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TRs:
Eli, Chuchem, aussiebochur, world2see, chucksterace


Thing to do:
 - wall at mutinyahu
 - Ming vase company (or silk or other companies...)
-summer palace
-forbidden city
-tain'anmen square
-silk/pearl/ yaxiu antique markets
-Panda zoo
-Drum tower, nightly acrobatic shows,
Kong fu show,
Back lake,
Hutong area?
-Olympic park (birds nest, cube) ,
-Chairman Mao?

Only place to eat:
dinis restaurant -( chabad)
(www.kosherbeijing.com)

Places to stay;
St Regis (downtown chabad) with bowling! And Massage across the street .
Westin (chaoyang)-near chabad,
Rosemary
Shrangila, trade west town

Get around:
-car service +8613051258776
(They are unofficial but good service and prices.)
-yellowcar John <johnyellowcar@hotmail.com>
( The price will be around 1000 rmb for everything (gas,toll,parking) except ticket and food.
reocmmendtions from : www.tripadvisor.com  )

Author Topic: Beijing Master Thread  (Read 73242 times)

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #280 on: August 31, 2017, 12:26:35 PM »
The itin you posted gives you a night in XIY. You should have no tired issues then on Thursday. And yes, should be enough time
Everyone has their own preferences. It could be he'll be fine after a long flight from the US, could be he'll be dead tired after not sleeping. To each his own.

Ugh
I thought we discussed that earlier, but maybe we weren't clear. If in your mind the terracotta army is worth $280 to go see, then go for it, otherwise you'll need to skip it.

Offline zow

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #281 on: August 31, 2017, 12:42:00 PM »
Everyone has their own preferences. It could be he'll be fine after a long flight from the US, could be he'll be dead tired after not sleeping. To each his own.
I thought we discussed that earlier, but maybe we weren't clear. If in your mind the terracotta army is worth $280 to go see, then go for it, otherwise you'll need to skip it.

I don't mind being exhausted, but DW doesn't function so well when tired.

Might need to skip the Terracotta this time. I'm okay with that.

Offline moish

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #282 on: August 31, 2017, 04:36:16 PM »
Everyone has their own preferences. It could be he'll be fine after a long flight from the US, could be he'll be dead tired after not sleeping. To each his own.
Im not sure I understand. Are you suggesting someone arriving 5pm might be too tired to tour the following morning? You have over 12 hours to sleep it off...

Offline zow

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #283 on: August 31, 2017, 09:00:31 PM »
Im not sure I understand. Are you suggesting someone arriving 5pm might be too tired to tour the following morning? You have over 12 hours to sleep it off...
The long-haul Y flight arrives in PEK at 5pm. We would need to connect to a flight at 7pm to Xi'An, arriving at 9pm. By the time we get settled into hotel it would be 10:30pm at best. It is not terrible but pretty sure my dear wife will think the shlep and cost don't justify it.

Offline shwarmabob

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #284 on: September 08, 2017, 01:51:47 PM »
Any chance that the Sheraton (Dongcheng) Club Lounge would order us kosher breakfast?

Offline goteli1993

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #285 on: December 13, 2017, 06:25:26 PM »
I booked a China trip during the aswsosme Air Canada price mistake! Going with the wife and kid. Looking for a reliable and “safe” driver to take us to Great Wall, anyone have contact info?
I looked up thread but didn’t see the info posted

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #286 on: December 13, 2017, 06:34:32 PM »
I booked a China trip during the aswsosme Air Canada price mistake! Going with the wife and kid. Looking for a reliable and “safe” driver to take us to Great Wall, anyone have contact info?
I looked up thread but didn’t see the info posted
See here.

Offline DTM

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #287 on: December 14, 2017, 10:56:55 AM »
I booked a China trip during the aswsosme Air Canada price mistake! Going with the wife and kid. Looking for a reliable and “safe” driver to take us to Great Wall, anyone have contact info?
I looked up thread but didn’t see the info posted
Google "Chabad Beijing" and contact Rabbi or Rebbitzen Shimon and Dini Freundlich for tour guide/driver advice, as well as kosher food arrangements.   

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #288 on: December 14, 2017, 11:42:05 AM »
Google "Chabad Beijing" and contact Rabbi or Rebbitzen Shimon and Dini Freundlich for tour guide/driver advice, as well as kosher food arrangements.   
But keep in mind it's not hard at all to do it yourself.

Offline superstareli55

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #289 on: December 14, 2017, 01:15:03 PM »
looking to stop in bejing from 5am till the following day 11am just had some Qs
1-how do the visas work do i need to apply for a visa or can i get one in the airport?
2-recommended driver/guide?
3-recommended must do attractions?
THANKS IN ADVANCE!!

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #290 on: December 14, 2017, 01:23:38 PM »
looking to stop in bejing from 5am till the following day 11am just had some Qs
1-how do the visas work do i need to apply for a visa or can i get one in the airport?
2-recommended driver/guide?
3-recommended must do attractions?
THANKS IN ADVANCE!!
Did you read up-thread at all, even a few posts? You don't need a visa assuming you're transitting. If you're flying back to the country you came from you need a visa. See here for guides and attractions.

Offline superstareli55

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #291 on: December 14, 2017, 01:46:34 PM »
Thanx! Im doing ewr-cnx-pek-ewr ...does that mean i wont need a visa?

