Bespoke Travel Co

Custom city experiences for the contemporary traveler, curated by the experts

Home / The Urban Edit / Silliness

The Urban Edit

Silliness

Fly Over Forbidden City in Extreme New Tour

Bespoke were SUPER EXCITED to hear about an all-new airborne experience that takes off from the Forbidden City, flying over several famous landmarks including the Temple of Heaven, the Great Wall and Beihai Park. We were especially surprised that such an event could be sanctioned, given that the Beijing authorities take airspace security very seriously indeed.

So Bespoke adventurers Tom and Lars headed to the Forbidden City to try it out. You even get a free DVD to remember your experience. Here is theirs (wait a moment for the video to load up):

Read More...

4 Reasons Why Being Old in Beijing is Awesome

Beijing old people
It’s always party time in Jingshan Park

Never mind Beijing’s dolled-up youth having it large at Sanlitun’s superclubs or Gulou’s indie dives. Their parents grandparents are the true party cats in this town. They are literally dancing until dawn. Well, from dawn in any case. Here are 4 reasons why Beijing is bouncing for the blue rinse brigade.

1. Beijing’s parks are like social centres

Beijing old people
The Beach Boys on their long awaited China Unplugged tour

Mosey on down to Beijing’s green spaces (like Jingshan Park) from about 7am and it will be heaving with partying seniors, mashing up the genres by jamming live under pavilions, line dancing, performing tai-chi, ballroom dancing or group singing sessions. This truly is a Beijing spectacle not to be missed – set the alarm clock!

Read More...

Beijingers Behaving Bizarrely (at 40,000 feet)

Chinese air passengers have hit severe turbulence in recent months over their cabin manners. Air rage by Communist party officials captured on video; the beating of flight attendants reported on Weibo; a pair of sozzled businessmen bagging mini bottles of booze from the Air France trolley as they disembarked – “they’re free, innit (hic)!”

IMG_4169
Chinese flyers involved in ‘incident’ on this BA jumbo from Beijing to London (read on)

But is it really such a big deal? Anecdotally, this flyer has witnessed the use of mobile phones seconds before takeoff, the scramble for luggage seconds after landing, or the watching of movies on laptops without headphones. It’s hardly Con-Air; more ‘Disgusted at 40,000 Feet’, with, one suspects, a dab of snobbery toward  the Chinese by those more seasoned flying nations. New money, eh?

Read More...

BESPOKE PHOTO CONTEST: Hunt for the Beijing Hutong Weasel

Beijing Hutong Weasel photo
The truth is out there: Nessie, Bigfoot, and the Beijing Hutong Weasel.

Mustela sibirica. The Siberian weasel. A near-mythical denizen of Beijing’s ancient hutong alleyways. In Chinese, this animal is called a 黄鼠狼 (huang shu lang) – literally ‘yellow mouse wolf’. Most folks have never seen one. Many question their existence at all. But with their long, lithe bodies and little legs, these elusive creatures can dart across grey rooftops like gold streaks of lightning. Adult males grow up to 40cm long, with soft, thick fur well adapted to Beijing’s brisk winters.

Elderly locals say it’s good luck if you manage to encounter one of these noble beasts; and inversely unlucky if you bring harm to one. It is also said in China that the Siberian weasel is a wandering spirit (shen) that can steal and replace people’s souls. Eek.

Read More...

Teeny-Tiny Beijing Dog of the Week

Woof! Say ni hao to this canine cutie (featured on our Facebook page last year) and its doting, hair-style copying owner. Why is it that folks in Beijing like their dogs so bloomin’ diminutive? Since 2008, a city ordinance has prevented residents from keeping dogs taller than 35cm at the shoulder. But we’ve come across mutts so minuscule they would struggle in a scrap against a pair of frisky hamsters. The moral? Be careful where you step. You might squash it.

Pathetically tiny beijing dog 1

Read More...

Bespoke Beijing by Numbers

Bespoke Beijing by Numbers – Find out all about us by discovering what Team Bespoke Beijing did, ate, watched and enjoyed this year!

185 Number of Dong Lai Xun yezi qiu (coconut balls) consumed by Team Bespoke since they were introduced to us by the nice folks at The Hutong. (In fact they’re so good we now put them in our cars!)

Read More...

Cities

About Bespoke

X