Nic & Azzah were so sweet. Meet us for breakfast & sending us off.
Nic's eyes full of envy wishing she can go with us. Wish I can pack her in my luggage & fly her to PEK too. Big hugs! Next time ok? Piddles wants to travel with Nic someday too! FYI, she still has a ticket left. :)
Even before landing, just looking down at the snow capped houses are enough to make Piddles shiver! Brrr~
Reached the apartment at Lido. We got a king size bed, nice!
The apartment is well equipped with a kitchen and laundry room too. But we wouldn't wanna step into the kitchen for too long cos its cold!
It snowed a few days before we arrived and some of the snow
Well, most of their restaurants don't engage dishwashers, most of their dirty utensils are sent for cleaning & came back all nicely packed.
This has gotta be one of the best sweet & spicy soup I've ever tasted. Super spicy, and if you bit into one of their pepper corns, your whole tongue will go numb!
When in Beijing. of course you'll have to try their peking ducks. Its a must! Its prepared upon order, and took at least 45mins to roast. Nothing is waste, even the bones are deep fried. But we were too full so we packed them back for supper back in the apartment.
Their infamous Qingdao beer. Piddles also wanna try their booze!
One whole row of food stores that stretch for a few streets near their shopping district WangFuJing.
Piddles wouldn't eat it even if she's paid a thousand bucks! Well.. maybe ten thousand she might try.. Hiak hiak!
Anyone fancies some giant scorpions? (The tiny ones are the most venomous though).
At the summer palace. It served as a summer resort for Empress Dowager Cixi
Two of the most important men in Piddles' life. Heehee..
Gotta take a picture with the dragon, guess why?
Really scenic views, they really know how to enjoy life last time..
The pillars are all hand painted, no paintings are the same, the whole stretch of them!
The rest saw Piddles on the snow so they all hurried over to join her for a groupie shot. :P
Everything is huge there. Gives them more "face" I guess.
While the guys are busy taking pictures, we hid one corner to escape the harsh cold wind.
Wanted to take some angular shots of the shadows but my cammie cannot make it.. -_-
All the senior citizens gathering around for choir singing. Mostly patriotic songs, like during the days of Chairman Mao.
They got this giant urn where they'll brew those tonic soups inside, super warm. We just keep standing near to it, felt so comfy.
Dinner with Ben, who's stationed in pek airport and family.
Went to a cafe popular with the college students.
As usual, Danny gathered everyone for a group shot.
The weather was so dry & cold that my fingers started to crack, no matter how much handcream i applied. So painful, like papercut. :'(
The building on the left looked blacken.
This restaurant is famous for their xiaolong baos. But I prefer our Dintaifeng ones, more juicy & succulent.
Looking happy before the meal start.
We had fish at every meal, its so cheap & affordable.
It's like a foodies trip for Danny, he took pictures of all the food that he's tasted. In this case, he took picture of the fishhead that Renee is eating.. -_-
Nothing is gone to waste.
Their toilets have no cubicles!! Piddles felt so shy to use it. But I guess when you're in China, just have to follow what the Chinese do! (When nobody's around, that it.. ) @_@
The teapots are so cute, so colourful. Yoyo will like the cats though..
My fav is the one with the flying pigs, can you see?
They really felt as soft as real bread! I kept squeezing at them but never buy though.. ha!
What's the point of drinking beer if its alcohol free???
Ultraman has fallen! Cos he is drunk! Muahahaa!
A satisfied meal feeling warm & fuzzy in the midst of winter. Not forgetting the strong mala smell on our jackets, poofff! Have to air them at the balcony overnight mann!
The next morning, had to wake up real early for the 1.5hr journey to the Great Wall. Only show you a teeny bit of Piddles snoozing away (with mouth slightly adjust?) in the backseat. Unglam lah... =_=
Piddles being serious and professional during photo-taking..
SHock's spidey. I like this pix a lot.
Piddles is really glad that she's finally made it to one of the wonders of the world. ('',)
Really scenic views, they really know how to enjoy life last time..
The pillars are all hand painted, no paintings are the same, the whole stretch of them!
The rest saw Piddles on the snow so they all hurried over to join her for a groupie shot. :P
Saw this signboard at a man-made rocks.. :P
Had our hoods up at the Forbidden City. The place is huge & open & no protection from the wind. I wonder how people from last time survived from the cold?
