Beijing So Far

 So far we have been in Beijing for about a month, which means I am about halfway through my trip and internship. The whole experience is going by way too fast and it is hard to believe that it is half done. So for this blog, I wanted to reflect on my impressions of China and my time here for the first month.

China is a beautiful place with an amazing cultural heritage. It is amazing to me that you can go from the urban city of Beijing with KFCs and a crazy amount of cars to an ancient, historical temple several centuries old on the same street. Or, there are lakes and rivers edged into different places in the city, giving a natural feeling among the urban sprawl. I love how on almost every street you go on in Beijing you can see a nod to China’s historical culture among the urbanization and that they have successfully held on to their traditions for so long. The city is also set up in a very organized way that it is very easy to get around. People are always busy and moving from place to the next. This gives the city a very fast-paced energetic vibe. That is something else that I really like about Beijing.
There is always something to do or see or experience and though it may seem exhausting the energy of the city helps you to keep moving. Overall, I am greatly enjoying my time here and I cannot wait to experience more. From the great food to the beautiful parks and temples, Beijing is definitely gorgeous and fascinating city to stay in for two months.

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Firsts

This week was full of very exciting firsts for me. At my internship this week I had an amazing opportunity to visit the Dutch embassy in Beijing. I work at an NGO and we often cooperate with international embassies when it comes to our events. Most of the embassies are located off of Liangmaqiao street in a very beautiful area. The Dutch embassy is right next to the United Nations in Beijing and that was pretty exciting to walk past as well. There is a river that runs through that area where people swim and relax. There is a little park area where people can eat lunch and play games.

Though I was not allowed to take pictures of the embassy, I did get pictures of the river and park area. Going to the embassy was really exciting for me because I love international politics and I hope to eventually work at an embassy or work with them such as in an NGO. I’ve also never been inside an embassy before, so it was exciting to see one and observe how NGOs interact with embassies.

 

My second first is that I got to see the Great Wall of China for the first time. We went to a less tourist area of the wall called Jinshanling. Though the hike up was difficult the view was amazing. The part we were at was one of the longest stretches of the wall still intact and it is amazing to think of all the craftsmanship that went into building the wall. It was an incredible experience.                                           

 

Overall, this week has been full of amazing experiences and I feel incredibly lucky to have had these opportunities.

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Beautiful China

Already almost time to go home… China really has grown on me these past 3 weeks and although I miss home, a part of me wishes I could stay longer.

 

Life

I feel much more comfortable now. As strange as it sounds, coming back from Guilin (which I’ll talk about later) felt like what I imagined going back to Canada would feel like. I had just started to get used to constantly feeling like a celebrity. If you’re confused, let me explain. Despite China being extremely modern, it seems that many people (especially in rural  areas that we travelled to) are not used to seeing foreigners, and it is very easy to tell. Be warned: people may take pictures. The way I see it, people are just curious (and if you talk to them very nice, albeit shy), and don’t mean it in a negative way. No such thing as bad publicity, right?

Work

I finished up my large project at work, and will be presenting it on Friday (my last day). If you’re interested in buy-side finance: it was an analysis of a company called Himax Technologies, where after doing my analysis I gave a “buy” recommendation supported by a report explaining the business model, growth projections, and the valuation model. My presentation will involve pitching to the analyst team, after which they will take a closer look and decide if they want to move forward.

Travel

Travelling took up the bulk of my time this week. We left for Guilin/Yangshuo on Thursday morning and came back Sunday night. If you’re planning on travelling during your time in China, the high-speed trains are extremely quick and convenient. Took us 3 hours to get to Guilin (~630km), and the scenery along the way was gorgeous. In Guilin we saw the Sun & Moon Pagodas, bargained with merchants in the Night Market, and went to the breath-taking Longsheng Rice Terraces. If you’re in Shenzhen, I would highly recommend visiting this area – you won’t regret it.

The highlight for me though, was Yangshuo (and getting there). We travelled to Yangshuo via the “Li River Cruise” which may have been the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced. My words won’t do it justice, and neither will any pictures. You’ll have to visit and experience the Li River for yourself. Walking along the pier in Yangshuo made me feel like I was in a town from Game of Thrones. Very crowded, merchants everywhere, and languages I couldn’t understand. From there we entered “West Street” which is unlike any street I’ve seen in the western world. Filled with little shops, food stalls, and beautiful little buildings – I thoroughly enjoyed it. My most memorable experience though, was riding the Mopeds. For six hours, they cost us only 50RMB (~$10 for me). I can now say that I have driven in Chinese traffic. Definitely one of the most enjoyable things I have ever done. Driving mopeds is one thing, but doing it on roads that have such a gorgeous backdrop is something that I think should be on everyone’s bucket list.

