China - Beijing

   

2021 - While working in Hong Kong and being exposed to mainland Chinese projects, occasionally I would have a 2~3 days short trips to Beijing. This time I was in Beijing 3 days as a transit stop as only 4 cities in the mainland, including Beijing, have direct flight to Hong Kong amid the COVID-19 pandemic. So I was purely of leisure this time to reconnect with friends. 

Beijing was booming exponentially since the late 20th century. Every visit I would witness something ground breaking. This building, nick-named "China Zun" is the tallest building of the capital and marking the center of Beijing CBD at Guomou (国贸) district.
Visiting Didi whom we working together on an IPO project back in 2013. From a brief dinner he could squeeze out from his hectic work schedule, I could feel the 996 and internal competition (内卷) culture. Even though working as a senior manager at a renown global PE fund, living a good lifestyle is still a difficult dream.

Meeting Matt whom we backpacked Mexico back in 2007 and has been living in Beijing for 7 years now. He was organizing a whiskey night at Nola at Chaoyang (朝阳) district.
The area around Ritan Garden (日坛公园) is serene as it is where embassies and ambassador residence locate. The policemen on patrol even saluted when a commoner (me) passed by.

It was Euro Cup 2021 and we watched the semi-final game at a "LOCAL" sport bar mainly for foreign clientele at Sanlitun (三里屯). Photo was taken at 6am when I left early.
The Brits won the semi-final and went ecstatic. Thanks Matt for letting me know the life of expats in Beijing, the political center of the country.

Strolling the Wudaoying Hutong (五道营胡同), which is an artistic area for youth.  
Beijing has gone through hardware modernization. What's next is cultivation.

   

2008 - Beijing has changed a lot since my last visit and there are still lots of rooms to grow. I long to see what Beijing will evolve to, and I hope I can participate in this process.

Tian'AnMen, witnessed the evening flag ceremony.
People's Bank of China. '08 is a hawkish year.

National Theatre 
WangFuJing Cultural Street. Can you imagine so many different types of souvenirs?

GuoMouQu (International Business District), a place where the Chinese domestic firms gonna erect their offices. Here is one and more to come.
The Beijing's HUGE T3 Capital Airport. It's post-modern and at the meantime labels Beijing in the design. An architectural revolution. I really love it!

Inside the OMG it's TOO HUGE T3 Capital Airport. I am amongst the firsts to experience this thrill. =)
Beijing Train Station
Metro Station 

Metro. CN$2 per ride. 
Bus. CN$1 per ride. 

The Nest, Beijing Olympic Stadium. Eyes on Her!
The Water Cube, Olympic Aquatic Center. 
                  
Season's Plaza at the Financial District. Ultra glam!
Implanting PLASTIC LEAVES to the trees. 

People's Civic Auditorium. The 2013 China Presidential team is being chosen right now in there!
Olympics Clock, stands at the National History Museum.
Had a big bowl of handmade noodle here. CN$7. Cheap!   		  

Somewhere inside the Forbidden City.
Dong'AnMen St., an evening deli street. Yum Yum. 

Canada Embassy
Night Club. Huge.
Famous SanLiTun Beer St. There are lots of construction there. In months, it's gonna be a scene.

Jade BoChoi
Scorpions and Insects.

WangFuJing Deli Street.
A church on WangFuJing! Surprise!

 

 

 

2003 - 眼看西湖 蘇州 杭州 如此多嬌，北京城內盡是最現代化的建築，上海燈火繁榮，心裏帶著無限的喜悅。中國人在中國，看到的都是美麗與光榮。下一次我到中國的時候，我知道中國會更加繁榮，更加文明，更加美好。

太和殿 (Taihe Dian) - 歷代明清共24位皇帝便在這宮殿裏理政。誰沒在電視上看過呢？

故宮 (紫禁城 The Forbidden City) - 這裏大 72,000 m2，共有9999.5間房間，是世界上最多房間的皇宮。

乾清宮 (Qianqing Gong) - 皇帝的枕室。

  乾清宮 - 內裏放了的“正大光明”。
東園內廷中的迎瑞門。我的名字。 德胜門城塔 - 貔貅神獸護城塔。

                    

不到長城非好漢，看到我在城塔上揮手嗎？(Tower of The Great Wall.)

萬里長城萬里長。看我，休息一會我便到最高的那個城塔呢。

天安門 (Tian'an Men) - 中華人民共和國萬歲。也恭喜我在北京玩的滿開心千歲。 人民英雄紀念碑 和 毛主席紀念堂。(People Hero Memorial & Chairman Mao Memorial Hall.)
昆明湖旁的頤和園長廊 - 分了春夏秋冬，每段都是很長很長的，看著迷人的昆明湖。 頤和園 (Yihe Yuan, The Summer Palace) - 面積有4350市畝，四分三是人工的昆明湖，四分一是人工的萬壽山，山青水綠，真是大開眼界。

慈禧太后最喜歡在這斗歐綠的石船品賞美酒。

 北京市內的 恭皇府 - 萬紫千紅。以前是乾隆內國大臣和珅的家園，現在還是國家辦事大摟。

王府井大街 小吃街 (Wangfujing Dajie Xiaochijie) - 那些小吃滿野味 好吃極了。不能不說的是它們很便宜了，我也吃的飽滿飽滿呢。

天檀 (祈年殿, Tiantan Park) - 在這裏拜個平安，一年風挑雨順。(拍拍!)

 

spacer