Xindalu- China Kitchen at the Hyatt on the Bund in Shanghai is known for its world-famous ‘barbequed Peking duck’, and ‘beggar’s chicken’- with its clay-breaking ritual. Diners can marvel at the chef’s expertise in slicing the Peking duck during demonstrations. With the original idea deriving from the ‘Beijing Kitchen’ at the Grand Hyatt in Beijing and backed up a team of knowledgeable and experienced kitchen staff, Xindalu is consistently on the lookout for the finest speciality products from around the world. Using a beautiful blend of traditional and contemporary cooking styles, all the food is cooked in a healthy and refreshing style to showcase the most original of authentic Chinese flavours.
It's surprisingly easy to get lost in the crowd as a Chinese restaurant operating in Shanghai- the city certainly has more to offer than its fair share of Shanghainese or other Chinese eateries- but Xindalu at the Hyatt on the Bund has done as admirable job of separating itself from the masses with exceptionally sensational food and an elegant decor that comes alive even more so at night time. Hats go off to Xindalu’s executive chef David Du for making sure that every part of the restaurant and its contents has a serious attention to detail. The ethos on the culinary design and architecture is to make sure that the dinars not just enjoy the food but actually fall in love with it- and normally they do. When dining at the Xindalu, you gotta make sure that you are exceedingly ravenous and your stomach is urging to take nothing but the best of the best. When you are presented with mouth-watering dishes such as the ‘deep-fried cod, pepper, and salt’ or the ‘tossed bean curd, Chinese toon’ then food is not food anymore, it becomes a piece of art that you have a fear of destroying the presentation. The fried pepper in the former dish is just to die-for. It literally melts as you take each bite. Incredible stuff- good food like this is not easy to find in Shanghai let along China. The ‘tossed bean curd’ has a generous sprinkling of the spinach on the top. This adds a delight to the somewhat boring bean curd (locally known as ‘tofu’), because as you take a mouthful the slightly salty spinach and the sauce dance on the back of your tongue making their way slowly down your throat. All this time the flavours are so well absorbed by the bean curd that you hardly taste it at all. No dinar should dare leave their table without tucking into one of the signature desserts. Try the exceptionally tempting ‘jasmine tiramisu, vanilla, osmanthus ice cream’ or the colourful yet lip-smacking ‘sweetened mango, coconut cream with sago, coconut sherbet’. If you find luxury food irresistible then the first thing that will most probably come out from your mouth when you are presented with these desserts is ‘Oh, wow, what is this?’ because they all have the ‘Wow!’ factor attached to them. As a final salute to your meal, it would not be a bad idea to give the ‘sweet scented traditional rice cake’ a go as well. Thick and chewy as it may be, but it is just overwhelming. With good food like this you just got to be careful not to get carried away. The Xingli is a high quality restaurant located on the 4th level of The Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen that provides a true authentic Cantonese cuisine. Ever since it’s opening in 2009, the Xingli has become somewhat of a preferred place where business deals are made during lunch, or for team-building, or even for those who want to see and want to be seen in Shenzhen. A key addition of the restaurant is its 19 individual private rooms that cater to all the guest’s needs but is rather reserved for personal meals and business functions. The ambiance is one of peace, tranquillity and class. Quality is something that would touch anyone’s lips once they take their first bite.
Exceedingly opulent in its surroundings, the restaurant combines contemporary facilities with an elaborate classical invention and design that would please anyone’s eye. For family gatherings this would be the ideal place to relax, unwind and catch up on some gossip either for Chinese breakfast, lunch or dinner. The key of the Xingli is its beautiful presentation of around 100 items of dim sum, main courses, soups and desserts. If you want to divulge into the perfect Cantonese culinary experience at the Xingli, then try starting off with a chicken soup of assorted vegetables blended in two flavours. Even before you tuck your spoon into the soup; it’s the beautiful presentation of the dish that is more pleasing to the eye. You just wonder how the chef manages to get the two flavours separated in the bowl. Lovely colours of the green and white vegetables are neatly separated. Continuing with the concept of eating a healthy yet scrumptious meal for lunch (or dinner), it would be a wise decison to go for the fried broccoli with crab meat. The well cooked broccoli has a lush green colour, which indicates that it’s strongly fresh, and is provided with a generous layer of melting cheese. The crab meat is not as big in portions as one may imagine it to be because it is shaped into minute brightly orange coloured cubes that are kindly sprinkled onto the mouth-watering broccoli cuts. If that’s not enough to wake up your taste buds then tuck into the fabulously cooked pan-fried cod fish with honey sauce. It’s not easy to find cod fish in China, and so therefore The Ritz-Carlton, Shenzhen is very fortunate enough to have imported this fish from overseas. The cod fish tastes fresh and the honey not only adds to the flavour but tends to give it a bit more of a glow to the skin of the fish. The Xingli can be described as an expert examination of a restaurant that strives to provide the upmost best quality in terms of authentic Cantonese cuisine. The Xingli has an almost obsessive reverence for its fabulous food and wine, lovingly presented for purposeful and practical use to share with like-minded individuals. Harmoniously set with its towering features among the newly built residential enclave in the Nanshan district of Shenzhen is the fabulous Kempinski hotel with 390-guestrooms and suites. All the rooms and suites are generously proportioned with an average size of around 40 sq m. In fact, it would be suitable to mention that the property is even more over the top ‘bohemian counterculture’ design that runs heavy on red, orange, gold, and bold patterns. OK, so it may not be everyone’s cup of tea but at least it creates a sense of nirvana for those that are looking for something special and want to be in the crème de la crème of Shenzhen’s booming economic market. Kempinski fans would love it, naturally.
