As we continue our tour of China…picture below represents perfectly the dichotomy found all over China. Huge modern buildings (that tower actually houses Microsoft offices) surrounded by commoners on pedibikes and push carts selling fruit, nuts, and every other trinket you can imagine just to get by.

This is one of the best Muslim restaurants in Beijing. If you’re looking for lamb kabobs and nan bread, this is the joint. And despite their salty look, they’re very nice people.

I used to walk this alley way everyday going to and from home. Although I’ve been gone for nearly a year, all the 60 year old vendors still remembered me.

I didn’t take a picture of this pink Audi because it’s a rare sight, I took it because it represents best what’s called the ‘post 90s generation’ in China. Basically, their parents made fat cash during China’s economic boom and now their kids are reaping the benefits in a huge way. Young kids driving Audis, Mercedes, and Beamers, decked out in Gucci and LV, buying out the bars at the most exclusive clubs…unfortunately money doesn’t make them better drivers.

The most common beer found all over China, Qingdao in Chinese, or Tsingtao in English (oddly enough seems harder to pronounce in English…). These tall boys have a decent 4.5% alcohol content, are sold on any street, at any time of day or night, and go for about 30 cents American. And people wonder why I love China.

by Matt McM