BOOYAH IN BEJING

VIEW FROM MY HOTEL ROOM IN BEIJING

A CONTINUATION OF THE " GO EAST YOUNG MAN!!! JIMITHEGREEK GOES TO CHINA" SAGA (JUNE 12 - 16 2007 IS THIS REALLY THE END?)......NAH, ONE, MAYBE TWO MORE TO GO!

ACTUALLY HAD A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP , CHECKED OUT OF THE RENAISSANCE HOTEL AND CAUGHT A CAB TO THE AIRPORT. IT IS AMAZING THAT THE BEST AIRPORT IN THE WORLD IS THE HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. IT IS CLEAN, BRIGHT, SPACIOUS, WELL ORGANIZED AND EFFICIENT. THERE IS A SLEW OF SHOPS, SERVICES & RESTAURANTS TO MEET EVERY TRAVELERS NEEDS. OF COURSE MY NEED WAS TO MEET THE CHINAMAN AND GET SOME BREAKFAST!

WHAT EAT AGAIN YOU SAY? OK , RELAX, IT WAS JUST A BOWL OF NOODLES CAUSE I AINT EATING NO STINKING AIRLINE FOOD! I'M NOT SAYIN WHAT THE CHINAMAN ATE! (DON'T REMEMBER) AFTER SOME WALKING AROUND, PERUSING SOME OF THE NIFTY AIRPORT SHOPS I WENT TO THE GATE. THE CHINAMAN HAD ALREADY WANDERED OFF ALLEGEDLY ( I THINK HE WENT TO THE GODIVA STORE!) TO THE SMOKING AREA. ANYWAYS A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER WE ARE IN THE NEW CAPITAL OF CAPITALISM, BEIJING.

IT WAS ALMOST TWENTY YEARS SINCE THE LAST TIME I WAS IN BEIJING AND ALL I COULD THINK WAS BIG BOW WOW!!!! DURING THE TAXI CAB RIDE FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE HOTEL I DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE JOINT. TREMENDOUS CONSTRUCTION, DEVELOPMENT, BILLBOARDS AND PROLIFERATION OF GOOD OLD CAPITALISM EVERYWHERE. WE GOT TO OUR HOTEL THE CROWN PLAZA PARK VIEW WUZHOU IN ABOUT FORTY MINUTES. THE HOTEL IS NEAR THE OUTER PART OF THE CITY BUT REALLY CLOSE TO SOME OF THE OLYMPIC VENUES FOR 2008. IN FACT IT IS IN WALKING DISTANCE TO THE (BIRDS NEST) BEIJING NATIONAL OLYMPIC STADIUM. IT REALLY IS COOL LOOKING!

SO WE ARE AT THE HOTEL AND WE HAVE THREE DAYS OF WORK LIKE STUFF TO DO. THERE IS OUR CONFERENCE, SEMINARS, MEETINGS, PRESENTATIONS ETC, ETC, ETC. WHAT YOU SAY? WHAT NO EATING? WELL HECK YEAH!! THERE IS SOME EATING AND TOURISTY KINDA OF STUFF, SO LETS GET TO IT!

GATE TO BEIHAI PARK

NOW THE CHINAMAN HAD BEEN RANTING AND RAVING ABOUT THIS RESTAURANT WHERE THE EMPEROR'S USED TO EAT IN SOME PARK WHERE THEY HAD ALL SORTS OF EXOTIC DELICACIES LIKE CAMELS PAW, SHARKS FIN, VENISON TENDONS, MONKEY MUSHROOMS, DEER TAIL SOUP, AND WELL YOU GET THE PICTURE HERE. OKAY SO WE DROP OUR STUFF IN THE HOTEL ROOM AND COME BACK TO THE LOBBY. AFTER A BIT OF SOCIALIZING WITH SOME COLLEAGUES WE DEFTLY SAUNTER OUT TO GRAB A TAXI TO GO TO THE NORTHERN PART OF BEIJING TO BEIHAI PARK. THIS PARK YOU COULD SAY IS AKIN TO CENTRAL PARK IN NYC. IT IS AN OASIS OF GREEN & TRANQUILLITY IN THE POLLUTED, CONGESTED CAPITAL. NOW THE CAB RIDE TOOK ABOUT AN HOUR , MAYBE MORE. IT REALLY OPENED MY EYES TO THE EXPLOSIVE CONSTRUCTION, GROWTH & COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE CITY. OF COURSE ALONG WITH THIS COMES THE POLLUTION, TRAFFIC, OVERCROWDING AND CONGESTION. LET ME JUST SAY CHINA IS GOING THROUGH IT'S OWN "INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION" ON THE WAY TO BECOMING THE NEXT DOMINANT COUNTRY ON OUR WORLD (50 YEARS)! ENOUGH OF ALL THAT, LETS GET TO THE CAMEL MEAT!

