186 CultureShock! China
of these items, as well as razors, fingernail files, condoms
and other small items, can usually be found in the hotel’s
lobby store.
Pack clothes that layer easily. Few restaurants in China
require formal wear, and in general, dressing requirements
are lax. Avoid travelling in China wearing white; it is
impossible to avoid rubbing against something that will get
you dirty. Umbrellas and rain ponchos can easily be found
in any China city—if there is only a remote chance you will
need them, buy them locally. Better hotels provide umbrellas
at the concierge desk.
It is common for hotels to have laundry service, a massage
parlor, a beauty salon and a gym. Male travellers may find
themselves hounded by calls through the night offering
erotic massage services and companionship. Opportunistic
prostitution is common in China—local hotels and bars view it as
commonplace and it comes as part of the standard offering.TOP TRIPS
Beijing: Pop Culture Meets the Great Wall
Must-sees in Beijing include the Forbidden City, the Temple
of Heaven, the Summer Palace, Tienaman Square, the Great
Wall and the Olympic Park.
It is worth taking the time to drive out to Simatai to see the
Great Wall. There is no other man-made place in the world
that inspires you with the feeling that you are steps away
from heaven. If you are fortunate, the sky will be clear and the
heavens within reach from the highest points of the Wall.
The best way to get a close sense of old Beijing is to take a
bicycle tour of its traditional alleys, called hutongs. Two unique
experiences not to be missed in Beijing are eating Beijing
duck at Lichun Roast Duck Restaurant in the Beixiangfeng
Hutong [Tel: (10) 6702-5681/6705 5578] and attending a
Beijing Opera performance at Zhengyici Theatre [Tel: (10)
8315-1649].
A visit to Olympic Green—Beijing’s new iconic site—is
a must. Take in the spectacular sights of awe-inspiring
architecture such as the National Stadium (nicknamed Bird’s
Nest) which hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of