Location is perfect because this area is going to grow in the near future especially with the Shenzhen Universaide in August 2011. There could be no better location and this is perhaps one of the best locations in the whole of the city. Only around 30 minutes away from the main Shenzhen airport, and a comfortable 45 minutes drive to the Hong Kong international airport as well. The mega Coastal City shopping complex is situated right in the doorstep of the hotel. Here you are bound to find every type of foreign and local store of fame under the sun. All the rooms come standard with state-of-the-art facilities including: Satellite TV, wireless internet facilities, and the luxury of making complimentary calls throughout mainland China from your room are provided as part of the package. Those who may be wondering if the customer service is up to scratch with the global Kempinski brand for which they are famous for would be pleased to know that the staff converse in excellent levels of English, and that there are no misunderstandings. The local health, hospitality, and leisure industry has grown tremendously in recent years. There is a separate floor allocated only for the women, where all the rooms are catered just for women. This is to provide the women with more privacy and somewhat is of a similar feature to that found in hotels across the Middle East including at the Kempinski Mall-of–the-Emirates in Dubai. The specially designed ‘lady room’ is generously furnished with an all-female settings including plush light colours and bedding. One of the most beautiful parts of the hotel is the swimming pool- and even more so in the evening. You gotta love the ambiance that portrays a night sky with stars. Just imagine doing a backstroke and looking up towards the roof in the evening. The views are priceless. Because there is no open-air swimming pool, so this is one reason why the indoor swimming pool has this excellent night time touch added to it. The lobby lounge bar is a remarkable piece of architectural genius where fresh cocktails are available till the wee hours of the morning. The lobby bar also hosts many live bands to whose tunes you can bop it away as well. It’s so grand that you end up feeling grandular yourself. Huge chandeliers hanging from the ceilings along with a massive lampshade in the shape of a signature symbol of the Kempinski. Lovely detail to attention that goes down to the micro-scale. The hotel’s two main restaurants provide many opportunities for satisfaction. To treat your culinary taste buds it would be worthwhile to try and savour the tongue for either the Chinese restaurant, Hai Tao, or the Western buffet eatery, Seasons. The former has seven private dining suites that will make you feel as you are an emperor in Shenzhen. It is the place to go for a quality, good-value Cantonese food. Those residing at the executive guestrooms and suites can enjoy the club lounge as they wish. From here stunning views right across the whole of the Shenzhen metropolis as well the northern territories of Hong Kong are visible on a clear day. Lovely comfortable sofas and pleasant pictures on the walls provide an array of luxury that is difficult to find elsewhere in this young city. Shanghai can be deceptive, at least in today’s day in age. It is heavily crowded, traffic congestion is choking, and with the inflation rate rising, the prices of general things in life are rocketing sky high. A closer look however will reveal certain differences. The local health and leisure industry is one area to have grown substantially in recent years. Development projects over the past decade or so, especially in the sphere of luxury boutique lifestyle, have brought along with them the sharp increase in the demand for five-star quality boutique hotels. Located in a chic and quiet area close to both the hustle and bustle of Nanjing road and the former French Concession district is the eco-friendly URBN boutique hotel- China’s first carbon neutral and earth conscious hotel.
Conceived by owners Scott Barrack and Jules Kwan with the desire to provide guests a unique Shanghainese urban experience, the 26-room boutique hotel was remarkably transformed from a former 1970s Shanghai post office building. The vast majority of the crowd are from France, Germany, and Australia, with a considerable bunch from America and Italy. They all are attracted by the traditional feeling of a European posh setting. Wonderful architecture and a lovely attention to the minor but important things in life has been assured. The staff are all fluent in conversational English, and are most willing to assist. The first thing that would greet you is a huge door engraved with the URBN logo in the middle. As you make your way into the open-air veranda, that resembles something similar to a traditional Shanghainese courtyard, you will come across the flamboyant reception and minute lobby facing straight towards you. The lovely open veranda, that brings a traditional Mediterranean feel to the hotel while located right in the heart of Shanghai, has become a favourite hangout with most expats who want to enjoy a relaxing brunch, lunch, or dinner in good company and wine. Shanghai inspired contemporary settings and design, yet ridiculously laid back, and stylish. With luxury surroundings like this, it’s so easy to forget that you are in China. I felt as if I was at somewhere like Hampton Court Palace, or something similar. While you wait to be checked in, treat yourself to the complimentary watermelon juice. Then there is that inspiring original 1950s suitcase wall behind the lobby reception. The hotel carries a lot of antique baggage cases, most of it from locally sourced suitcases from antique markets around town that over 60 years old. The suitcases are cut in half and displayed stylishly on the wall. The brains behind the URBN hotel Shanghai have it all right and at the right places because Shanghai is all about fashion, nostalgia, and antique fanfare. URBN hotels Shanghai is one of a growing number of hotels throughout China that are displaying a strong commitment to energy management excellence and as a result of this, reaping financial and environment rewards. Examples of this are demonstrated throughout the building- a water generating purification system is in place that allows the hotel to recycle its water; the reception has original Suzhou slates that are well placed on the wall tiles; some of the designer furniture is made from recycled paper- including a recycled paper chair; and all the wood used in the hotel was recovered and recycled