I'm planning a long weekend in Beijing. Time is short so I'd be grateful for suggestions about what to see and do during my three-night stay.
The Chinese capital is a good choice for a short break. Flights are relatively inexpensive at around Dh3,100 for an economy return and, even though Beijing is some seven hours away, night flights mean you can maximise your time on the ground. Consider travelling soon as the spring weather (April and early May) is kind. Summer is oppressively hot with heavy rains, as well as the added problem of air pollution.
Choose your hotel carefully. It may be 15km and about 45 minutes out of town but a stay at the Aman at Summer Palace (www.amanresorts.com) allows you to rest and experience ancient Chinese traditions at the same time. Just steps from the Summer Palace, one of Beijing's main cultural attractions, as a guest you will be able to take a tour minus the crowds. It's expensive at US$863 (Dh3,168) per night so you need not feel guilty about asking staff to organise your cultural itinerary while you recover in the spa.
You'll find a trendier scene at the 30-room, boutique Grace Beijing (www.gracebeijing.com) located in the famous 798 Art District (www.798space.com), a former electronics factory turned modern art showcase in the north-east of the city. Double rooms cost from 986 Chinese yuan (Dh574) per night, including taxes. Spend a couple of hours browsing White Space Beijing and Long March Space (www.longmarchspace.com) to name but two.
For a taste of old Beijing wander around the hútòngs, the narrow grey alleys lined with squat dwellings, Qing Dynasty courtyard houses, markets and snack stalls, that run from east to west. Distil the experience by exploring the area around the Drum and Bell Towers once the centre of the old Mongol capital, north of the Forbidden City in Dongcheng. Climb the towers for a view over those distinctive rooftops. For souvenir shopping, try the hútòng of Dashilar, south of Tiananmen Square, for silk shops, vintage goods and trinkets.
To speed your sightseeing, hire a bike from a stand outside a subway station for about 10 yuan (Dh6) an hour and join Beijing's residents crowding the cycle lanes on most streets. Nip around the walls of the Forbidden City - a road runs between the moat and the walls affording a spectacular view of historic Beijing. The mighty Forbidden City, home to the Ming and Qing dynastic emperors, could easily take you a full day to explore.
For a slightly more potted history of the capital, visit Capital Museum (www.capitalmuseum.org.cn; closed on Mondays) to the west of the Forbidden City just outside the second ring road. Exhibits include relics from the Peking Opera and a chronological history of Beijing as well as galleries devoted to porcelain.
Beijing is one of four schools of Chinese cooking and it's hard to know where to begin tucking in. Jiaozi dumplings, a local snack, are good tourist fodder; sample a few varieties at Niuge Jiaozi, east of the Forbidden City (85 Nanheyan Dajie). For Beijing duck, go nowhere else than Da Dong (Nanxincang International Plaza, first floor; 00 86 10 5169 0328) where the birds are leaner than average and delightfully crispy.
For more information, visit english.visitbeijing.com.cn.
Do you have travel questions or queries? E-mail them to us at travel@thenational.ae
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
HIV on the rise in the region
A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.
New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.
Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.
Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.
Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.
Top goalscorers in Europe
34 goals - Robert Lewandowski (68 points)
34 - Ciro Immobile (68)
31 - Cristiano Ronaldo (62)
28 - Timo Werner (56)
25 - Lionel Messi (50)
*29 - Erling Haaland (50)
23 - Romelu Lukaku (46)
23 - Jamie Vardy (46)
*NOTE: Haaland's goals for Salzburg count for 1.5 points per goal. Goals for Dortmund count for two points per goal.
MOTHER%20OF%20STRANGERS
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Brief scores
Barcelona 2
Pique 36', Alena 87'
Villarreal 0
What is safeguarding?
“Safeguarding, not just in sport, but in all walks of life, is making sure that policies are put in place that make sure your child is safe; when they attend a football club, a tennis club, that there are welfare officers at clubs who are qualified to a standard to make sure your child is safe in that environment,” Derek Bell explains.
The Way It Was: My Life with Frank Sinatra by Eliot Weisman and Jennifer Valoppi
Hachette Books
Scoreline
Liverpool 4
Oxlade-Chamberlain 9', Firmino 59', Mane 61', Salah 68'
Manchester City 3
Sane 40', Bernardo Silva 84', Gundogan 90' 1
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
Company%20Profile
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One-off T20 International: UAE v Australia
When: Monday, October 22, 2pm start
Where: Abu Dhabi Cricket, Oval 1
Tickets: Admission is free
Australia squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Darcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa, Peter Siddle
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now