Ninja cat, surfboarding dog, Donald Trump memes… They all went viral. And now, ladies and gentlemen, we believe we might have created the first ever viral tour.
How do I get on Facebook in China? The Great Firewall explained…
FOMO alert! If you’re so used to posting updates on social media that it’s become as much a habit as brushing your teeth, you may have a minor panic attack after touching down in China.
Why? Because despite Mark Zuckerberg practically naming his first child after Xi Jinping, Facebook and Instagram are both blocked. Oh, and Google too; Google maps, Google calendar, Gmail, all of it. Along with a whole host of other international websites you’re used to interacting with on a daily basis.
The Shanghai Tower: Super Sneak Peek Tour. Book Now!
Want to get to the top of the second tallest building on earth? Of course you do! If only it were open to the public, eh? So here’s the good news: Bespoke is one of a handful of trusted companies to hold the keys to the tower during its mysterious soft opening (‘maybe July or August’ is what we were told when we last asked about full public access). Thus far, we’ve been running private tours to the ‘Top of Shanghai’ but, due to demand, we’ve arranged two special public tours on May 19th and 21st. Act quickly, because spaces are limited and booking will close 48 hours prior to the tours (or when all spaces are taken).
In terms of height the super sexy Shanghai Tower, designed by US master architects Gensler, is second only to Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, but here’s a fun fact: its viewing platform is actually higher than the Burj’s, meaning you’re visiting the world’s highest observation deck before the inevitable tourist crowds descend. Our tour will take in the buildings rather slick basement museum where the conception, design and construction of the tower is illustrated by means of video, hologram, touchscreen and a whole bunch of sci-fi-esque goodness! Shanghai Tower staff are on hand for those that really want to geek out on the buildings numerous statistics and superlatives. We then board the world’s fastest elevator and zip 118 floors to the ‘Top of Shanghai’ where you’ll gaze down on the once-mighty ‘Bottle Opener’ and Jinmao Tower from your prime position atop the new king of the Pudong skyline.
Nanjing Art Deco: Pop-up Talk & Weekender!
Bespoke has teamed up once again with the experts from Historic Shanghai for a one-off Nanjing Art Deco Weekender – and you’re invited! After spending much of last year dodging Nanjing’s security guards, invading period movie theaters and scouring lanes for ‘ziggurats’ and ‘sunbursts’ with Art Deco lovers from across the globe for the World Congress, we decided to do it all again for our friends in Shanghai and beyond. Can’t make the Weekender? We’ll also be holding a talk on April 27th. Read on for more…
The Official Midnight in Peking Walking Tour
A brutal murder, a botched investigation, and a time Beijing would rather forget. Intrigued? So were we (along with the rest of the world) when author Paul French released Midnight in Peking.
Five years on, and an unwavering interest in the book prompted us to collaborate with publishers Penguin on a walking tour to bring the story back to life in modern-day Beijing. Little did we know that in researching the tour, Bespoke’s long term collaborator Lars Ulrik Thom would uncover a raft of never-before-seen documents relating to the case.
8 Beijing Facts to Impress People With, Courtesy of Bespoke’s Expert Guides
The Temple of Heaven was made in America (sort of)
Know that iconic main building in the Temple of Heaven? (aka the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests). Well it burned down in 1889 and the Qing government found themselves in a pickle: they couldn’t source the right-sized trees to fashion the enormous columns from. So – according to one story – Qing officials finally looked abroad and imported the timber from Oregon in the USA.