Solo Beijing Trip 2014

Another solo trip to see families and friends in Beijing. Air pollution was noticeably worse than two years ago. Out of the 12 full days I had in Beijing, 8 days I had to wear a mask. But almost all of my friends in Beijing were not wearing masks. They are so used to the smog. Some even use it as an excuse to not quit smoking! They say "the air we breathe is so bad that smoking is not going to hurt anymore!"

Some of the places I went and dishes I ate in Beijing:

1. My favorite breakfast at a neighborhood Chao Gan place. A big bowl of Chao Gan cost 8 RMB, and Bao Zi cost 1 RMB each. So a delicious (and very unhealthy) breakfast here cost just over 2 US dollars!


2. St. Joseph's Church at Wangfujing Street.


3. Mass time.


4. Wangfujing Street.


5. Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant in Wangfujing. I didn't go in.


6. Across from the Quanjude, it is a Gou Bu Li Baozi place.


7. I managed to shovel a Bao Zi set meal down at the Gou Bu Li. It was 45 RMB for 8 Bao Zi, unlimited congee (free refill) and some preserved veggie. The soy milk cost 10 RMB extra, and the taste was so strong, unlike any soy milk I had in the U.S. Overall, the food was good, but not any better than my neighborhood Bao Zi place which is a lot cheaper.


8. Wangfujing Snack Street.


9. Scorpions, anyone? They were really moving on the sticks.


10. A good restaurant near one of my friends’ office.


11. A beef and Tofu dish at the restaurant.


12. A cauliflower dish at the restaurant.


13. A beef tendon and meat ball dish at the restaurant.


14. CCTV building in a 'moderately' polluted day.


15. A really good and busy meat pie restaurant near my parents' home. To improve seating efficiency, they had strangers sharing table. I am not kidding. After knowing I come to eat by myself, they took me to a table of four that was occupied by 2 girls, and told them: "can you please move a little, so she can sit down and eat here?" I didn't even have to wait in lines for a seat!


16. Their meat pie (made of ground beef). It was really good. I got to go back next time!


17. Lu Zhu Huo Shao (15 RMB) at my neighborhood Chao Gan place. I have to say, I still like their Chao Gan and Bao Zi better.


18. Another good Bao Zi place near my parents' home.


19. Their Bao Zi is kind of ugly. The dough is only half raised. But the taste is good. Personally I like fully raised Bao Zi dough.


20. A good Liang Fen dish in a noodle restaurant near my parents' home.


21. I love simple dishes like Liang Fen and sliced potato salad.


22. My 12 days in Beijing.


P.S. $1 was about 6.2 RMB in Mar, 2014.