from 1930’s and 1940’s homes from Shanghai’s French Concession. All of this goes perfectly well with the ethos that URBN are committed to sustainability. The rooms themselves are very stylish and spacious with plush yet simple decor. Dark woods, oblique angles, designer toiletries are by URBN Spa (green tea), while those in the penthouse are by Gilchrist & Soames, Jamaica mountain coffee, and plenty of space to have an indoor rain shower- it’s no surprise that the URBN is part of the ever-trendy boutique real estate market run by SPACE. What might raise an eyebrow here is that the ‘buzz-word’ does run deep here: public areas are sleek yet simple, understandably cool as the rooms themselves, with sunken lounge areas with long comfy sofas that are big enough for 15, and ‘30s Shanghai jazz oozing leisurely from the speakers while the barman in ‘Downstairs with David Laris’ mixes the type of cocktails that definitely don’t come with a slice of shaved papayas on the edge. At which point you may want to give the ‘almond & pear martini’ a go ass devised by Crystal McConchie, URBN’s in-house bar mixologist. For the dining and wining, there are three venues where you can while away those ample free times: ‘Upstairs’ is a rooftop bar with sweeping views across this historical part of Shanghai, ‘THE SOCIAL’ is URBN’s exclusive lounge tucked away on the 4th floor, and last but not least is ‘Downstairs with David Laris’- the flagship restaurant of the hotel. Now, URBN hotel has joined forces with a leading Australian restaurateur, David Laris, to present a spanking new line up of dining and drinking venues. This includes ‘Downstairs with David Laris’, which has somewhat become a buzz word of the present among the many Europeans in Shanghai because it is the roost of exquisite escapism for foreign tycoons on the run from responsibility for a week or two. Seriously, the food is so good that it would even challenge chefs at most five-star hotels in China. Autumn arrives in Chongqing, a sprawling city in the southwest of China with over 3,000 years of history to absorb and a population of over 29 million - I say again - 29 MILLION (it's OK- plenty of space with an area of 82,300 km²). The metropolis is a bee-hive for tourists who want to explore the enormous Yangtze River as well as the Old Town that sprawls over a hill, which is encircled by two famous rivers, the Changjiang and the Jialingjiang.
To get a bird’s eye view (above photo), head to an octagonal pavilion situated at the peak of the 920 ft high Loquat Hill in the southern part of the Old Town. It may be conclude that 2009 wasn’t really full of much sport or other major events that can associated on the International calendar. Those set of activities belong to 2010. The last major sporting event was, of course, the Beijing 2008 Olympics, and that brought China into the global limelight. 2010 is destined to be ever better. Shanghai is going to be hosting the world expo from May to October, while in December; the southern city of Guangzhou will become the first Chinese city in history to host the Asian Games. Then there are the three other major sporting events happening around the globe: The FIFA Football World cup in South Africa, the Winter Olympics in Vancouver and the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India. I will begin my 2010 blogging with an article on the Shanghai Expo 2010 and then follow it up in coming days with other events. The world awaits Shanghai Expo 2010! The Shanghai Expo in 2010 is geared up to be the next big thing after the Beijing 2008 Olympics. This world event only happens once every 10 years and Shanghai is going to be at the centre of the world’s attention for five months from May. An Expo is meant to be a unique platform for a country to show off its economic assets to the world. I believe the Shanghai Expo 2010 is not meant to be a showcase for China to the world, but a showcase for the rest of the world to showoff to China. So, it’s to say, for example, this is the Spanish Expo booth and this is what we have to offer to China’s economy or we are India, and this is what can do to invest in China- and so on. One of the most interesting aspects of this is that countries are going to be looking for lucrative deals to invest in China’s future- and they will be using cleaver ways to sell themselves to China. I have been told that the Belgium Pavilion is going to be giving away free diamonds and expensive handmade chocolates (through prize draws), while the French pavilion is going to be giving away all expenses paid honeymoons’ to Paris to every couple who will come to the French Pavilion wearing wedding clothes. These are just two examples out of the many. The Chinese government officially bid for Shanghai to be the host city on November 18, 1999. With much valued support from home and abroad, the world expo governing body decided to officially award the 2010 Expo to Shanghai- the bid was won on December 3, 2002, at the 132nd General Assembly of the International Exhibitions Bureau. I was invited by the Shanghai Expo 2010 executive committee to have a preview of the facilities. I would like to share some photos I took from the VIP stand at the media centre, where the world’s media will stand in May. Special thanks goes to Mr. Chen Xian Jin, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Expo 2010, the senior PR team at the Shanghai Expo 2010 media centre, and Mr. Han Zheng, Mayor of Shanghai, for arranging the visit for me. Although the weather was a bit hazy to take photos, nevertheless, I should not complain as I felt privileged to just be there and have access to some breathtaking views of the Shanghai Expo 2010 area. Since the days of the first ever world expos at London’s famous Crystal Palace exhibition hall in 1851, world expo fairs have supplied guests with two things: First, a worldwide outlook via displays of products and services from around the world and; second, a flavour of what people can expect in the future, via displays and demonstrations of new creations and state-of-the-art machines and structures. As a former and now restored global metropolis, Shanghai has a distinctly international location complete with revolutionary objects, such as its first-in-the-world, ultra-high-speed magnetic levitation train, the Maglev. Much bigger than any other exhibiting event in the world, the Shanghai Expo in 2010 will take place over a period of six months from the 1st of May to the 31st of October. Shanghai 2010 Expo’s motto is: "Better City, Better Life,”, and this is one which represents the universal