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Must-Sees in Beijing

This past weekend we went to Xidan commercial area, Summer Palace, and Shichahai Lake. The weekday work schedule and exhausting commute has caught up to me and I wanted to keep the weekend trips more chill so that I would have more time to relax. Each place that we went to was unique in its own way, and the Summer Palace and Shichahai were my favorite places we’ve visited so far in Beijing.

This past weekend also served several firsts; the weather hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit, tons of natives in Summer Palace asking Christine to take selfies with them, and a mistake in ordering food led to extremely spicy bowls of noodles that we couldn’t continue eating (spicy in terms of the noodles being made with notorious Beijing peppers). I loved Summer Palace because of how beautiful the entire park was and how well the architecture all came together. I recommend spending time around the lake, which was my favorite spot, and looking out at the bridge, island, and Fragrant Hills that are in the background; that is one view I would never get tired of.

I’ve attached a picture of the bowl of noodles as a warning. Do not ever order this if you ever see it.

Our failed lunch left us staying in the safe lane with fish and chips for dinner at Wangfujing. A late night snack of Hong Kong egg waffles hit the spot, and I definitely recommend trying out ice cream with Hong Kong egg waffles if you ever get the chance! In addition, I wasn’t expecting much of Shichahai (Beihai is makes up one of the lakes there), but while I was strolling among the crowded sidewalks with tour groups, foreigners, and natives, the place still kept its traditional feeling. There were little shops, boutiques, and restaurants selling cute souvenirs, nifty trinkets, and interesting food.

The weather was even hotter on Sunday, past 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but the cloudy sky and breeze made it feel a lot cooler. I’ve been on the lookout for shaved ice, or 刨冰,every time we go out during the weekend, but haven’t had any luck so far. Since mangoes are especially juicy and sweet in Asia, most natives recommend mango shaved ice, which has pieces of fruit, ice cream, and various toppings like jellies, red bean, condensed milk, and etc. that mixes together to create a wonderful dessert. The heat and sweat made us settle for a pineapple smoothie and mango smoothie instead. If you walk far out enough along the river, you’ll hit the hutongs (or traditional residential area), which is also a nice place to stroll around if you want to get away from the bars, shops, and restaurants.

Overall, I cannot believe how fast the time is passing. During my morning commute, I take the bus with one or two other interns who are finishing up their one month internship program tomorrow. I can’t believe how fast the time is passing, and I want to size every moment that I have here!

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Bye bye Shenzhen, Hello Beijing!

After another productive week at work and a little drama involving flights, I made it to Beijing on Friday afternoon. I noticed how exciting life in the city was when I first entered one of Beijing’s crowded metro stations. As I walked around the crammed streets of on my way to Tiananmen Square, I sampled some delicious Baozis (stuffed buns) and Danta (Chinese egg tarts). The square comprised of the Monument to the People’s Heroes and the National Museum of China located next to the Forbidden City. The Zijin Cheng (Forbidden city) is a rectangular division of outer and inner courts used for ceremonial and daily affairs by the emperors in the Ming- Qing dynasties. It took me over 3 hours to explore the palace’s three tiers, great halls, ancient architecture and museum. To end the day, I treated myself to a local delicacy, Peking Duck. It consisted of crisp skin and sliced meat served with cucumber, scallion, pancakes and sweet bean sauce.

The next day, I put on my hiking boots, suntan lotion and grabbed my bag of supplies for the journey to Jinshanling, a section of the Great Wall of China. After an hour of climbing to the top, I was met with magnificent views of barrier walls, watchtowers and breath-taking landscapes. Each watchtower had a fascinating inscription describing the historic significance of that part of the wall. During the evening, I strolled along streets full of vendors selling souvenirs and sweets like Tanghulu (candied tomato on the stick).

The next day I headed to the Summer Palace. I saw landscapes covered in Chinese horticulture, lakes, gardens, rocks, pavilions and long corridors. I spent an afternoon sitting by a lake watching black swans and lily pods. Shopping in the HongQiao Pearl market was a delight with all the inexpensive jewellery, pearls, electronics, silk products and traditional Chinese art. I went to the Beijing national stadium (the bird’s nest) and the aquatics centre (the water cube) to get both a day and night view. At night I was invited by beta alumni to dine at the Red Bowl, one of the finest hotpot restaurants in Beijing. Afterwards we went on a ride to experience the bar street and high end night life of central Beijing!

On the final day I headed to the lively Panjiayuan, an antique market with stalls selling arts, crafts, antiques, stones and jewellery. The market had lots of precious antiques and rare items that could be bagged for cheap prices with some hard bargaining. I decided to end my trip on a spiritual note by visiting the Temple of Heaven. The grand architectural style was a good representation of the profound history, culture and philosophy of China. It was comprised of many breath taking areas such as the Imperial Vault of Heaven, a rose garden, the Palace of Worship and the Danbi bridge.

