I was hestitant about a night out in Sanlitun, in one of Beijing's embassy neighbourhoods. I feared mobs of drunk foreigners tripping over each other, looking stupid. I was surprised by the number of Chinese people, affluent as they might have been, frequenting this part of town. Adding to my comfort and dismay, the police were beating a man at the local station. No one seemed concerned by my presense. The bars were cool, modern and full of Chinese people. After a night of drinking on the strip, my new friends and I easily found our way to an after-hours club, with a DJ and what seemed to be Chinese gangsters.
Quick Tips:
As far as conventional sights are concerned my highlight was certainly the Maosoleum. It's hard to get the timing right of the random opening schedule, but it's well worth the effort, if only to watch the order of the queue. I've never seen such an orderly queue! Not to mention the exceptional gift shops of Mao memorobilia.Best Way To Get Around:
Too big to walk (there are some nice walks if you know where you're going), language barriers ceate some obstacle to securing transport. The metro is fine during the day, but be sure, if your taxi driver speaks English he'll try to rip you off. There are plenty of big hotels in the city, it's easier just to ask for help. However, if you're drunk enough you should be able to communicate in Chinese.
by Christabel on February 6, 2001