Offline Yehoshua

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #292 on: December 14, 2017, 01:54:59 PM »
Thanx! Im doing ewr-cnx-pek-ewr ...does that mean i wont need a visa?
Correct.

Offline zow

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #293 on: December 25, 2017, 01:29:31 PM »
Hi, I'm finalizing our upcoming Beijing itinerary for travel in a few weeks and would appreciate general feedback and responses to specific questions below.

Constraints:
1. Arriving Sunday evening; departing Wednesday afternoon (~70 hours).
2. Need to daven w/kahal Monday ma'ariv and Tuesday shacharit (yahrtzeit; Rabbi Freundlich said mincha not an option. :()
3. Forbidden City is not open on Mondays.

Tentative Touring Itinerary (Days 1 and 2 with China Highlights Tour Company -- thanks, @Yehoshua -- Day 3 on our own):
Day 1. Monday: Summer Palace, The Mutianyu Great Wall (return by ma'ariv)
Day 2. Tuesday: (after shacharit) The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Jingshan Park (Coal Hill), Hutong Tour in Dongcheng District, The Southern Gong and Drum Lane(Nanluoguxiang), Houhai
Day 3. Wednesday: Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple, Beijing Olympic Stadiums (exterior visit only); return to PEK by 4:30PM for 6:45PM flight.

Questions:
1. Thinking about adding Ming Dynasty Tombs to Day 1... is it worthwhile?
2. Presume it would be wise to have tour guide for Day 2, as currently planned. We are packing in a lot of places, so might be efficient to have guide/driver. Agree?
3. Any reason to think that we would need a guide for Day 3?

Thanks in advance for your responses and general feedback.


Offline moish

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #294 on: December 25, 2017, 02:49:31 PM »
Not going to visit any of the markets?

Offline DTM

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #295 on: December 25, 2017, 03:45:25 PM »

Tentative Touring Itinerary (Days 1 and 2 with China Highlights Tour Company -- thanks, @Yehoshua -- Day 3 on our own):
Day 1. Monday: Summer Palace, The Mutianyu Great Wall (return by ma'ariv)
Day 2. Tuesday: (after shacharit) The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Jingshan Park (Coal Hill), Hutong Tour in Dongcheng District, The Southern Gong and Drum Lane(Nanluoguxiang), Houhai
Day 3. Wednesday: Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple, Beijing Olympic Stadiums (exterior visit only); return to PEK by 4:30PM for 6:45PM flight.

Questions:
1. Thinking about adding Ming Dynasty Tombs to Day 1... is it worthwhile?
2. Presume it would be wise to have tour guide for Day 2, as currently planned. We are packing in a lot of places, so might be efficient to have guide/driver. Agree?
3. Any reason to think that we would need a guide for Day 3?

Answers:
1. I don't know, as I did not visit the Ming Dynasty Tombs, but be mindful of Beijing traffic delays generally as you have a deadline to return for Maariv.
2. Absolutely Yes. You should have someone who knows his way around to most efficiently get to, in and out of, all those sites, and they will be much more meaningful with narration.
3. I would skip the Avoda Zora and, as Moish suggests, visit the markets. In my view Silk Market is best; don't forget to bargain. If you're traveling with your wife, she will will love it. And this you can do without a tour guide. 

Offline zow

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #296 on: December 25, 2017, 03:57:10 PM »
Answers:
1. I don't know, as I did not visit the Ming Dynasty Tombs, but be mindful of Beijing traffic delays generally as you have a deadline to return for Maariv.
2. Absolutely Yes. You should have someone who knows his way around to most efficiently get to, in and out of, all those sites, and they will be much more meaningful with narration.
3. I would skip the Avoda Zora and, as Moish suggests, visit the markets. In my view Silk Market is best; don't forget to bargain. If you're traveling with your wife, she will will love it. And this you can do without a tour guide.
Not going to visit any of the markets?

Thank you both.  We will incorporate Silk Market on Wednesday.  Will be cautious about the avodah zarah.


Offline DTM

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #297 on: January 01, 2018, 09:40:17 AM »
I am planning a trip to Beijing and was wondering if anyone can comment on the Nuo Hotel, apparently a 5 star with a 10 minute walk to Dini's/Chabad current location.
Post-trip answer to my own question:
Beautifully modern, luxury hotel. 10 minute walk to Chabad Beijing, the hotel is Shabbos friendly, shutting off automatic lights, that would otherwise go on in the room, before Shabbos, and taking guests up to their rooms with master key card. I recommend a deluxe corner room with park view. Chabad/Dini's   delivered breakfast and take along lunches for us every morning. 

Offline shwarmabob

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #298 on: January 01, 2018, 08:28:11 PM »
"China on Thursday extended its visa-free period for people transiting through Beijing to 144 hours"
that's 6 days for visa-free transit

Offline zow

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Re: Beijing Master Thread
« Reply #299 on: January 07, 2018, 09:37:55 PM »
Post-trip answer to my own question:
Beautifully modern, luxury hotel. 10 minute walk to Chabad Beijing, the hotel is Shabbos friendly, shutting off automatic lights, that would otherwise go on in the room, before Shabbos, and taking guests up to their rooms with master key card. I recommend a deluxe corner room with park view. Chabad/Dini's   delivered breakfast and take along lunches for us every morning.
Great! @DTM, Can you tell us more about your meals at Dini's?
We'll be staying at the Fairmont soon, and they said they contacted Dini's and Dini's said they couldn't provide breakfast.