I hate to ask dumb questions, however I just talked to someone who will be on the cruise and they said that Regent is going to put us up at a hotel in Beijing.....is that right? I looked at the itinerary and I didn't think it was clear.

Is their anyplace that I can go to get all the facts?

Jack

Jack, it's true. The RSSC website provides a pretty good description of what the complimentary excursion to Beijing involves:

PANDA Complimentary Beijing Excursion Info

Looking forward to meeting you on the ship!

Dena

Dena....thank you. I see now how to see everything. For some reason I thought some people were leaving the ship on their own to go to Beijing. What a nice surprise.

jack

The Regent Beijing is brand new, I believe. It'll be nice to check out the hotel! Plus your choice of dinner at any of the hotel restaurants. :)

"The Bar & Grill
Once through the grand pair of glass framed doors, your eyes are drawn to the dramatic frame of the bar. Lined in rich Macassar Ebony wood panelling, the bar nestles into the west wall with high quality French wines and Champagne. In the east wall, large glass windows with fretwork lattice overlooking Jin Bao Street recur throughout the restaurant. Here you relax in stylish comfort. The walk through The Bar culminates to The Grill, an intimate grouping of tables forming a cosy niche.

The dining room's rich wood-paneled surfaces and plush upholstery in muted neutral tones create the ideal canvas upon which to unfold the diverse palate of grilled seafood, meat and poultry selections. The Bar & Grill is a warm environment perfect for intimate dining.

The Bar & Grill, features exceptional prime cuts of meat, poultry and the freshest seafood. A wide range of high quality French wines and Champagne are offered, as well as premium spirits, ports and liquors.

Opening Hours:
The Bar 4:00pm to 1:00am.
The Grill 6:00pm to 11:00pm.

Daccapo (Italian Restaurant)
The restaurant promises an experience of the five senses that is nothing short of fascinating and captivating. A distinctly contemporary flair makes the restaurant chic and hip, comfy and sexy. The combination of cheerful colours, dark tones, glass walls overlooking the lobby garden, natural wood and art pieces allow versatility for a flawless transition from a casual feel at lunch to a more sophisticated dinner ambience.

The walk through to the dining area is lined by a floor to ceiling wine display rack in glass with the finest selection of Italian wines. These compliment the exquisite Italian dishes that Daccapo offers, the menu boasting well loved favourites and exciting culinary blends.

Daccapo is a contemporary Italian restaurant that is chic and hip at lunch, sophisticated at dinner. It is vibrant with plenty of flair.

Opening Hours:
Lunch 12:00am to 2:30pm.
Dinner 6:00pm to 10:30pm.

Café 99
The restaurant atmosphere promises to evoke feelings of familiarity and warmth. High ceilings, warm, creamy colour palate and natural woodwork accentuate the intimate quality of the space beautifully detailed with handcrafted furniture, Lemon wood, hanging glass ornaments and coconut wood floor lamps. The interior is accented with Chinese wood lattice panels giving the restaurant a sense of place.

The outlet is divided into four distinct sections: the dining area including the hot and cold buffet sections and the private dining area. Through architectural and design details, one space easily flows into the next. The vestibule area with its solid bamboo flooring enhances the warm and inviting quality of the space.

Café 99 offers all-day dining and a wide range of a la carte and buffet selection of Western and Asian favourites.

Opening Hours:
A la carte 06:00am to 11:00pm
Breakfast Buffet 06:30am to 10:00am (closes at 10:30 on weekends)
Lunch Buffet 11:30am to 2:30pm
Lunch Buffet 11:30am to 3:00pm (Sun.)
Dinner 06:00pm to 10:00pm (buffet available on special evenings)

Lijing Xuan (Chinese Restaurant)
Diners experience a privileged exhibit of the famed Chinese red sandalwood, a dark timber so rare that it is considered as precious as gold. The polished wood provides an air of imperial prestige and stirs an intense pride in all things Chinese. It is, after all, the furniture of emperors.

A woody aroma greets you at the entrance, musky with a bright fresh edge. In the front area, tables are set out casually, styled after a Chinese teashop. Many types of Chinese tea are on display and available for your refreshment.

Decor is warm and cosy, enhanced by all the natural wood tones. Golden lighting vitalises the dark hues of sandalwood. A spacious floor plan allows for elegant presentation of the antiques without allowing them to dominate.

The restaurant is divided into an a la carte section and more formal private dining rooms, seating between 12 and 24 people each. A balcony in the main dining area overlooks the lobby lounge gardens. Open for lunch and dinner, well loved Chinese cuisine is prepared and served with skill, and savoured from chopsticks made of the finest sandalwood.

Exquisite Chinese cuisine, art works and sculptures that beautifully complement the interior and architectural design, all bring to mind the ambience and indulgence of the great dynasty.

Opening Hours:
Lunch 11:30am to 2:30pm.
Dinner 6:00pm to 10:30pm."

Masaki

I vote for Lijing Xuan as long as you'll help me decide what to eat! I just read somewhere that regarding Cantonese cuisine, anything with 4 legs can be eaten as long as it isn't a table or chair.
:D

I second Lijing Xuan; when in China why would you eat Italian food?

I'll try just about any food once!

I wonder if they serve Peking Duck? Would love to try that while in Beijing.

Dena

Yummm...Peking duck!

Would be surprised if a Chinese restaurant geared towards tourists in Beijing did NOT serve Peking Duck.