AFTER A LITTLE CONFUSION OF FROM WHICH GATE TO ENTER THE PARK AND A SHORT WALK. OUR DESTINATION WAS THE FANGSHAN RESTAURANT SITUATED SMACK IN BEIHAI PARK. THE RESTAURANT WAS OPENED IN 1925 BY A FORMER CHEFS OF THE ROYALTY. THEY USED TO COOK 108 OUT OF 800 DISHES FOR THE EMPRESS DOWAGER CIXI AKA DRAGON LADY (1835 - 1908) ROYAL FAMILY'S MEAL. THE RESTAURANT ITSELF IS QUITE RICHLY DECORATED WITH GOLD AND RED ITEMS, CARVINGS ETC. VERY SPARKLY AND COLORFUL I MUST SAY. THERE ARE VARIOUS SET MENUS RANGING FROM ELABORATE ($$$$) TO SIMPLE ($). OF COURSE THE CHINAMAN WENT FOR THE FULL MONTY, THE TOP OF THE HILL, THE GRAND SALAMI, THE MORE THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY EAT, THE IMPERIAL BANQUET.

AS WE SAT DOWN THEY BROUGHT A PLATE OF SLICED MYSTERY MEATS, FISH & VEGGIES ( AS PER THE CHINAMAN). ALL TASTY TASTY I MUST SAY


I USUALLY LIKE TO HAVE A BEER WITH MY CAMEL PAW & DEER TENDON DINNERS BUT THE CHINAMAN INSISTED THAT WE ENJOY THE VERY SPECIAL IMPERIAL WINE LIQUOR THAT WAS SERVED TO THE ROYALS! I AM GAME TO DRINK AS LONG AS IT HAS ALCOHOL IN IT. YOU KNOW ALCOHOL KILLS GERMS, SO I WILL DRINK IT. THE BOTTLE THAT THE STUFF CAME IN WAS LIKE THE RESTAURANT , ALL ORNATE GOLD AND RED AND PRETTY IN A GAUDY WAY. THE STUFF IN THE BOTTLE HOWEVER WAS ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIC. IT WAS LIKE DRINKING THE ESSENCE OF TURPENTINE. I AM SORRY TO REPORT IT WAS UNDRINKABLE...DOUBLE YUCK! OF COURSE THIS DRINK WAS PROBABLY THE REASONS WHY ALL THE ROYALS LIVED LONG AND HEALTHY AND WHY THEY WERE ABLE TO EAT ALL THIS STUFF LIKE.......

BRAISED ABALONE WITH BROCCOLI AND MYSTERIOUS BROWN SAUCE. ABALONE IS NOT MY FAVE BUT THIS DISH WAS VERY FRESH AND TASTY.

STEWED SEA CUCUMBER WITH BRAISED DEER LIPS. THE MEAT TASTES LIKE VENISON THE SEA CUCUMBER LIKE TASTELESS CRUNCHY & MUSHY STUFF.

THESE LITTLE SLIDERS FROM WHITE CASTLE WERE MY FAVORITES! JUST KIDDING!! THESE WERE LITTLE TOASTED SESAME BUNS FILLED WITH A MINCED LAMB & PORK MEAT FILLING. DELICIOUSO!




SPECIALTY OF THE HOUSE, CAMEL'S PAW WITH SCALLION ONION SAUCE. TASTED A BIT LIKE PORK IF YOU ASK ME! YES I CAN NOW SAY THAT I HAVE ALLEGEDLY EATEN CAMEL MEAT. NO NEED TO EVER EAT IT AGAIN!!!





ROASTED VENISON WITH ASPARAGUS & PEPPER CHILI SAUCE. ZESTY, SPICY AND TASTY BAMBI MEAT!!

SURE, I HAVE ALREADY HAD A COUPLE OF BEERS BY NOW. THE CHINAMAN DID VALIANTLY TRY TO GET ME TO "ENJOY" MORE OF THE ROYAL NASTY WINE, BUT HE DID GIVE UP AND I NOTICED HE DIDN'T DRINK ANYMORE EITHER!!

THERE WERE OTHER DISHES INCUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

WARM DE BONED DUCK BREAST WITHOUT ANY SAUCE...VERY NICE

STEAMED WHOLE SHRIMP FORMED & DECORATED TO LOOK LIKE SPARROWS

BRAISED SHARK FIN SOUP ...THIS WAS THE CHINAMANS AS I DO NOT LIKE IT!

DEER OR VENISON TENDONS STEWED IN WINE SAUCE......CAPTAIN CRUNCHY LIKE TEXTURE!!

THERE WAS A HEALTHY STEAMED STUFFED BEAN CURD DISH, WHICH WE COULD NOT FIND OUT WHAT IT WAS STUFFED WITH?

THERE WAS AN EXPLANATION AND NICE PRESENTATION OF EVERY DISH. IT WAS ALL ELEGANT AND WONDERFUL, THREE HOURS LATER WE HAD DESSERT.

DESSERT WAS ROLLS OF SWEET KIDNEY BEANS IN FLOUR AND MASHED PEAS CAKES! I CANT MAKE THIS STUFF UP!
I WAS SO STUFFED I COULD NOT EVEN EAT ANY HAAGEN DAAS ICE CREAM...IF THEY HAD IT! STICK A PAIR OF CHOP STICKS IN ME I WAS DONE! IT WAS AN EXOTIC, EXHAUSTING EATING EXTRAVAGANZA!








OKAY STAY TUNED FOR THE PENULTIMATE BLOG IN THIS SAGA, BOOYAH IN BEIJING PART DEUX!