desire for any citizen or country around the world, so that citizens can benefit from improved living standards. The aim of the Shanghai expo is to allow China to be a major show case for the global community, and along with all the world’s countries that would be exhibiting there to provide a platform where new ideas, technologies and ways of improving life will be shared. The 2010 Expo theme characterizes a common apprehension of the worldwide community for future policy making, urban policies and sustainable economic growth. To give you an idea of how important this all will be, in 1800, only 2% of the world’s population lived in cities. In 1950, that figure became 29%, and by the beginning of the new millennium in 2000, approximately 49 percent of the world’s population moved into cities, and by the time the Shanghai Expo is opened, as per the estimates by the United Nations, the world’s urban population will account for 55% of the total human population. That alone is a indication that the world is going to require better infrastructure in terms of Electricity, Oil and Gas, but also the basics of life would become just that more important, such as sewage system in developing countries, food readily available to everyone, health facilities and all the other essentials of life. The mission for a much improved life has run through the urban history of mankind. Through its diverse sub-themes (i.e. exhibition halls and areas of the Expo will be dedicated to different themes); the Shanghai Expo 2010 will create blueprints for prospect cities and urban life styles. All of this would be for providing an excellent educational and entertaining platform for visitors from all around the world. The main attractions will be placed within the Shanghai New International Expo Centre, which is an exhibition centre. With a total area of over 127,000 square metres, since its opening in 2001, it has played host to various exhibitions in the past, including the Shanghai Motor Show and the 2002 Tennis Indoor Masters Cup. The centre's indoor exhibition will increase to 200,000 square meters by December 2010. It is predicted that more than 60 million people will travel to Shanghai for the Expo – and around forty percent of them are likely to visit surrounding cities such as Suzhou, Hangzhou, Wuxi and Wuzhen. Haibao at Shanghai Expo 2010: Copyright Navjot Singh The official Mascot Shanghai Expo 2010 has a mascot which has so far proven to be a success. During the beginning of 2009, quite a number of stores in and around Shanghai have started selling products related to the Mascot. The name of the mascot of World Expo 2010 Shanghai China is Hai Bao (as shown above), which when directly translated into English means the “Treasure of the sea”. The name of Hai Bao was chosen out of many because this is quite easy for non-Chinese people to learn and memorize. Also the colour of the mascot goes with the meaning, blue colour for the sea, plus it’s catchy, friendly and finally “Hai Bo” is a characteristic Chinese name which can brings good fortune and blessings. Hai Bai is the good well ambassador of Shanghai Expo 2010. Just like the five mascots of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the Shanghai Expo 2010 Mascot, Hai Bo, will definitely bring together all the world’s cultures and traditions to Shanghai. Where exactly is the Shanghai Expo 2010? An area covering 5.28 square kilometres will occupy a site for the Expo from the Nanpu Bridge to the Lupu Bridge region. This is all located in central Shanghai on both sides of the Huangpu River, with the exhibition also placed below the river on the underground walkway between the Bund and the Pudong area. On both sides of the Huangpu River the total expansion of the site is separated into 3.93 sq km in Pudong and 1.35 sq km in Puxi. How is the Shanghai Expo 2010 arranged? There are five functional zones marked A, B, C, D and E respectively, each with an average area of 60 hectares. Apart from the five zones, there are also 12 pavilion groups, 8 of which in the Pudong Section and 4 in the Puxi Section, each with an average area of 10–15 hectares. Permanent Buildings: China Pavilion The China Pavilion is designed with the concept of "Oriental Crown". The traditional Chinese wooden structure architecture element -- Dougong brackets is introduced. The design concept, "the Oriental Crown, the Crest of Chinese, the Barn for the World and Wealthy People," reflects the deep accumulation of Chinese culture. The main colour of the China Pavilion is the traditional and sacred colour, "Gugong (Forbidden City) Red" which represents the taste and spirit of Chinese culture. The China Pavilion consists of the 47,000-square-meter Chinese national pavilion, 38,000–square-meter Regional joint pavilion and 3,300-square-meter pavilion of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Theme Pavilions The Theme Pavilions are located in Zone B of the enclosed area of the Expo Site and to the west of Expo Boulevard. The shape of the Theme Pavilions borrows from the "lane" and "dormer" of the old Shanghai, to form a two to three-dimensional spatial structure by means of "origami". The Theme Pavilions will be built into a "green, energy-saving, environment-friendly" building with an aboveground area of 80,000 square meters and underground of 40,000 square meters. Expo Boulevard The Expo Boulevard is located in the centre of the Pudong part of the Expo Site and is the largest stand-alone structure within the Expo Site. The Expo Boulevard has two floors underground, one above the ground and one canopy. The Expo Boulevard is a semi-open structure and will serve as a large transportation and commercial centre with multiple purposes. The Expo Boulevard will act as the main axis for human traffic flow and sightseeing in the Expo Site during Expo Shanghai and will continue to be main axis of landscapes in the city after Expo Shanghai. World Expo Centre The Expo Centre is located at the water-front greenland in Zone B of the Expo Site. This building stretches 350 meters from the west to the east, and 140 meters from the north to the south, with a total floor area of 140,000 square meters. The Expo Centre will be completed and put into trial operation by the end of 2009. Being one of the major permanent buildings, the Centre will serve as the centre for ceremonies and conferences, press conferences and various forums during Expo Shanghai. Expo Performance Centre Located in the north of the Pudong Section of the Expo Site and to the east of the Expo Boulevard, the Expo Performance Centre has a floor area of 126,000 square meters, of which 74,000 square meters is above ground and 52,000 square meters underground area. It will be completed and put into trial operation by the end of 2009. The centre mainly consists of large central stage, large functional hall which can house 18,000 audiences and supporting facilities. The audience seats are convertible between 4,000 seats, 8,000 seats, 12000 seats and 18,000 seats based on requirements for performance and volume of audiences. The central stage is the first of its kind in China which can be adjusted to form different shapes within 360 degrees. Therefore, it can provide huge space for stage design, artistic innovation and imagination for various performances Ticket Types
