Beijing. Review on Beijing

Once euphemistically called the Bamboo curtain is now little open to the world - Beijing. One has to take a flight through Singapore to reach Beijing. It takes about ten hours in all including change over at Singapore. One must be careful about his baggage during transit in Singapore. The baggage was lost and loss could be identified only in Beijing. However Singapore arilines provided immediate succour of $400 plus tooth brush, towel to manage for about two days as flights to Beijing are available only on alternate days. The baggage was traced and was restored to us but not without damage though the things inside were safe. Once you alight in Beijing you encounter the language problem.

However the reception provided a card in Chinese language to be shown to the taxi driver indicating the destinaton. And lo once you come out of the airport you would be amazed (as our Ms.Sonia Gandhi commented) at the development of China by leaps and bounds. The capital said to have lot of cycles earlier is having all the latest imported cars. And Benz car is run as taxi. They have computerised billing and you are dropped in your hotel without any ro undabout.

Next comes breakfast. One cannot get coffee or tea added with milk or otherwise one can get only balck coffee or black tea. Milk is rarely available. Rice is considered as a poor man's food and one cannot get it. The saving grace is the avilability of 'non' and bread. During the visit the temperature sometimes touched minus eighteen degrees, but it was pleasant. If you are a professional the office where you have to go will provide you with coffee or tea added with milk. The people respect India and Indians, and are friendly with us.

Organised tours are available to take you to the olden days palaces, one of the wonders of the world - the Great Wall of China - , art museum, the famous pagoda trees etc. The flag dehosting ceremony in tienmein is watched by thousands of people including tourists like that of change of guards in U.K.

The Chinese Govt., has a special channel giving importance and impetus for the Engllish language where English teaching is beamed both in the day and night for the benefit of lthe Chinese community. Once they master it, perhaps, they would be a tough competitor to others world over.

For a person who wants to buy antiques and fancy the Chinese have a peculiar way of marketing their products. The lady staff posted will coerce you to buy their products by shaking hands then hugging and then almost kissing you. There seems nothing much to add to your collection. A tea cup embossed with the Kings palace or the Great wall is one of the best purchase. Either the palace or the great wall is not visible to your eyes unless you pour hot tea or hot coffee in the cup. Once the heat embraces the cup the figure of the palace or great wall emerges in stages like our photos shooting out from our photogallery.

It was a good trip.