Beijing

[Will]

Hello friends, I'm headed to Beijing soon. I've already been there twice and seen all kinds of sights in the city, but I still have three requests for information.

1. Anything to do outside the city, in the environs (other than the Great Wall)?

2. Any recommendations for creative "foodie" restaurants in the city?

3. And MOST importantly, anything I should know about an American Airlines B772 that would make the trip more interesting? I already heard about their FEBO meal scheme. Any other insider information?

[Walter Kranl]

Hi Will,

Maybe this site will help:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g294212-Activities-Beijing.html

Walter

[Jeroen Hoppenbrouwers]

Wow? FEBO?

http://www.febo.nl/

On the 18-hour-delayed flight from Seattle to Miami (5.5 hours) with American last Saturday, I got exactly two cups of orange juice -- nothing was even offered for purchase. What is that scheme called? NOPE?


Hoppie

[Will]

Hahaha! I like "NOPE." In case Google didn't help, FEBO is the system for serving entrees in the premium cabin: they start from the front on even-numbered flights, and from the back on odd-numbered flights. What this means practically is that you may not get your choice of meal if you're sitting in the wrong place; they may run out of the Sichuan Beef, leaving only the chicken Cordon-Bleu.  (One can dream, anyway.)

For me, this will be a rare treat. I have enough frequent flyer miles to go business class. I have no trouble at all sitting in coach for 6 hours, but Beijing is 13.5 hours non-stop, so i'm looking forward to some legroom and a chance to really recline.

[torrence]

Hi Will

We were in Beijing the year before the Olympics and enjoyed very much.  

The only thing we did outside the city, other than the wall, was a visit to some tombs in the near vicinity (you probably know you have to travel to other areas in China for the Terra-cotta warriors etc.).  It was quite interesting and probably worth a bus tour with guide if you have time.

Not too much to offer for foodie specialties - lots of usual restaurants offer cuisine from all parts of China.  I have to admit we retreated a couple of times to the TGIF Friday's near the conference location for a beer and comfort food.  Very cute - staff well trained and wearing franchise serving costumes.  Local patrons with families ordered our American dishes and then passed them around Chinese style.  

We finished the trip with a pricy drinks and dinner at one of the big hotels in the financial district (the Intercontinental, I think) in their roof-top restaurant.  Great view and at that time we were amused that the serving staff were lovely ladies tricked out in designer versions of Mao jackets and caps.  We thought we heard a faint humming sound coming from the direction of Mao's mausoleum .

Enjoy,
Torrence

[Will]

Thanks, Torrence. Beijing does seem to have a number of restaurants that showcase regional food. They are so big, and the menus are so huge, that I get the sense they're either state-sponsored or they used to be. I get spoiled by the Chicago food culture, where there are a lot of chefs doing imaginative, creative things. The Beijing restaurants mostly seem very conservative, more about being excellent exemplars of a time-honored tradition, rather than being playful or bold.