twentythree y.o. geographer, barista, yoga practitioner. University College London. born and bred in the lil' island of Singapore. constantly searching for answers. extremely flawed, especially when it comes to imposing standards on others, expecting too much, not knowing when to close her mouth (to shut the fuck up or to stop eating). too crazy for her own good and has to be taken with a massive handful of salt. adores backpacking, hitch-hiking, hill-walking, red wine, whiskey, cocktails, fine food and good conversations.
REMINDER:
"open your heart. someone will come. someone will come for you. but you'd have to open your heart first."
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| Saturday, September 13, 2014
◔ 3:23 PM // ✎ 0 comment(s) | ❝ "Courage, dear bestie." ❞ |
China has never been a favorite place to visit of mine. I'd very willingly spend the money elsewhere, but this time I went over for Oisin, and I don't regret it the slightest bit. On top of having been able to spend the most beautiful, sweetest, amazing days with Oisin, I got to go back to a place that I have never been able to fully experience as a tourist - China was a place for schooling and visiting relatives.
Here's a post sharing some photos (taken with my phone, but I've just got my camera back from my dad!) and also some of the coolest places I've visited in Beijing. Together with me sharing the beautiful memories I've made there ;__;
Oisin's side of the table. "What would my room mate think of me? Whisky... and radish?!"
Waiguoren being given a set of fork and knife
My big baby on the way to the Badaling stretch of the Great Wall
Houhai for dinner. Dad was tired of walking so we got into one of those rickshaws
The waiguoren hanging out at Houhai. "Hold on to me, so that people will stop offering me 'girlfriends of the night'!"
The most adorable tee, ever.
ALL TIME FAVORITE CAFE: MAAN COFFEE
They have many branches in the whole of China. I first got to try them in Harbin, while Oisin lost his Maan Cafe virginity in Chengdu. They're literally all over the bigger cities of China.
Bulgogi Panini
Literally the only cafe that, instead of giving out order numbers, gives you colored teddies :P
Matcha bingsoo that I had in Dalian
Lightest, most versatile raincoat ever/
DAY TRIP TO TIANJIN
It was fucking impressive how easy it was to get to Tianjin. I literally went to the station with my passport, got onto a high speed train and reached Tianjin in half an hour. The rapid pace at which China is developing, and development is spreading, will continue to awe me.
My trip to Tianjin was ruined first by my shoes falling apart due to the crazy rain in Beijing. The sole detached entirely for the right side and I walked around without a sole, which allowed water to seep in. In my irritation, I ditched all travel plans and ran to buy a pair of 15RMB flipflops and decided to quit life to have lunch.
Later, I ran off to the shopping district and bought myself a pair of shoes, before going to Westin to pretend to be a guest and got a map of Tianjin to explore.
Tianjin was a pretty boring city, its main attraction being the beautiful colonial architecture; or rather, the juxtaposition between the oriental and the differing forms of western architecture. It is not the most interesting place, but I guess if you're utterly bored of Beijing (like I was), it is a good place to spend a day at.
CAFE GROOVE
1/F, Tunsanli Mall, No.21 Gongti North Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
This cafe is very popular amongst the waiguo crowd, probably due to
its proximity to the Sanlitun Youth Hostel. It has a beautiful ambience,
free WiFi, huge comfy seats and amazing matcha latte. I am very
convinced that the cafe scene in Beijing is much more vibrant than that
of Singapore - I've never been to so many amazing cafes that, literally,
make Singaporean ones look and feel like shit.
Sanlitun was an area that I hung around a lot, mainly because my first hotel was located on the tip of it. It is THE hip and cool place, together with bar streets and the biggest clubs of Beijing, and it is a popular spot amongst the waiguoren. There are many interesting cafes there, together with up-themselves restaurants (and guess what? Pizza Express too!) and a Page One bookshop, where I got my fix of books from.
Hiding from the rain at Page One
German beer house in Sanlitun
Here's a photo of a club in Sanlitun, at the Workers' Stadium, where all the best clubs are supposed to be. Well, the clubs were shit and Oisin and I left early, only for me to throw up right before I was going to sleep. I then woke up early the next morning and staggered to the airport, half drunk. Was actually pleasantly surprised that I even got onto the right plane :P
HATSUNE
Not going to put an address just because they have many branches all over Beijing. How could I have gone two weeks without my regular dosage of Japanese food? Oisin and I were both coincidentally craving for Japanese food one night but we ended up having Beijing hotpot instead, while making up for it with a Japanese lunch.
Cutest table setting much?
This place wasn't the cheapest but being careful while ordering helped a lot. And my father (who recommended the place) was right - they have the most amazing rolls. Seemingly average ingredients put together to create a foodgasm and an explosion of flavors.
Roll with swordfish roe and crispy salmon skin. Oh god.
FORBIDDEN CITY
Yes, the first time in my life. Despite having been to Beijing countless times, I have never been to the Forbidden City, nor the Great Wall for that sake :P
Me with my iced coffee, featuring a new favorite top of mine that Oisin insisted that I bought. His taste never fails, and the top slowly grew on me through the course of the day. Bought the iced coffee from a cafe in the Forbidden City full of waiguoren. Was exclaiming about the irony of that, until both bestie and my dad told me that there used to be a gorgeous Starbucks there, which was closed down by Rui Chen and his gang, and that Mr Rui is currently sitting in prison :P
Chinese politics is one thing that I'd never understand but then again I probably only have myself to blame for not even trying :P
People sleeping at the National Museum, which was so propaganda that it amused me to no end :P
The amazing dinner that Lynn brought us to
FRIEND'S CAFE
Room 0616 A Building Chaowai SOHO, No.6 Yi Chaoyang Menwai Main Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020, China
This place made my trip worth it. I initially found out about the place from a Buzzfeed article, and made Oisin accompany me :P and it was only then that I found out that he watched Friends too! It has never occurred to me, and we have never talked about it!
Michael, the most amazing matcha and azuki cupcake
DALIAN / LVSHUN
Dalian is a city that I spent much of my childhood in, and I have never really liked the place. To me, it was too cold, too dusty, too dirty, too messy. It was school, struggling to do math in Chinese, having to eat shitty lunch provided by the school... As much as those were unpleasant experiences, I think they were very crucial in my formative years.
Stayed in the Kempinski, which I have photos of because bestie said that he has never stayed in one of them, to which I proceeded to take photos to show him :)
Amazing pastry at the Kempinski, featuring the large box of mooncakes that I got for Oisin
We literally paid 300RMB each to watch Chinese propaganda
The place where the currents of Huang Hai and Bo Hai converge :) absolutely breathtaking
LAST DAYS IN BEIJING
PEKING CAFE
No.113-2 Nanluogu Alley, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100006, China
Lynn brought us here the first time, and you can always count on a local for such things :) it has the cutest decor and the prettiest looking pudding (sorry I have no idea what they taste like because I didn't try them)
Good coffee, free WiFi, together with the prettiest rooftop area that you have to check out if you're there in the day.
Oisin being very amused with the "mashed potatoes" which tasted more like potato salad
We said goodbye at the exit of Jishuitan station, right by the bike park. He left on his bike, with tears rolling down uncontrollably despite my attempts to hold them back in public. I have absofuckinglutely no idea what the next year will be like - what sort of adventures, surprises, happiness (hopefully?) and at the same time, sadness, it may bring.
And what bestie texted me after I told him that Oisin and I just said goodbye to each other will be something that I will etch in my heart:
"Courage, dear bestie."
Labels: China, daily, days of summer, holiday, love
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