At TianAnMeng square. "Long Live Chairman Mao"
Everything is huge there. Gives them more "face" I guess.
While the guys are busy taking pictures, we hid one corner to escape the harsh cold wind.
Wanted to take some angular shots of the shadows but my cammie cannot make it.. -_-
So decided to take shot on our shadows instead, heehee..
All the piles of snow swept up neatly.
All the senior citizens gathering around for choir singing. Mostly patriotic songs, like during the days of Chairman Mao.
Went to this wuxia restaurant for dinner, where all the waiters talk in this old chinese lingo. Sounds profound.
Once inside, straightaway head to warm our fingers, can't really feel them!
They got this giant urn where they'll brew those tonic soups inside, super warm. We just keep standing near to it, felt so comfy.
Dinner with Ben, who's stationed in pek airport and family.
The braised duck is cooked to perfection. Really good!
We must be crazy to eat icecream during winter. But it doesn't make me any colder, just nice to dig into some icecream.
See, Piddles is so happy with her combination of chocolate chips & banana concoction. She has had no fruits for a few days & feeling a bit constipated. :P
Went to a cafe popular with the college students.
As usual, Danny gathered everyone for a group shot.
The weather was so dry & cold that my fingers started to crack, no matter how much handcream i applied. So painful, like papercut. :'(
Every coffee or tea we ordered came with a little jug of warm milk. I drank up all the remaining ones though, nothing's gone to waste. :P
This is my perfect english breakfast! Missing the time when I had them in London last year. I can eat it every morning!!
Lotsa ketchup on her sunny-side up. This is how Piddles likes it.
The building on the left looked blacken.
Chinese New Year 2008: 40-storey Mardarin Oriental luxury hotel was completely destroyed by a massive fire and could be seen for miles in every direction. Luckily no casualites as construction was close to finishing. Amazing that the structure has not collapsed even though all the floors are damage. What a waste right?
This restaurant is famous for their xiaolong baos. But I prefer our Dintaifeng ones, more juicy & succulent.
Looking happy before the meal start.
We had fish at every meal, its so cheap & affordable.
It's like a foodies trip for Danny, he took pictures of all the food that he's tasted. In this case, he took picture of the fishhead that Renee is eating.. -_-
Nothing is gone to waste.
Their toilets have no cubicles!! Piddles felt so shy to use it. But I guess when you're in China, just have to follow what the Chinese do! (When nobody's around, that it.. ) @_@
Helping Danny chose the better quality eggs. :P
The teapots are so cute, so colourful. Yoyo will like the cats though..
My fav is the one with the flying pigs, can you see?
They really felt as soft as real bread! I kept squeezing at them but never buy though.. ha!
What's the point of drinking beer if its alcohol free???
I posted this pix up in FB and Yong has no clue what is this? Haha! Can't blame her for she is a vegan. She said it looked like a work of art. Heh heh..
It's a meat galore!
Anyway, the waiters look at us with raised eyebrows.. when they saw our singaporean way of eating steamboat is to put in lotsa food to cook for all to eat while the chinese only cook what they want & take themselves & kept the soup clear. They dun drink the soup at all, so wasted. Well, I still prefers our method, share the food together, makes us more united.. Baa~
Ultraman has fallen! Cos he is drunk! Muahahaa!
A satisfied meal feeling warm & fuzzy in the midst of winter. Not forgetting the strong mala smell on our jackets, poofff! Have to air them at the balcony overnight mann!
The next morning, had to wake up real early for the 1.5hr journey to the Great Wall. Only show you a teeny bit of Piddles snoozing away (with mouth slightly adjust?) in the backseat. Unglam lah... =_=
On the cable ride up. Both Piddles & OB are really scared of heights but somehow they managed to put on a brave front and take the plunge. She's busy taking pictures too, haha!
Piddles being serious and professional during photo-taking..
Even when taking OB's signature backview aka God of Gamblers. Heh heh~
SHock's spidey. I like this pix a lot.
Piddles is really glad that she's finally made it to one of the wonders of the world. ('',)
Having great difficulties climbing the steps, they are freaking steep! What is Qin Shi Huang thinking when he had the wall built!?!?!
Such perilous steps. One missed footing might plunge you to your death. *shivers* =_=
There's a chinese saying that, If you've scaled the Great Wall, you'll come down as heroes.
