It has been three years since my last visit to Beijing, and needless to say, Beijing has changed a lot.
1. The new Qian Men street, wider, cleaner, and forever changed.
2. Some old names, like Du Yi Chu and Quan Ju De, were back, others like Tian Xing Ju (established in 1862) hasn't reopened yet.
3. Du Yi Chu was selling Tian Xing Ju's Chao Gan at 12 RMB/bowl. The last time I ate at Tian Xing Ju in 2002, Chao Gan was sold for 2 RMB/bowl.
4. Du Yi Chu's Shao Mai. We liked the pork ones better than the shrimp ones.
5. There were two giant electronic displays in Tian An Men Square. They were either playing short films or putting up slogans like this: Long live the great Chinese people! Long live the great Chinese communist party!
6. One block west of Tian An Men Square is the National Grand Theater. Last time we were in Beijing, it hasn't opened to the public yet. Now you can go in to see a show or just for a tour.
7. National Grand Theater.
8. Inside National Grand Theater.
9. Opera House.
10. Concert Hall.
(To be continued)
P.S. $1 was about 6.6 RMB in Nov, 2010.
