luggage and did a bit of putting away and [...]
The school takes up an entire city block. Its students are the children of Beijing’s elite. This new campus was built three years ago. One of seven school gates and security checks. This twelve storey building is where the foreign teachers and some Chinese staff members stay. We call it ” The Hotel”. Track and [...]
We’re leaving Beijing tomorrow to visit our son and his family in Calgary, Alberta. We’ll be there for a week and then it’s off to Ontario for another two months holidays. Yes, you read that right, two months holidays!! I can’t believe it either, since it feels like we’re already on holiday. But we can’t [...]
The Beijing bus system efficiently covers the entire city. The photo below shows Tangli Road. On each side of the centre lanes are sheltered bus stops. To the left are four more lanes and to the right are four lanes for a total of ten lanes. As you can see the mediums between the sets [...]
On Friday we have a weekly lunch at our apartment and invite all the western teachers in our office to come. This week a small group arrived around 12:00 – Jeannie, Max and his girlfriend. Hamish, Mike and Henry often show up to sample the menu. Paul does the cooking on our hot plate and [...]
I teach at Beijing Foreign Languages School (BFLS) which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this Christmas. It is closely linked to Beijing Foreign Languages University. Many of the students here will go on to the university. Quite a number of local well known personalities have graduated from the university and both schools have excellent reputaions [...]
Park your bike for the day for .3 RMB or 5 cents. Ride the subway anywhere in the city for 2 RMB or 34 cents. Lots of housing – the photo of these homes was taken at Lishuiqias Station in the northern area of Beijing. This area has many undeveloped sections in comparison to the [...]
Friday night we went out to dinner with friends at a local hutong. Back row- Doris, Alexander, Anthony Front row- Paul, Dave, Justin, Kathy We arrive. The Reception Area The Menu Air is injected under the skin so it turns crispy. The Cooks The Meal Carving the duck is an art. The cook started carving [...]
In Beijing buying a home would be the equivalent of buying a condominium in North America, and the majority of people live in high-rise apartment buildings. There are single family homes in the hutongs and in the countryside,but the hutongs in Beijing are rapidly disappearing. Unlike North America Beijing’s growth is mostly upwards. Instead of [...]
Located in the south east of Beijing near subway station Tiantandongmen, the Pearl Market is similar to the Silk Market. Next door to it is Toy City which our grandkids will be glad we found. Here is where Kathy started to show some real haggling skills. She began slowly but it was like a dam [...]
