I was invited to go to the Fragrant Hills a weekend of two back. This is an area on the outskirts of Beijing. There is a new tram which goes there (it opened last year, or the year before I think), but I haven’t been there before. I’ve thought about it, several times, but it …
Category: Beijing
Sitting on the Iron Throne
Game of Thrones recently finished, which was big news for many fans. I watched the series, but came to it rather late in the day. The final episode was interesting, and I suppose concluded all the stories, though I know lots of people who were annoyed at the ending. I wasn't overly bothered, though it was …
In the captain’s chair
The temperature in Beijing recently has been hot, hot, hot. Seriously, it has been in the mid-to-high 30s, although I think cooler weather (slightly cooler at least) is on its way. My second-year students have been teaching classes themselves recently, and my first-year students are about to start their final exams (I know it might …
‘What a shame’
It is the time of year at the moment when flowers spring forth and the weather improves. Spring and autumn are the two best seasons in Beijing as the weather is warm, but does not have the sweltering heat of summer, nor the freezing cold of winter. It is also the time when cherry blossom …
Looking for inspiration
Friday, 8th March, was International Women’s Day. This is a day where we celebrate the achievements of women, whilst also remembering the struggles that they still face. It just so happened (I suspect not accidentally) that Marvel Studio’s new superhero film, Captain Marvel, was released on the same day. The film is about a female superhero …
And then there were two…
I had a message recently from the liaison teacher at the university where I work. Given that the semester had finished already, it was a little strange (although last year she messaged me when I was at the airport, ready to depart on my winter travels, to ask if I could cover for another teacher …
The ‘Wild Wall’
Last week, I was invited to visit the Great Wall. I have been before, once, to Badaling, one of the most touristy parts of the wall just outside Beijing. This time, the invitation was to visit the 'wild wall', where tourists do not, often, visit. The invite came from my Chinese colleague who sorts out …