There are 9 types of tickets: · Peak Day Single Day Admission · Peak Day Special Admission · Standard Day Single Day Admission · Standard Day Special Admission · 3 Day Admission · 7 Day Admission · Evening Admission · Group Admission · Student Group Admission Clusters: There are 26 pavilion clusters, each covering 2–3 hectares. The average floor area of each pavilion cluster can house 40–45 exhibition units with every exhibition unit covering a total floor area of 20,000–25,000 square meters. Visitors will be reassured to know that each pavilion cluster will contain small canteens, shops, telecom, western style toilets, nursing services and other public facilities. These facilities will be available in and around the expo, and organisers have made sure that there will be no problems. The entire event will go as smoothly as possible. Overseas national pavilions representing over a hundred countries are planned to be grouped according to the continents they belong to. There will be three types: Type 1 pavilions are designed and constructed by official participants; Type 2 pavilions are stand-alone pavilions constructed by the Organizer and rented to participants and; Type 3 pavilions are joint pavilions constructed by the Organizer. Space in this pavilions are offered free of charge to countries from the developing world. During my travels in China, the one thing I really enjoyed turning a necessity of life into a hobby was the food. It goes without saying that Breakfast is one of the best meals of the day (the other is, of course, Dinner). I must admit that when I first arrived in China in 2003, I dreaded the thought of even slurping on a bowl of rice noodles mixed with bits of “meat” (usually Pork chops; but in China some people cannot translate the meat type into English, so they just say “meat”), first thing in the morning. Instead I wanted my Corn Flakes with delicious cold milk, strawberry muffins and a nice cup of Tetley tea! Yes, I was spoilt on eating a standard western breakfast all my life! Plus, as a travel writer I should have jumped at the opportunity to become a bit more adventurous and expand my gastronomical interests! I still remember the huge disappointment of being forced to eat Chinese breakfast by my friend. “I can get some cake and Nestle Milk from Seven 11!” I said. “No” was the immediate answer from my Guangzhou friend;” You must try Chinese breakfast, I am sure you will like it” So, the first time my friend gave me a Chinese breakfast, my immediate reaction was “What is this?! Hot and spicy soup for breakfast?!”; I asked in hesitation. That comment alone seemed to bring out the giggles on my Guangzhou friends’ faces. But as the days and weeks passed, I had actually gotten used to eating a traditional Chinese breakfast…no complaints whatsoever! It got to me so much that I actually used to look forward to waking up the next day and eating a delicious Chinese breakfast. It was my meal of the day. Why? Because every bite, every slurp is healthy, delicious, and just a sheer delight! I loved it, and still do. I even persuaded my parents to try Soybean milk, so much so that every time I came back to the U.K. I used to bring along bags of powdered Soya Milk. In China, breakfast means so much more than just your average cup of tea. It's all about socialising- meeting people while soaking up the sun and catching up with the local gossip. Although western cereal companies haven't drummed it up yet in China, breakfast in China is still very much Chinese, and has proven time and time again to be the most important meal of the day. On every Chinese street, side alleyway, school canteen and office canteen; you are bound to come across five breakfast dishes renowned throughout the country for their taste, smell and unique attractiveness to foodies everywhere. Although Chinese breakfasts differ greatly between regions, however these five dishes are essential to any breakfast meal irrespective of your location in China. The dishes are: Large white bun (Man-Tou: 饅頭), Deep-fried fluffy dough sticks (You-Tiao: 油條), Glutinous rice balls- sweet or spicy (Tang-Yuan: 湯圓), Large sesame bread (Da-Bing: 芝麻大餅); and Fresh Soybean Milk (Dou-Jiang: 豆漿). The Five dishes, sometimes referred to as just four when not taking the Man-Tou into consideration, are almost like a fashion icon of breakfast meal. Basically, it may be said that no Chinese breakfast is complete without these. Although sadly with the emergence of MacDonald’s and KFC in most Chinese cities many young kids are opting out of eating healthy Chinese breakfasts - even to the extent that these “Little Emperors’/Empresses’” will argue with their parents/grandparents to eat the last remaining Hamburger, or drink a Strawberry Milkshake first thing before school begins (I have seen this with my own eyes many times, and its not nice). Making of a perfect Chinese Breakfast
