Life in the city

Tim’s BBQ closed and now reopened

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Beijing has recently seen several bars and restaurants being closed, to the sadness of its regulars (like me). The story behind it is typically “Beijing”. Tenants have few rights, it’s the Far West here. Another victim is The Den, more about that later.
The former Tim’s BBQ was on Dongdaqiao Lu, at the corner of the former “Silk Street 2” (Guanghua Lu). It was a great place, interesting decoration with a soul. Two floors and pretty busy. See the pics I shot on 17 December 2015 before it was forced to close.

I just heard they had reopened and on 10 April I went to discover the new location in Central Park (close to The Place), in that semi circle with all the bars and restaurants, where you also find Swiss Taste.

A bit disappointing as the size is like 20% of its former self. I wonder how the many groups who used it (quiz evenings and other) will be able to use it.
Now there is an outdoor terrace but that will disappear in winter.
I need to try their food again, they were famous for their American BBQ, huge portions, often a bit too sweet and heavy, but a worthwhile experience. But I doubt we will have the same cozy atmosphere of the former one.

Old China Hands Lunch 8 April

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Again I had to shift the lunch one week as I was in the USA – and I like to be present to be sure the lunch is running well. My jet lag did not bother me but I had to run to SOS Hospital in the morning, to take care of what looked like a bronchitis. Indeed there is a virus running around in Beijing, not only affecting kids, see this article:
http://www.beijing-kids.com/blog/Nimo-Wanjau/2016/04/07/Pneumonia-Epidemic-in-Beijing-Children-Concerns-Doctors

We were about 25 with some of friends not turning up because of meetings and health issues.
Next round is 6 May, back to “normal”, the first Friday of the month.

Old China Hands lunch 9 March

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

A different date for our monthly lunch at Morel’s Restaurant as I was on a business trip to Senegal. This time, Wednesday 9 March.
People were busy, several were sick (some bad virus going around in Beijing). And as always some were confused, did not read the mail and mixed up the date!

But while we were “only” 17, it was a great conversation as usual, also thanks to our Belgian ambassador.
As I will be traveling to the USA end of this month, the date for April is also changed: Friday 8 April.
I hope to see many of our Old China Hands on my return!

Foreign leaders attend September 3 parade

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

A look back at last year!
Thirty heads of state and government leaders attended the 3 September 2015 parade in Beijing to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The foreign leaders included Russian President Vladimir Putin, South Korean President Park Geun-hye, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
Former Taiwanese Vice President Lien Chan also attended.

(Most pics from the media and WeChat, except the last ones)
The parade included some 12,000 soldiers, 50 generals, 500 pieces of military hardware and nearly 200 aircraft. Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over the parade ceremony, flanked by his two predecessors, Jiang Zemin, 89, and Hu Jintao, 72. Three former Premiers – Li Peng, Zhu Rongji and Wen Jiabao – also turned out for the event. In a speech at the parade, Xi said the numbers of the PLA’s forces would be cut by 300,000 by 2017.
Oh well, it was a parade strictly to watch on TV. No people allowed on the streets. No enthusiastic citizens waving Chinese flags for the soldiers. Except for the “selected” foreigners and others who suffered hours and hours to be on Tiananmen Square. I was happy not to be invited and preferred to watch the planes fly over Guomao and watch CCTV.
Security measures were massive, including in Sanlitun and the main shopping areas. Beijing lockdown with many streets blocked: I went home quickly during the rehearsals and the parade days because I had the risk I could not go home at a certain point (it was actually a bit scary…). Most restaurants closed, and many shops. Yeah the sky was blue, after APAC blue now Parade blue after shutting down industry and social life. Beijing nearly became a ghost town except for the rumbling of the tanks and other heavy vehicles that I could hear in Julong Garden.
Draconian measures out of fear for “incidents” and to control pollution.

Terrorists and smog did not stop us

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

On 24 December Beijing woke up to an alert from the U.S. embassy that there was a risk for terrorist activity especially in the Sanlitun area.
Police and special security teams were present en masse, side streets were blocked, no more parked cars and part of the bar area in Sanlitun was blocked. Many people were scared and it all upset our plans for the evening, to celebrate Christmas Evev with our friends.
This time no place in our home office for our usual mega party as it is now a warehouse of antique furniture and stuff. So we opted to head to “Beer Mania” in Sanlitun Nan Lu, managed by our Belgian friend Thierry who offered an attractive menu.
Some of our friends did cancel but we were still a large group to enjoy the good beer and food.

It was also a very bad period of pollution. See some of the readings, one is taken on my balcony with the LaserEgg. Many jokes went around, like Santa was not coming to Beijing because he could not find it…
The day was full of surprises. Out of the blue my Vietnamese friend called me, we know each other since 1990 and worked closely together when I was doing the Vietnamese telecommunications market. He is now a deputy minister and was with a delegation in Beijing. We finally found a way to meet in his busy schedule, in our home after the Christmas Evev party. It was wonderful to see such a good old friend after so many years. Seems the Vietnamese located me as we had somehow lost the right contact numbers.