Amanda and I are all for it, of course. Luckily, this will be Pekinese cuisine, not Cantonese cuisine, so we won't have to wonder (probably) what the mystery meat is. :D

Masaki

Just as long as they don't serve "Pekingese"!!
;)
Do we need to make any reservations ahead of time?

Ditto ..what Lauri said. When in China why would you eat italian food? Peking duck sounds awfully interesting.

Just remind me not to eat here! :eek:

Chinese food 'made from cardboard'
BEIJING, China (AP) -- Chopped cardboard, softened with an industrial chemical and flavored with fatty pork and powdered seasoning, is a main ingredient in batches of steamed buns sold in one Beijing neighborhood, state television said.

Full story here

Have fun with the Chinese food. Not my cup of tea. That is quite a story Dena.

Yum, flavored cardboard! My favorite. :)

Masaki

I bet it is very high in fiber!

Nasty!!

This is mildly amusing though...
A couple decide to go for a meal on their anniversary and after some deliberation decide on their local Chinese restaurant.

They peruse the menu and finally agree to share the chef's special chicken surprise. The waiter brings over the meal, served in a lidded cast iron pot.

Just as the wife is about to start in on the meal, the lid of the pot rises a tiny amount and she briefly sees two beady little eyes looking around before the lid slams back down. "Did you see that?" she asks her husband.

He didn't, so she asks him to look in the pot. He reaches for it and again the lid rises, and again he sees two beady little eyes looking around before it firmly slams back down.

Rather perturbed he calls the waiter over, explains what is happening and demands an explanation. "Well sir", says the waiter, "What did you order?"

"We both chose the same", he replies, "the chicken surprise"

WAIT FOR IT................................


"Oh I do apologize, this is my fault" says the waiter, "I've brought you the Peeking Duck"

(rim shot)

Masaki

:D

You may want to check with your visa service on this tidbit I got via e-mail today.

Effective August 1st, 2007, the Chinese Consulate will be increasing their China Visa Fees by $50 per visa for U.S. Passport Holders. Passegers traveling to China within a 90 day period (from date of visa application) who wish to avoid this increase may obtain their visas on or before July 31, 2007

Cheers (?), Anne

Since I posted the "cardboard dumpling" story here, I feel it's my duty to point out that it's been identified as a hoax. Don't believe everything you hear on TV! :) At least now I know I can enjoy dumplings without worry...

BEIJING, China (Reuters) -- Beijing police have detained a television reporter for allegedly fabricating an investigative story about steamed buns stuffed with cardboard at a time when China's food safety is under intense international scrutiny.

A report directed by Beijing TV and played on state-run national broadcaster China Central Television last Thursday said an unlicensed snack vendor in eastern Beijing was selling steamed dumplings stuffed with cardboard soaked in caustic soda and seasoned with pork flavoring.

Beijing authorities said investigations had found that an employee surnamed Zi had fabricated the report to garner "higher audience ratings", the China Daily said on Thursday.

"Zi had provided all the cardboard and asked the vendor to soak it. It's all cheating," the paper quoted a government notice as saying.

A city-wide inspection of steamed bun vendors in the wake of the report had found no such cases, the paper said.

Dena, I am not sure WHAT to believe now. Maybe it's true but the officials didn't want bad press!

Good point, Karen. China is under so much scrutiny for food safety lately, it could be a cover-up. Oh well, I will probably sample a dumpling or two and hope for the best! Love the BBQ Pork dumplings (chao su bau or however it's spelled?) and I've heard there are some special "soup dumplings" in Shanghai that are not to be missed!

Dena

Dena - Shanghai is incredible - sights, sounds, people - my most favorite trip WC

The soup dumplings are "xiao long bao" - I've had an example of some in San Francisco which were pretty good but my father-in-law who's from Shanghai has promised that the ones in Shanghai are definitely better! Time to start the diet now ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaolongbao

Masaki

Masaki - yum! I love dim sum but have not had these. Definitely on the must-do list for Shanghai - cardboard or not! :)

Dena

Regarding increase in China visa fees, none are noted on the China-Houston consulate web site (see below).

Visa fee and processing time
Number of Entry American Citizens of other countries
Single Entry $50 $30
Double Entry $75 $45
Multiple Entry for 6 Months $100 $60
Multiple Entry for 12 Months $150 $90

The regular processing time is 4 working days. For express service, additional fees of $30 for 1 working day processing(submit application before 11:00 in the morning), and $20 for 2-3 working days processing will be charged.

===<<+>>===

We have gotten our visas using the China Visa Service Center in Houston for $75 for each double-entry visa plus an agency fee of $29.00 each, plus $17 shipping (includes signature service) for both. We filled out the applications on line, printed them out, paid by credit card, sent them together certified mail, and had them back via FedEx in nine (9) days, regular service. I just looked at their web site and there is no indication of any increase in the fees there either. Because of our post-cruise tour, we need a double entry visa. The Houston consulate covers the Southeast US; for info, you can call 800-799-6560. I got a very knowledgeable woman who answered all of my questions quickly and succinctly.

Please be advised, neither Regent or B&K recommends this agency - B&K uses the cruise line recommended visa agency because then, if anything goes wrong, its up to the cruise line and recommended agency to fix it. An entirely understandable position. I just don’t like to pay $55. when the same or better service is available for $29.

The double entry fee also will be $100 starting 1 August, an increase of $25; as will the multiple entry visa entry, a decrease of $50.

Here's the link to the china embassy website regarding the new Chinese visa fees. As Marc points out, it's $100 regardless of # of entries.

Chinese visa fees for US citizens as of August 1, 2007

Cheers, Anne