So the heroes & heroines must take a group photo for memory sake. :D
Piddles & friends also wanna take group pix at the great wall too!
Piddles & friends also wanna take group pix at the great wall too!
Attack of the giant foot! Everybody run for your lives!!!
Really can see the wall stretched out for miles, simply amazing..
They are getting restless.. With full bladders.
Enjoying a scenic view while doing business. Priceless. Haha!
Wanted to eat fish so have to choose one fresh from the pond outside.
It's really nice to see some greenery in the middle of winter, where its cold & outside in the open.
Dropped by a factory making vases and stuff..
There're people working on different process on the vases, and here you can see the lady putting colours on it.
Close up. Don't think they can afford to make any mistakes, might have their pay cut hor?
I enjoyed watching her painting such tiny drawings on the inside of the bottle. A closer probe revealed that the brushes are made from the fur of wolves.
Really exquisite & down to the last detail.
Danny bought all of us something to remember from pek.
Managed to squeeze some precious time to drop by Hardrock. Bought a tee for Jared, that's all I can afford cos the adult tees are ex!
Goods sold, return to taiwan instead of the counter.. ?_?
At the subway, studying their map figuring out which stop to alight.
Huddling together in the cold on the trishaw. Really freezing!
Passed by a little playground, the locals with their kids.
Making our way to the tower. No lift! Die lah!
Browsing through at one of their gift stores. Just cannot get anything that's printed in english.. :P
Went to this greenhouse restaurant on our way down.
It's really nice to see some greenery in the middle of winter, where its cold & outside in the open.
Dropped by a factory making vases and stuff..
There're people working on different process on the vases, and here you can see the lady putting colours on it.
Close up. Don't think they can afford to make any mistakes, might have their pay cut hor?
After putting on colours, they will be sent to another room to be heated, and another room to be polished to smoothness. Here's the end product. All handmade & very expensive.
I enjoyed watching her painting such tiny drawings on the inside of the bottle. A closer probe revealed that the brushes are made from the fur of wolves.
Such deft fingers. Again, she cannot afford to make any mistakes if not, will go down the drain. Cannot just delete & retype again like what we are doing.
Really exquisite & down to the last detail.
Danny bought all of us something to remember from pek.
Managed to squeeze some precious time to drop by Hardrock. Bought a tee for Jared, that's all I can afford cos the adult tees are ex!
Goods sold, return to taiwan instead of the counter.. ?_?
At the subway, studying their map figuring out which stop to alight.
Huddling together in the cold on the trishaw. Really freezing!
Passed by a little playground, the locals with their kids.
Took a closer look at the todd, he looks so cute with rosy cheeks. He just learn walking, and fell down earlier, revealing his bare backside! Apparently, the kids there don't wear diapers. They just wear the bottom with a hole in the middle for easy access of the pee & poo.
Making our way to the tower. No lift! Die lah!
But the sky is so blue, so nice.. :)
Just looking up at the looonnnng flight of steps make me wanna puke!!! @_@
After much difficulty, finally made it to the Tower of Drums.. Just some freaking drums.. -_-
Look! Piddles can hold up the gigantic drum by one hand! Hahahah!
In the olden days, the magistrates are given houses to stay by the emperor. We were lucky to be able to visit one of the last remaining ones, their courtyard are exquisite.
There's no doorbell at the main door, you just have to hold on to the "ring" and hit against the door to alert the owners.
Piddles wished she can bring all the money back home! $_$
Just simply too cold out in the open, so we hastily looked for a local eatery and rushed in for the warmth. Ordered their beijing delights, common food for the locals.
Let Danny try their tea leaf eggs, still steaming hot. Think ours are nicer though..
Buying a pack of roasted chestnuts.. The wind is blowing strongly even on a sunny day if you notice.. Damn cold~
Browsing through at one of their gift stores. Just cannot get anything that's printed in english.. :P
Beijing National Stadium, otherwise known as the Bird's Nest for Olymipic '08, looking majestic even at dusk.
Got up in the morning to see SHock, Danny & Leng gearing up to continue their 2nd leg of the journey to Shanghai. Took a group shot in my PJs, with the just woke up look.. Zzz~
Bye bye Lido, nice staying with you!
At the business class lounge at pek airport, coming back home. Missing Jared boy & family!
That's all folks! Time to rest my tired eyes after such a long post!
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