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Ask Locals in Beijing!
Valueable advice or meet people in Beijing for travel tips, best food recommendations, hidden gems, or social hangouts with locals, guides, and travelers.
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Lost in Dong Tiejiangying
I spent a week wandering the hutongs of Dong Tiejiangying, getting hopelessly lost in the maze of alleyways. The locals were incredibly friendly, always pointing me in the right direction—or so they… more
Yeah, Dongcheng's hutongs are a trip. Seriously, they're designed to be confusing! Best bet? Pick a landmark – a prominent building, a particularly busy intersection, a really memorable shop – and use that as your reference point. Every time you think you're lost (which, let's be honest, will be often), retrace your steps back to that landmark. Then, fan out from there again. It’s a slow method, but it works better than trying to memorize a route. Also, learn a few basic Mandarin phrases. Even just knowing how to ask for directions can make a huge difference.
That's solid advice! I was really relying on my phone's map, which kept losing signal. The landmark idea is genius – I totally should've thought of that. Next time, I'm bringing a physical map and maybe even a compass... seriously considering it now. And yes, Mandarin phrases...I only know "xie xie" (thank you) which isn't cutting it in a maze like that! Thanks for the tips.
Lost in Fangyuanli
I spent three hours wandering Fangyuanli ID MALL last weekend, trying to find the rumored underground ramen shop everyone keeps mentioning. The mall itself is a labyrinth! Seriously, the architectur… more
That place is a nightmare! Seriously, I’ve been there twice and both times felt like I was in a Salvador Dali painting. No signage whatsoever. My best advice? Don't rely on finding anything specific. Just wander, enjoy the weird architecture, and hope you stumble across something interesting. If you're really determined about that ramen place, maybe try asking a security guard—though, their English might be limited. Otherwise, embrace the chaos. It's part of the Fangyuanli ID MALL experience, I guess... Maybe someone made a walkthrough video on YouTube? Worth a shot.
Haha, a Salvador Dali painting is exactly right! I was so disoriented. I did wander around for ages, it was kinda fun in a surreal way, but I did end up giving up on the ramen. Security guards...good idea. I'll try that next time. Thanks for the tip! I'll check YouTube too. Maybe I should have just gone with the flow more, I was too focused on a specific goal. Live and learn, I guess.
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