Beijing is awesome! Zhangbei was an adventure and I think I’m ok! Whilst it was a work trip, I made many new friends and also learnt that I can keep up a conversation in Mandarin without resorting much to English or Cantonese! I will definitely go back to Beijing, this time to do all the touristy stuff (and not in Summer).
China Airlines however… was HORRIBLE! On the way back we had a 7hr flight delay with no explanations or compensation. We boarded the plane at about 3pm and we were due to fly at 3.35 back to Singapore. After waiting in the cabin for close to 1hr, the plane started its journey on the runway but just as it was about to take-off, it screeched and braked really badly. We all had whiplash. Then it stopped. We waited for another hour before someone told us to grab our things and get off the plane. There were no explanations except, the plane can’t take off “we don’t know why”. Then we went back to the Airport and waited for another hour before they gave us some food and told us our flight would be at 8pm. By 8.30pm people were shouting and screaming at service staff who had no clue at all. Only at 10pm did we get on the plane again, this time I had my seats swapped without notice and I was squashed between 2 rather inconsiderate people. Cabin crew quarreled with each other loudly in the plane until a passenger told them in Beijing Mandarin not to fight in front of passengers. Horrible horrible! I’ll do anything just once and I think my time with Air China is done.
An Exercise In Trivial Pursuits 
lovely pics! 😀 thanks for sharing hun. AND HAHA, the toilets cracked me up, why would they want you to sit in a circle,lol, terrible. 😀
From what the Beijing-ers told me, well… HAHAHAHAHA it’s called the Mongolia-style
Wow – I’ve been to some horrible festival toilets in my time but that has to be the worse I’ve ever seen!!
Thanks for posting a rant about air China! I’ve seen their planes in the airports and thought they look kind of old but have on the odd occassion been tempted to book one of their flights because they seem really cheap – but I think I’ll save up and spend more on my flights. I feel sorry for you 😦
It’s not so much horrible as my own personal preferences. Not in my culture to use open toilets. I prefer privacy. I can see why it’s a good way to do this though. Save the earth and all that.
Yes, China Airlines is horrible!
it’s hard to comment on any of the other stuff after looking at this horrible loo! HAHA…
It’s not like it was particularly dirty or smelly (this I understand to be totally expected of music festivals, especially those I’ve been to) BUT this was indecent exposure! HAHHAHAA