These are some of the highlights of my trip to the Peking city. Bye-Bye Beijing.

 

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Successful second week…

After a long weekend visiting Guangzhou, climbing Wutong Mountain and celebrating Dragon Boat Festival, I returned to my placement at the Chiropractic clinic to learn about alternative medicinal techniques! The First Chiropractic Spinal Wellness Centre is located in the Nanshan district and is an American style chiropractic centre, practicing various services like soft tissue therapy, rehabilitation therapy, sport injury therapy, exercise therapy and lifestyle counselling. After a week of working here I have already explored these practices in-depth and shadowed staff to enhance my knowledge about techniques and interaction methods. Working at an international clinic I have had the opportunity to meet and interact with patients from all the over the world. From the information and knowledge I have acquired I have already created a monthly newsletter to be distributed to the patients and interested public through WeChat and other sources.

After a long week at work from 9:00-18:00 everyday, the weekend finally arrived and we hired a private car to visit the Xichong Beach located within Dapeng National Park. To its north is Mount Qiniangshan, the second largest mountain in the city which contributed to the beautiful seaside scenic views. Xichong on the east coastline of Shenzhen, was one of the most beautiful beaches I have visited with clear sky, greenery around the blue sea and white sand with breath-taking views of the mountain. After a day of sunbathing, swimming, sand castles and lots of fun, I had my first experience of Chinese KTV with co-workers. KTVs are karaoke bars with private rooms for about 6-10 people with a big screen, speakers, microphones, food and drinks. The price was very decent when shared amongst everyone and it runs past midnight. I strongly recommend it to everyone because I had a great experience singing my heart out to both English and Chinese songs. The rooms were decorated in a very royal Chinese style and the atmosphere gets heated up very quickly with everyone enjoying the drinks and the variety of song choice provided.

One of the advantages of doing the program through CRCC Asia is the different cultural programs they offer each week. Last Sunday we had a community outreach event with the kids of Springfield Studio on an outdoor art project held in Lianhua Mountain. It was very exciting to work with the kids and talk to their parents and teachers about the education in China and extracurricular activities they undertake. We introduced each other, played games, created paintings on wood and had lots of fun. To end my eventful week, I visited the Dafen oil painting village which offers a wide range of affordable replicas of traditional Chinese and modern paintings. Strolling along the streets I had the chance to see artists at work, shopped for art materials and got paintings framed.

So that’s the wrap up of my successful second week in Shenzhen. I have a very exiting trip planned for next weekend. Stay tuned for more details about my experiences!

Komal Vadday, University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.

 

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Sight-seeing in Beijing

This past weekend was filled with sightseeing since there isn’t much time to travel except during the weekends, so I try to utilize the free time we have. On Friday night after work, I met up with a fellow intern at Wangfujing to explore the snack street packed with skewers of scorpions, spiders, starfish, etc. that fill up tourists’ blogs when you search up the keywords ‘Wanfujing’. We stayed in the safe lane and tried out corn on the cob, Beijing style crepes/Chinese pancakes 煎饼, Taiwanese strawberry bubble tea 台湾泡泡茶 (not the milk tea with tapioca pearls kind but literal bubbles flowing from the bottom up), mango smoothie 芒果雪冰, and baozi 包子(or Chinese buns with varying fillings). Apparently the Wangfujing snack street starts at higher prices than other night markets and also targets foreigners since there were plenty of tourists walking around. After eating our fill, we walked around Wangfujing with both older, traditional shops that have been around for a century, and newer, foreign brands like Zara, H&M, and Forever 21. After ending our night with some green tea ice cream, we headed back and had an early night in preparation of more exploring on Saturday.

 

I almost regretted visiting Tiananmen on Saturday because of the scorching hot sun and resulting weather that almost hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but the emptiness of the square and view made up for the sweat. Since we needed somewhere to cool down and find a place to eat, the Indigo Shopping Mall at exit C of Jiangtai station turned out to be a perfect getaway. Our diverse dinner of McDonald’s and Chinese black bean sauce noodles, or 炸酱面, turned out to be perfect as the salty and sweet balanced each other out.

Lastly, Sunday was the big day for our group who went to the Great Wall (Jinshanling section, not the typical Badaling section where tour groups go). The two hour bus ride each way paid off because the wall was empty and the view was great. By the way, make sure to eat before you go and to stock up on water and snacks for the trip because there aren’t any restaurants, and the little shops only sell overpriced water, chips, and hats. I believe we hiked a total of 2,200 meters of the actual wall, which took less than 3 hours, and rested until 3pm when the bus took us back to Wanjing West Station in Beijing. The Great Wall is an amazing feat of architecture, and I definitely recommend going to the Jinshangling section if you want to avoid the crowds and don’t mind the two hour bus trip there and back. This past weekend was jam-packed with sightseeing and now it’s time to get back into the weekday routine at the office.

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