An Expat in China

The Russian National Ballet is in town. But could it be that not everything is as it seems?

798 Art Zone (798艺术区) is a part of the Dashanzi area of Chaoyang that houses a thriving artistic community - often compared with New York's Greenwich Village. It used to be a complex of East German factories built in the 1950s ...

One hears so many stories of fake goods being sold in China's markets that how on earth can you tell if they are genuine or not? Why, ask the seller of course!

Chinese people prepare for their Mid Autumn Festival in much the same way as the West prepares for Christmas. The Zhongqiu Festival (中秋节) is one of the four most important Chinese festivals, and mooncakes are regarded as an indispensable delicacy on this occasion. But what is their attraction? Are they really as mouth-watering as many would have you believe?

I am finally the proud owner of my very own internet connection at home in my apartment. Getting it wasn't as easy as one might have expected...

From June to the end of August it is the turn of Lotus flowers to be given pride of place in the old Summer Palace - the YuanMingYuan. And lest you should have difficulty making out a lotus bobbing on the surface of one of the many lakes, the park planners have made it a little easier for you….

The Chinese are still intensely proud of their 2008 Olympics; and the venue is well worth a visit, not only for the buildings, but for all the other extras that have sprung up since 2008...

If ever an entrance ticket fell foul of advertising standards, then that of Beijing Zoo has to be the one! It is not for nothing that the zoo itself has terrible write-ups on the web, with terrible conditions for the animals - the ones that still remain. But even your favourite podcaster was surprised by just how bad this particular zoo actually was...

What to do when you find yourself with severe toothache? Go find a dentist, of course. Not as difficult as you might think here in Beijing...

Lonely Planet warns that the mere mention of Badaling sends a shudder down the spine of hardcore Great Wall walkers. But as a starting off point to understand the wall's significance, it is easy (and cheap) to get to ... once you have grappled with the intricacies of the journey...