Now, I am more than sure that the Taiwanese-born Chinese chef, Ching-He Huang, would have a much better way to describe this, but this is my version, and the way I was taught to eat Chinese breakfast! One dish which I have left out of the list is the Congee (稀饭), which is similar to the western Rice porridge. Interestingly enough, the word Congee actually derives from South India from the Tamil word “Kanji”. The beauty of a bowl of Congee is that you can mix it with whatever you like depending on your taste buds and preference. You can make it sweet or spicy. Everyone has their different way of eating a bowl of Congee. Let’s begin with the large sesame bread, (Da-Bing: 芝麻大餅), which comes in three types: Tasteless (boring and simple), Sweet (preferred by many) and salty (usually sprinkled with spices and sesame). The art of cooking this bread is to simply mix the fermented dough with some butter (Margarine or, Sesame Oil and Sunflower Oil will also do) and when you are happy with the shape of the bread, stick it onto the oven (usually a clay fireplace is used by professional chefs), and bake it into savoury bread. The Man-Tou (饅頭) can be classed as being one of the Da-Bing, however usually it can just be bought on its own. One portion normally consists of three small or large white buns- resembling a large marshmallow. The Man-Tou is boring, tasteless and quite hard to eat- imagine biting into a hardened cake and you’ll get the idea! Usually people eat a Man-Tou with a flavoured dish (salty or spicy). The Tang-Yuan (湯圓) consists of sweet or salt flavoured steamed coarse glutinous rice turned into balls the size of Beetroot. They contain a stuffing of deep-fried downy dough sticks; spicy pickles, dried meat for salted ones; and sesame seeds or white sugar for the sweet ones. The sweeter ones are also dipped into syrup- alas this can be too sugary for some people! The Dou-Jiang (豆漿) is best drank fresh- when I mean fresh I mean that the Soya beans that are used to make the drink have been crushed that very day and mixed with hot water and sugar (if preferred) using a blender. For some people in China it is routine to get up early in the morning and make fresh Dou-Jiang to take to work or to give to their children to take to school/college. The Dou-Jiang you get in the shops and the supermarket (even with powdered Soybean) is not quite as healthy and delicious as the fresh one. The fresh Dou-Jiang is viscous and has a strong aroma of soybeans (just like fresh coffee!). Some shops such as the Circle K-Shop make it fresh as you wait. I have tried making fresh You-Tiao (油條) a couple of times (I managed somehow). Now some people may have different ways to cook this, but I was taught to neatly blend the fermented dough with some vegetable oil, twist it into long stripes so that it looks like a foot long screw (that’s the best way to describe the spiral shaped bread!), fry it until it turns golden, soft and crispy. Most people eat their breakfast on- the- go (i.e. in the bus, train or car on the way to work). Its inexpensive (you can get fresh hot Dou-Jiang and You-Tiao for around 5RMB in most shops), healthy and delicious! Oh and, of course, I am talking about eating Chinese Breakfast in China...because Chinese food only tastes good IN China, not in USA, UK etc. It was my first trip to Beijing way back during the Mid-Autumn festival (widely known as the "Moon Cake Festival") in the first week of October 2002; and I was extremely excited at the prospects of actually going to experience the sights and smells of the city at first hand. I had long awaited for this moment and finally that thought was to become reality. Prior to this trip, I had two solid images of Beijing in my mind, the first one was of the Great Wall of China- the image which I suppose most foreigners would have when China is mentioned to them; and the second one was of Tiananmen Square. However that image of Tiananmen Square was the same image that, sadly, showed tanks and student protesters during the 4th June 1989. I was a 9 years old youngster living in London at that time and, obviously, I hardly remember anything at that time. However as the years have passed since that atrocious day in Chinese history, the images we in the UK (and outside of China) have been accustomed to watching are of a young man waving something (a white flag or shirt) and standing in front of a tank in the middle of the square. So on this trip; I was curious to see that square and to stand on that piece of historical land. By all means, it was not the purpose of my trip, however I wanted to see that exact place, and just compare the sight of what life is like in 21st Century Beijing, compared to what I had seen through western Media.
On this trip I was fortunate enough to be accompanied by one of my good friend’s who was kind enough to take a couple of days off her work to show me around. Born and raised in Beijing, educated at the famous Tsinghua University and an aspiring Chinese model/actress, I could not have been in any better company in this splendid city. Arriving on a hot and dry afternoon at my hotel, I spent the final hours of that day sightseeing in central Beijing, having been to look at Beihai Park, the Tian Tan (Temple of Heaven) and eating a scrumptious meal at the acclaimed Duck restaurant on 32 Qianmen Street, I eventually made my way through to Tiananmen Square. Standing at the largest square in the in the world for the first time was just such a wonderful feeling. I immediately felt as if I was part of China’s history and not just Beijing’s history. It was a quite atmosphere to absorb. The weather was still fairly hot and there was a slight breeze coming in from the south. There were many families, tourists and residents’ alike taking an evening stroll, some taking photos, while others were just whiling away the time chatting amongst themselves. There were also quite a lot of children flying kites, taking advantage of that slight breeze I suppose. However one thing I did notice which was somewhat difficult to avoid. As a rough estimate, there must have been about two hundred uniformed army and police personnel in the square (possibly more if one includes the non-uniformed ones). Some were marching in line, while others were just standing and watching the crowds. Were they anticipating for something to happen? Was this a routine procedure (or should I say a daily one?)? I did not know the answer to these questions. Nevertheless their presence was all the all a bizarre occurrence to me, as the only time I have seen such high number of police presence is at, say marches or public events (musical concerts and so on)- and here I was standing in Beijing on a perfectly normal and quiet summer’s evening. Every time I got my camera out to take a photo, it had always occurred at the back of my mind, “Is it safe?”, “Will they stop me from taking a photo?” It seems bad that I had these thoughts, but for some reason (I still cannot explain as to why), I always felt a bit fearful of seeing Chinese police. If I, as a foreigner felt this way, I can only imagine what a native Chinese person may feel like. Just then a group of about 10 soldiers where marching towards us. I took a chance and asked my friend to take a photo of me with the soldiers marching as a backdrop. She asked me to stand in front of a tree, and carefully placed the camera at an angle so that no one could tell that she was talking the photos of the soldiers as well. My friend and I strolled our way to the south side of the square, and she was happily