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Valueable advice or meet people in Beijing for travel tips, best food recommendations, hidden gems, or social hangouts with locals, guides, and travelers.
Trends in Beijing
Lost in Machikou's Hutongs
I spent a week wandering Machikou's labyrinthine hutongs, getting gloriously lost amongst the crumbling brick walls and overflowing flowerpots. The sheer density of the place is incredible - it felt… more
Doubtful. The charm of the hutongs is their apparent lack of hidden passages. It's the dense, organic sprawl that makes them so captivating. Secret passages would imply a level of planned concealment not really present in their haphazard evolution. While there might be some less-used alleyways or oddly placed doorways that seem mysterious, they're probably just... alleyways and doorways. Think more charmingly disorienting than actually secretive. The real magic is in getting utterly, delightfully lost.
PUMCH Emergency Room Horror Stories?
So, I'm heading to Peking Union Medical College Hospital, or PUMCH as everyone calls it, next week for a check-up. Heard the place is amazing, cutting-edge tech, top doctors... but also, terrifying s… more
Yeah, PUMCH ER is... intense. Think less "cutting-edge futuristic hospital" and more "organized chaos." Peak hours? Prepare for a wait. I'm talking potentially hours, maybe even half a day depending on what's going on. My friend waited six hours for a relatively minor injury. Six. Hours. Bring a book, snacks, a portable charger – the essentials for surviving a potential apocalypse. Seriously though, download a good podcast or audiobook. That helped me get through a ridiculously long wait once. They have wifi thankfully, but the signal can be spotty. If you're truly terrified, maybe try to schedule your checkup for a less busy time of day? Or week? Good luck! You'll be fine. Probably. Mostly.
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