OT: Beijing Travel Tips?

[kiemchacsu]

Hi folks,

I think I better bump this thread rather than open o new topic.
So, I will be in Beijing for one week, starts from 24 May.
Do you have any tips or hints where to go and what to do?
Are above statements still relevant after 9 years? How did the city changes?
Could you recommend the "must go" destinations for photography?

I'm sorry for putting a lot of questions but since this is my first trip to Beijing and I am quite excited. Thank you!

 

[Tin]

I visited Beijing in 2004, 2008 and 2012. So my short answer to your second question is by and large those 9 year old comments are still valid. But there are changes also:

1. Air pollution is much worse now
2. there are much more cars and much fewer bicycles on he road.
3. Beijing cab drivers should be able to speak basic English, at least in theory. that is the result of the 2008 Olympics---all Beijing cab drivers were required to pass an English test by the end of 2007 in order to have their licenses renewed.

In order to avoid traffic jam, taking the subway is the faster way to get around. Although taxis are relatively cheap at least by Western standards, you might be caught in traffic for long times. When my wife and I visited in 2012, we took the subway for longer distances, and used our feet for shorter distances. We did use the buses when convenient. Subways are easy to use. It uses a smart card that you can purchase at the entrance of each station. You can also get a subway map there. all station names are written in both English and Chinese. Announcements of subway and bus stops are also bilingual, both orally and on the LED sign board in the vehicle.

From what i can see from your photos, I'd say photographic opportunities are everywhere in Beijing. You really do not need to go to any specific places.

Tin

 

[Tin]

Oh, I am not sure about the availability of film in Beijing today. These likely are more easily available than in North American cities. But from what I can see on the street, I think most of the Chinese photographers have gone digital.

 

[Rayt]

Oh, I am not sure about the availability of film in Beijing today. These likely are more easily available than in North American cities. But from what I can see on the street, I think most of the Chinese photographers have gone digital.

Not true. There are malls dedicated to photography in major cities and all kinds of films are available. In fact there has been a resurgence of large format photography and Beijing is in the center of it.

 

[kiemchacsu]

I visited Beijing in 2004, 2008 and 2012. So my short answer to your second question is by and large those 9 year old comments are still valid. But there are changes also:

1. Air pollution is much worse now
2. there are much more cars and much fewer bicycles on he road.
3. Beijing cab drivers should be able to speak basic English, at least in theory. that is the result of the 2008 Olympics---all Beijing cab drivers were required to pass an English test by the end of 2007 in order to have their licenses renewed.

In order to avoid traffic jam, taking the subway is the faster way to get around. Although taxis are relatively cheap at least by Western standards, you might be caught in traffic for long times. When my wife and I visited in 2012, we took the subway for longer distances, and used our feet for shorter distances. We did use the buses when convenient. Subways are easy to use. It uses a smart card that you can purchase at the entrance of each station. You can also get a subway map there. all station names are written in both English and Chinese. Announcements of subway and bus stops are also bilingual, both orally and on the LED sign board in the vehicle.

From what i can see from your photos, I'd say photographic opportunities are everywhere in Beijing. You really do not need to go to any specific places.

Tin

Thank you very much for the tips and update about Beijing.
About photography destinations, I'd like to see the "indigenous places" where I can see the traditional way of living.
I'm not really interested in bumped city lives in Asian cities!

 

[Tin]

Thank you very much for the tips and update about Beijing.
About photography destinations, I'd like to see the "indigenous places" where I can see the traditional way of living.
I'm not really interested in bumped city lives in Asian cities!

If you wish to see "indigenous places", you have to go to the countryside or much smaller towns far away from Beijing. You can also see that if you visit some real hutongs in Beijing---not the ones that tourists are taken to see. Unfortunately I can't give you directions for finding those. But those might pop up in unexpected places. About ten years ago when I was in Shanghai, I happened to walk by the front door of a hotel. Besides the hotel was an alley that bore a hutong name. I walked in and found that in the middle of that city block was some old houses and a small community. the hotel only occupied one side of the outer part of that city block. I was so happy that the hotel development, as well as modern developments adjacent to it, did not destroy the whole old neighbourhood.

But beyond hutongs, you should be able to walk on some un-modernized streets if you stray off the busy main streets. But just by visiting small eating places where locals go would give you a different flavour from the tourists spot.