Tag Archives: beijing
Which Great Wall is the Greatest? Posted by sasha on Jun 19, 2013
Seeing as how this month has already featured a few posts on the most famous Wall in the world (sorry, Berlin Wall) – the Great Wall Music Festival, how to sleep on the Great Wall, and a video highlight of said overnight camping trip – I figured we’d just keep on going. As I have…
Top 10 Places in Beijing – 798 Posted by sasha on Jun 15, 2013
We’re counting down the Top 10 places in the Chinese capital here, based on my experience living here for over 4 years. With so many interesting places to visit in Beijing, it’s been tough whittling the list down to just ten. In the first post, we explored the student hangout of Wudaokou, which features some…
24 Hours in Beijing Posted by sasha on Feb 25, 2013
What could you accomplish with a full 24 hours in Beijing? Probably a lot more than you think! In this video, I take you on a whirlwind tour of the Chinese capital, hitting plenty of the famous sights, enjoying tons of local food, living like a local in some of the parks, and partying like…
3-Day Beijing Tour Posted by sasha on Jan 8, 2013
I’ve been living here in China’s capital city for over three years now. In that time, I’ve played tour guide on numerous occasions, whether it be for friends visiting, couch surfers, or whoever else ends up hanging out with me and wanting to explore this amazing city. Even after three years, there are still some…
Better Know a… Municipality (Part One) Posted by sasha on Jul 3, 2012
In a new series here on the Transparent Chinese blog, we’ll be diving deeper into China by examining the various regions of this massive country, one by one. In a nod to Stephen Colbert and his “Better Know a District” segment, we’ll be looking closely at each region and introducing some basic facts and interesting…
The Summer Palace (颐和园) Posted by Stephen on May 24, 2012
Summer approaches, and with it blows the stifling heat of the western desert winds. In Beijing, temperatures exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit daily, which coupled with humidity and miles upon miles of blacktop and concrete, gives you a pretty good idea what a steamed bun, or 包子 (bāo zi) feels like. Luckily, there are a few…
Letting it All Hang Out: Bang Ye or 膀爷 (Exposed Stomachs) Posted by Stephen on May 17, 2012
Everyone has their own way of coping with the heat. For most, it involves fleeing to the comfort of air conditioning and electric fans indoors. But what happens when you’re stuck outside in the stifling heat? Most parts of China are in the upper 90s during the July and August months, with debilitating humidity that…