We all know the frustration with Beijing taxi drivers. Some are great, both in driving and for conversation. Most enjoy the chit-chat and can be very friendly. Some others are just plain horrible in smell, attitude and ignorance.
Most of the time I just order them to follow my directions as normally I know my way around better than they do, including which traffic lights are good or bad. But if you unlucky to go to a place you’ve never been, good luck – 99.9% don’t understand one word of English and many don’t know the city.
Not knowing the whole city should not be a problem. We don’t expect them to be up to London Taxi standards. This is why maps exist and believe me, there are some pretty good and detailed Beijing maps (all in Chinese). But I have never, never seen ONE driver using a map.
Seems that is against Chinese culture.
Or, they simply seem unable to read a map – ever seen a map with directions sent by Chinese entities? Ignore it. Usually will lead you to Timbuktu. They say women cannot read maps. The average Chinese cannot make nor read nor use one.
So if you ever need to go somewhere – be prepared in advance.
Otherwise, have a nice day in Timbuktu and have your wallet ready.

I listen most of the day to CRI on FM here in Beijing (88.7 and 91.5).
Some programs are great. But in some there is too much talking, those people love to listen to their own silly small talk, instead of playing music.
Now the biggest clown is that non-identified foreigner on Saturday mornings, on 88.70 FM. Tried to find his name on CRI’s website, to no avail. Something like Ryan Seacrest (“American Top 40”)(or is the real American clown Steve Coral or something?). The guy must be utterly frustrated that nobody likes him, so at every occasion he plays a tape of girls giggling or laughing. Irritating. Get a life man, have a couple of beers on the Gongti Strip, maybe somebody will actually laugh seeing you. Or maybe he never came to China, might also explain a lot.
Of course I could switch off but I really want to listen to the top 40…

Since I am back in Beijing from Shanghai (December 1999), I am bike-less. My maid took over my run-down bike and it was promptly stolen. She learned her lesson, bought an even uglier one and painted it in an super-ugly white color. No more problems.
Anyway, how could I use one without having it promptly stolen, or being run over by a car, and without having parking lots in any of the places I usually go? Forget about biking lanes too, they don’t exist anymore (they are mostly for parking cars or worse). Cars are king.
Looooong time ago all hotels and buildings had bike parking lots with old ladies taking good care of them.
Of course some foreigners do pedal here but they don’t go to the Peninsula Hotel, Kerry Center, Hilton etc.
See here the e-mail I got from my friend Charles Rycroft on 23/11/2007 when he gave up to have a drink with me in the Centro Bar (Kerry Center), one of those networking events.
Of course, if you ride a bike you’re not good enough for Centro. Get lost, cheapskate, buy a BMW.
Charles:
Talk about the Kerry Centre not being bike-friendly– their bike-park is three levels down beneath street level and at the opposite end of the complex from the Centro Bar.
On arrival, I vainly attempted to lock my bike to various street-level lamp-posts/gates/fences in the immediate vicinity, but each time I was ordered down to the third tier of Hell by security goblins…
Not squash-bag-friendly either, as you witnessed, while my regular bag happened that night to be holding my expensive camera and most precious documents for myself and all the family. Not the best night therefore to sling the whole lot under a chair or table in a crowded bar… which you will agree was sound judgment although very poor planning although I DID at least get the dress-code right!
Tie and even grown-up shoes!
So many really good reasons therefore to give up on “the Networking” and make it back to the good old bike-n-bag friendly Kempinski, leading to your good self being the only person I “met” that evening, not counting the goblins of course.

Someone must read the “Letters to the Editor of the IHT”.
A couple of months ago I read an article in the International Herald Tribune about Chinese food outside of China. I wrote a letter, it was never published but one week later I saw the same article in China Daily – without the doubtful black chicken comment. See here the letter, speaks for itself:
RE: Article: 12 February – “A rat in the kitchen” (by Fred Ferretti)
Interesting and correct view on the fake Chinese food in the USA, for us “Chinese” mostly pretty awful. But I disagree that black chickens are never eaten. True, the soup is the focus but I can assure Fred, local Chinese here do eat the chicken too. It is regularly prepared at home and Chinese family members and friends only throw the bones. True, sometimes in the lavish banquets too much food is served so it happens guests just stick to the soup.
Submitted by Gilbert Van Kerckhove (a Rat in Beijing since 1980)
Last note: sometimes we even eat the bones when they are soft as the meat.