explaining to me the daily ceremony of raising (at sunrise) and lowering (at sunset) of the national flag by the guards, when I asked her a few questions; and I could not resist the opportunity. “Is this is way the tanks came in from on the 4th of June?”, “Do you remember what you were doing on that day?” Immediately I realized that I made a mistake of even asking her up front. Suddenly her smile disappeared, and she completely ignored my questions. “Is everything alright?” I asked, to which she replied with a simple nod with a straight facial expression before we changed the subject and carried on talking about other things. To this day, I do not understand what was going through her mind, and will probably never know why she ignored my questions. Interestingly, during my many years in China, I had come to realize that this was not just an isolated case, it was quite common for anyone to just suddenly go quiet and change the subject...would be interesting to know if anyone else (Chinese or non-Chinese) has had a similar experience. Today, the 27th of August 2009, marks the one year anniversary of the conclusion of the Beijing 2008 Olympics. In my heart and mind, it still feels like yesterday- time has just flown by. The sad thing is, and perhaps one of the regrets of my life so far, that I was not able to go to Beijing to witness the Olympics at firsthand. Fate just did not allow me to go, I was too busy with my corporate life in London. Some of you may read this description and see it as an excuse, but its not. I have a special affection with two cities in China, one is Guangzhou, and the other is Beijing. Beijing was MY HOME for just over 2 years from 2004, and I wished I was there for more than that. I still remember the days when I used to cycle from my home in Shangdi district (Qi Er Xi) to Wu Dao Kou near the Tsinghua University campus. I miss those days soo much. If ever I had the power to turn back time, I would definitely rewind back to re-live those days! I spent the 8th of August 2008 preparing for the conference speech which I had the following day, and only got to watch the ceremony briefly later that day. Earlier today in London, at a lunch meeting to mark the one year anniversary of the closing of the Beijing Olympics, I was fortunate enough to discuss about the London 2012 Olympics with the former Olympic Champion Tessa Sanderson. Tessa, who is playing a high profile role in training new talent for the London 2012 Olympics, told me that the London Olympics is going to be the best games staged ever, and everything is well on course for a superb opening in 2012. Hopefully I will be at the London 2012 Olympics...although I am not sure what I'll make of it if by chance I end up being in China during the London 2012 Olympics!!
My fair share of signs which can otherwise provide some laughs:
I saw two Chinese men playing a game of Chess
They both seemed highly focused, and almost in a spell, Their ability to concentrate was amazing, just like a wizard, For to play the game was very hard, A peg in the game hopped over the hole, To reach the other side was the goal, One player was in triumph and glory, While the other thought it was the end of the story. With so many books, websites and guides on how an individual can manage themselves when conducting business activities in China, it can be a daunting process for a person interested in doing business with China who is not familiar with the country and its business ethics. It goes without saying that doing business in China is not easy for any foreign company or person irrespective of how long they have lived, worked or had some sort of connection with China. It may be just that little bit smoother if you have a Chinese business partner (person or company), however if you are going to go and try to set up a base for your company all by yourself, then you are, I am sorry to say, going to drown yourself into deep waters. Having been there, and done that myself, here are some tips I would like to share. To the seasoned China business minded person, these tips may seem like all "sold out" stuff. However, they do, of course, take into account that I have had experience of working for a Chinese company in China, as well as working for a foreign company in China. Two very different corporate cultures operating within an embedded common Chinese environment- it sounds like an experiment at a large scale but in actual fact the beauty of it all is that it does work (IF good corporate advice is followed).:
1. DO BACKGROUND CHECKS: If you are going to employ foreign individuals into your company in China, especially if they are senior executives who would be responsible for making day to day decisions, then I would strongly recommend that detailed background checks are carried out. This would, of course, apply also to Chinese nationals being employed. There are many companies specialising in these services. You can contact your local Chamber of Commerce or search on the internet. 2. KNOW THE CORPORATE LAW IN CHINA: Be very careful when treading your shoes into issues such as Import and Export Tax Laws. Select a reliable and known law firm that can guide you in the correct way. Corporate laws are different in China. With common sense any company will investigate this first before making their moves. I have come across some expats who believe that because they are foreigners, so they will get some special VIP treatment and can “get away” with some laws (such as import/export Tax). Well, this is not true at all; in fact the corporate laws in China are stricter than most other countries. 3. PROTECT YOUR IP: In China, you would be amazed at the number of fake and copied goods that are openly available on the consumer and corporate market. Ranging from your “Iron Bru drink” to even manufactured Chicken Eggs, ANYTHING can be produced by those who wrongly believe they can outclass the Chinese law. Unsurprisingly, Intellectual Property is the most sought after advice topic by foreigners thinking of investing in China’s booming economy. Sincere advice would be to use the same due diligence you would outside of China. 