Beijing Basics

We got here in the month of February. It was freezing cold for us, though it may not have been that cold for the locals here. Just a small tip..none of the woolens you get from India may keep you warm enough for the winter here. You will get jackets that will keep you nice and warm from any of the markets here.

There are a lot of bi weekly/monthly English magazines which are absolutely free, and you can pick it up from any of the good restaurants around the place you live. The Beijinger, City weekend and Agenda are a few free magazines.

Carrefour Supermarket is quite popular, and you get everything you need there. Until you settle in and find your way to the local markets , its best to hit this store and pick up stuff you really need.

A tip for those coming for the first time to Beijing (like us).. Get a nice big jute bag, the kind you carry to the sabji mandi in India. They are trying to minimize use of plastics in Beijing so if you need a plastic bag to carry the grocery you’ve picked up, you will have to pay for it. So if you have an old school bag / a the big jute bag you can carry your stuff from the store in it.

To go around the city, the most convenient and economical way is the Subway. All stations have boards and signs in English. All you need to do is walk into the station, look for a ticket counter and ask for a ‘Piao’ which means ticket. It will cost you around 2 RMB for a one way trip.

You can also check out the Agenda (the free English magazine) which has the subway map. So you can pull out the map and keep it in your wallet so you have it with you all the time.