fatburger liangmaqiao. how is it compared to home?
HOW TO find subway maps in Beijing
Getting subway maps in Beijing should be much easier than it currently is. It’s a baffling problem; it’s a major city with a huge subway system and yet there are no take-away-able subway maps at the station. If you ask one of the attendants, they’ll just point you to the poster maps or give you a confused look.
btw: Subway (dì tiě / 地铁) + Map (dì tú / 地图) = Subway Map (dì tiě dì tú / 地铁地图)
Bookstores
Beijing subway maps are available in bookstores. Usually. You might have to hit a few bookstores until you find one with a tourist section.
Go to a hotel
Another easy way is to drop into any hotel and just ask for a map. Better hotels have better maps.
Tourist Centres
If you go to tourist attractions in Beijing you are bound to find a Tourist Centre booth. Easy to get a city map or a subway map of Beijing there.
Buy” a temporary subway card
The one-ride subway cards have maps printed on one side. Great if you want a subway map that you can fit in your wallet. Next time you’re taking the subway, buy two tickets for your destination; one for your actual ride and one to keep in your wallet.
If you’re a germophobe, I would drench these babies in hand sanitizer, I’ve seen people pick their nails, teeth nose and ears with these bad boys.
Can get really busy some nights as it’s close to Wangfujing.
Donghuamen street food market
Chuar here is surprisingly good
HOW TO Go to the Beijing Friendship Store
The “Friendship Store” concept goes back to the days when China was still very closed off. Friendship stores were some of the only places where one could buy foreign goods.
It’s an interesting place to go for the historical aspect, but in terms of shopping experience, it’s since been eclipsed by many other malls. The selling point of the Beijing Friendship store is that it only sells genuine items and no knockoffs.
By bus
Take bus route 120 or 121 and stop at Jian Guo Men.
By subway
Stop at Line 1, Jianguomen station.
By taxi
Taxi drivers will recognize if you say the Chinese name, Yǒu Yì Shāng Chǎng (友谊商场). The street address is 17 Jianguomenwai Dajie (建国门外大街17号).
Here’s the official Beijing Friendship Store site.
HOW TO Find an Apartment in Beijing
Finding a place to live in Beijing is pretty easy even if you don’t speak Chinese. If you do have some Mandarin ability, it’s as easy as walking into the many real estate offices that are scattered around the city.
English apartment classifieds in Beijing
- The Beijinger. If you’re in the market for a new apartment, this should be one of your first stops. An especially great place to look if you don’t mind having a roommate. Local agents who post here usually speak good English.
- City Weekend is not as “happening” as the Beijinger housing listings but is still an important place to look.
- Craigslist Beijing doesn’t get that much traffic, but a lot of people who post there don’t cross-post at the other sites. This results in a lot less “competition” for housing.
Chinese apartment listings
- Ganji is a Craigslist-like classifieds site with a fairly active housing section.
- Anjuke is a real-estate listings website that puts you in touch with agents.
In Beijing, standard practice is to pay 3 month’s rent in advance along with a 1 month deposit. So if you’re looking for a place, be ready to fork out 4 month’s worth of rent when you move in.
As for agency fees, it all depends on the situation. Sometimes the landlord pays the agent, sometimes you have to pay the agent.
Depending on what visa you have, you might need a Temporary Residence Permit.