4. AVOID ARGUEING: It would not be a nice idea if you decide to argue or force your Chinese counterparts to come to agreements with you. Negotiation is not a smooth process in China. If the two sides do not agree, then it’s common for Chinese business officials to just go quiet and maybe not even respond to questions at all. Your best approach is to go in the meeting with not aiming to make a deal- otherwise you will become frustrated easily. Explain your position in clear, concise words. Be Respectful and state your points by the book. Then be prepared to walk off if your conditions are not met. 5. AVOID REJECTING THE CULTURE: Many foreign business people ask me what are the wrongs and right of business etiquette in China. The most important thing I would say is to respect face. Never quarrel or voice a difference of opinion with anyone- even a member of your own team. Never make the other person wrong. It is common for people to answer the phone or talk amongst themselves loudly in a meeting. Never say "no" directly, as that is considered impolite and superior. It makes sense to educate individuals the cross-cultural factors that have a direct impact on your Return on Investment (ROI). 6. BE ACCURATE: Avoid making assumptions or hoping that YOUR personal judgements will make you stand out amongst others in meetings or presentations. Logistics and facts are the core ingredients of any successful business in China. Not taking this into account can be very dangerous because if your facts are not validated then you will end up losing your credibility, and your audience will lose trust in you. In the west mistakes are somewhat accepted to a certain extent, but in China a single mistake is enough to kill trust. Once trust is lost, it’s very difficult to get it back in China. 7. AVOID SARCASM: When you are having a business meal or in a break between meetings, then sharing a light joke is perfectly acceptable, provided you don’t start talking about anything political or anything which may involve sarcasm. People will not understand western humour (especially British Humour!), and your intended sarcastic joke may be taken as offensive or completely misunderstood. In some circumstances, the consequence of this may lead to the difference between wining and losing a negotiation. 8. NETWORKING: We all know that globally in the business culture keeping rapport with like minded individuals can make the difference between a win-win and a loss situation. In China this networking goes just that extra mile. Networking is a lifestyle in China that extends beyond the boardroom. Making your client feel special and treating them to dinner or any other entertainment, such as, say for example, a day at the Golf Club, even before setting up a formal meeting would be a very good idea. Concentrate on building the relationship before talking business. Most certainly never undervalue the significance of existing connections. 9. SENSE & SIMPLICITY: When making presentations to Chinese clients or colleagues, speak slowly, clearly and concisely. Make your presentations simple and easy to follow, almost like an “Idiot’s guide to so and so” but without making the audience feel as if they are idiots. Avoid telling jokes and avoid making the Chinese audience look as if they do not know anything. People may be quiet or may not pay much attention to a presentation, but they do understand and are willing to take part if given the chance. 10. RESEARCH: Before heading to your new market, do as much detailed research as possible. There is a whole range of advice provided by Chamber of Commerce’s, Embassies, your country’s Trade & Industry organisation (UK, USA etc), expatriate website blogs as well as sound advice from other corporate professionals who have lived and worked in China. A crude example may be taken into account, such as, if a person who has lived in, say, Canada, for 25 years and managed his business the Canadian way. Then one day as he comes to open a new branch in China- apart from the normal culture shock in all aspects of life, you can imagine the immediate corporate culture shock he will also experience. Above all else, common sense should prevail and more importantly the above ten tips may be applied anywhere in the world, however, in China they have a special significance because the culture (both outside and inside the corporate world), language and laws are different. Busking on an early summer's sunshine at around 25 degrees Celsius, and an exciting taxi ride away; (almost as exciting as in Dubai ... but less than Shenzhen); took only an hour and a half to get to the Great Wall at Badaling. A massive sign to the right of the picture reveals a proud welcome to visitors to the city that will host the Olympics in August 2008.
Apart from the few (rare....normally it's jammed packed!) tourists, I was alone with the wall, and its ancient legacy that's rich with local ambiance. That stretch of long rock that stretches over the mountainous peaks in the distance can render you humble and insignificant, is breathtaking. It's magical...there is no other way to describe it. Go there, do it, and be ready to say 'been there, done that!' |
Get in Touch:LIFE MATTERSHere I share my thoughts
and experiences during my travels, and how some things have affected my life as an expat and world traveller. Travelling is about capturing that moment in life. Every word, view and opinion on this page is that of Navjot Singh - except where indicated. The most recent is at the top. Scroll down to read the archive. Or search using CTRL+F (COMMAND + F) and enter a keyword to search the page. Just some of the stories you never heard before. The NAVJOT-SINGH.COM web blog is separate to this web site....Click blog, which may not be visible in some countries due to local firewall restrictions, so in those cases this weblog may be read. The weblog also includes some of my press trip reports- most of which are not published on the official blog because of copyright issues. The weblog also contains articles that may be associated directly with a PR trip for a country, airline or a hotel. These are PR reviews done in relations with various companies. If you are an investor or a trend watcher then you may find this website useful as investing has a lot to do with personal observations and finding the ideal trend or next big thing. The average human on the street frequently knows far more about the state of the economy than politicians, university professors, subject matter experts, and financial analysts who seldom travel, or if they do so, only from one hotel to another hotel! The pulse and vibrancy of an economy is nowhere more visible than on a country's streets. All photos and words are © Navjot Singh unless stated. Photos taken by others or by agencies are appropriately copyrighted under the respective name. No photo or word/s may be taken without the prior written permission by the author (i.e. Navjot Singh). All Rights Reserved. Archives
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