Living in Beijing

The first is from Bayi Lake (Yu Yuantan) to Kunming Lake (the Summer Palace). The second is from the lake behind the Beijing Exhibition Center to Kunming Lake, via the Summer Palace, Yuyuantan Park, Beijing Zoo, Wanshou Temple and Purple Bamboo Park.

Tickets are now available at Bayi Lake, the lake behind Beijing Exhibition Center and Kunming Lake.

Departure Time:

Bayi Lake-- Kunming Lake: 8am, 9am, 10am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5 pm
Kunming Lake--Bayi Lake : 9.05am, 10.05am, 11.05am, 2.05pm, 4.05pm, 4.30pm.
Exhibition Center lake -- Kunming Lake. 9.30am, 1pm, 3.30pm
Kunming Lake -- Exhibition Center lake. 10.45am, 2.15pm

A night service is also available from Bayi Lake to Kunming Lake at 7 and 8 pm. Tickets can be bought in the morning for any time that day.

Fee: Ordinary boats, one way: 40 yuan; round trip (return): 70 yuan. Luxury boats, one way: 50 yuan; round trip: 90 yuan.

Taxis to Order

A taxi-dispatch center has started operation. By dialing 6837-3399, passengers can benefit from Global Positioning System (GPS) technology.

There are 65,000 taxis in Beijing, but no unified management control until the establishment of the new system.

GPS should shorten the waiting period and reduce wasted mileage. Passengers are charged 3 yuan for calling the driver.

Island Palace

66-2.jpg (1213 bytes) Giant Easter Island faces beckon visitors to the newly opened Tropicana Bar & Grill. The latest theme entertainment establishment features New Foundland and North Pole eskimo culture. There are even totem poles out front honoring American indians. The restaurant motto is "Cuisine-Culture-Human."

Tel: 6594-2009
Address: East gate of International Club, 21 Jianguomenwai Dajie.

66.jpg (2935 bytes)
Beautiful sculpted hazards await golfers at the Huatang International Golf Club

Popular Play Reopens

Tea House, by Laoshe, will be performed in Chinese at the Capital Theatre on Wangfujingbei Dajie. The schedule remains undecided, but will probably extend into November. Reservations will probably be required. For further information in Chinese, please call 6525-0996.

Bus Routes Open

Beijing Traffic Corporation opened nearly 40 new bus routes before National Day. More than 2,000 new buses went into operation, bringing the total in Beijing to 5,000. The major new bus routes are as follows:

Sightseeing No. 1 (Changan Avenue) Dabeiyao-- Ritan Lu-- Beijingzhankou (Beijing Railway Station)-- Wangfujing-- Tiananmen-- Xidan-- Muxudi-- Junshibowuguan (Military Museum)-- Beijing Xizhan (west railway station)

Basic fee: 2 yuan. Whole way: 6 yuan

607 Longtan Lake-- Guangminglou-- Jinsong-- Panjiayuan-- Songyulu-- Shuanglong Xiaoqu

Basic fee: 1 yuan. Whole way: 3 yuan

716 Caihuying-- Guang'anmen-- Xibianmen-- Yuetan (Temple of Moon)-- Dongwuyuan (Beijing Zoo)-- Baishiqiao-- Beitu (Beijing Liberary)-- Minzuxueyuan-- Weigongcun-- Renda (People's University)-- Huangzhuang-- Zhongguancun-- Yuanmingyuan-- Beijing University-- Xiyuan-- the Summer Palace-- Guofangdaxue (Defence University)

Basic fee: 1 yuan. Whole way: 3 yuan.

718 Kangjiagou-- Balizhuang-- Tuanjiehu Park-- Nongzhanguan-- Liangmahe-- Sanyuanqiao-- Hepingjie beikou-- Anzhenli-- Kejiguan (Science & Technology Museum)-- Xueyuanlu-- Dazhongsi-- People's University-- Zhongguancun-- Beijing University-- the Summer Palace

Basic fee: 1 yuan. Whole way: 3 yuan.

67.jpg (4381 bytes) Riviera Expands

Beijing Riviera finished building a fourth phase of villas in October. The villas includes 110 garden villas and 24 townhouses. A golf course is under construction.