Travel: China - Beijing

[hippopo]

Hi,


We booked a taxi to Mu Tian Yu with my 3yrs and 5 yrs kids. Set off before morning peak and we reached there at 8.30am. As it is winter, there isn’t any crowd. We took cable ride up and walked for 2 hours. It was a slow stroll, up and down. Then we descend via the slide. The kids enjoyed themselves tremedously. Just make sure you layer the clothes and bring thermo flask.

The driver took us to PlayHouse by the Park after Mu Tian Yu. It was owned by Singaporeans. They sell Italian food, have clean toilets and heater.

As the package is until 5pm, he brought us to Bird’s Nest and Shui Li Fang.

[hippopo]

oh yes,


Bring your kids to Baby Boss! Where the kids can try out different occupations, Baby Boss has a similar branch in Taiwan too. It will last a day!

[hypergatak]

Hi


Anyone been BeYou Beijing? May I know if the activities are conducted in English or Chinese? Thanks.

[cookieandmonster]

Hi hypergatak, i am going to BeYou Beijing too!!! Are you with tour group? Maybe we in same tour package : )

[hypergatak]

Hi hi, we are on our own. Do you know whether the activities are carried in chinese or english? I am thinking of bringing my boys (10 & 6 yo) there, but not sure if they are able to move around on their own unsupervised, given the language barrier (sad to say they are not able to converse in mandarin comfortably).

[dadofthree]

Just came back from Beijing last week. Kids will love the snow but you’ll have to prepare heat packs for them. Protect their hands and feet with heat packs. Body wise, generally fleece jacket will help alot with long johns and thermals.


Try to bring the kids to tiananmen square every morning before the sun rises. They have a flag raising ceremony every
Morning. Hahahaha. Kids would like to see them march out. Haha.

[bobonana]

galgal:

I'm going to beijing in Mid Dec, thinking to go to ski resort for 2 nights stay. Anyone been to ski resort? Which ski resort is nice to stay for 2 nights, we do not know how to ski at all.

Hi Galgal, hope i am not too late. I have been living in Beijing for the past 2 years. I have tried before two different Ski Resorts, Nanshan resort and Yunfoshan resort, imo Nanshan is much better.

However if you dont mind traveling you can consider going to Wanlong Ski Resort, which is out of Beijing in Zhangjiakou. Considered the 2nd best ski resort in China with many different tracks. The best is of cos Yabuli at Harbin.

[xiaostar]

tianjin-beijing 30mins by train...


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[kiddykiddy]

wow! so cheap. can consider going to gold coast for holiday soon…

[xiaostar]

China: Most paper cups in China not safe to use


Friday, May 25, 2012
China Daily/Asia News Network

Most paper cups available on the Chinese market would not meet the new national standard, which comes into effect on June 1, according to industry insiders.

The country's first regulation on disposable cups will focus on raw materials, additives and printed patterns, and is aimed at boosting consumer safety.

However, as the new rule does not include details on any penalties for offenders, experts predicted on Monday that the standard is unlikely to have a major impact in the short-term.

\"Most cups, not only those served at small, roadside restaurants, but also those provided by big-name catering companies, will be substandard once the national standard comes into force,\" said Dong Jinshi, executive vice-president of the International Food Packaging Institute in Beijing.

The regulation will require a great number of products to be taken off the shelves, he said, but without enforcement people will continue to be \"left with no choice but to use cups that may be hazardous to their health\".

Among the biggest changes in the standard, issued by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the Standardization Administration, is the restrictions on printing.

Starting next month, colored patterns on paper cups cannot be within 15 millimeters from the lip or 10 millimeters from the bottom.

This, Dong said, is to prevent the oil or ink used to make the pattern from contaminating the inside of another cup when they are stacked.

\"Companies tend to brand disposable cups with gaudy, colorful prints,\" Dong said. \"However, it's very easy for the customers to ingest the ink while drinking if the pattern is too close to the top.\"

He said most pattern prints contain benzene, which ingested over time can cause cancer and leukemia.

Change ahead

Bao Xinchun, sales manager for Beijing Heyi Packing Equipment, which supplies big-name brands like Subway, Holiland and Quanjude, said catering companies have already started consulting him over the new regulations.

However, he expects to see few of them make drastic changes to their cups in the near future.

\"Most patterns printed on paper cups for the catering industry would fail to meet the new standard,\" he said.

\"But companies will be concerned that it might influence their business if they all of a sudden change the patterns that they have been using for years, especially for the catering companies, who need to attract customers.

\"Unless authorities come up with a penalty for those who violate the rules, I don't think it's possible or practical for firms to have their patterns wiped off or altered.\"

In addition to the limit on patterns, the standard also imposes requirements on raw materials and bans disposable cups from being made from recycled materials.

Cups with a soft texture and tendency to leak will also be disqualified, while paper cups are required to be dustproof and mold-proof.

In the meantime, food packaging expert Dong said, consumers should avoid products with elaborate patterns.

\"The more patterns on the cup the more possible it is for people to take the oil in and harm their health,\" he said. \"It is highly suggested people purchase plain cups or those with little pattern on them.\"

http://www.yourhealth.com.sg/content/most-paper-cups-china-not-safe-use