TBR China ADV Riding
- Thread starter TB-Racing
- Start date
EBR Motorcycles http://www.erikbuellracing.com with rider CORY WEST
2015 Zhuhai Pan Delta Racing Festival
CORY WEST (double wins) = https://www.facebook.com/EBRHongKong and Erik Buell Racing motorcycles are available in Hong-Kong through the distributor: http://www.manwaimotorcycle.com and http://www.bikehk.com/report/2014/r6203/
2015 Zhuhai Pan Delta Racing Festival
CORY WEST (double wins) = https://www.facebook.com/EBRHongKong and Erik Buell Racing motorcycles are available in Hong-Kong through the distributor: http://www.manwaimotorcycle.com and http://www.bikehk.com/report/2014/r6203/
Onwards from Zhuhai to the Hai An - Haikou ferry to cross the Qiongzhou Strait over to Hainan Island.
Tight security at the Hai An ferry terminal incl. SWAT, Police, Army, Navy and a whole bunch of rather large sized sniffer dogs going over all the vehicles, luggage, travellers....
Well ~ time of the year again = BOAO Forum: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boao_Forum_for_Asia
Taking the MTS for a cruise up to Haikou from Clearwater Bay with a few stopovers along the route.
First stop at a nearby active fishing port near Nanwan Monkey Island: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanwan_Monkey_Island and Chinese website: http://www.monkeyisland.com.cn
Ever wondered about crashed ice processing in China, the secret revealed...
Tight security at the Hai An ferry terminal incl. SWAT, Police, Army, Navy and a whole bunch of rather large sized sniffer dogs going over all the vehicles, luggage, travellers....
Well ~ time of the year again = BOAO Forum: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boao_Forum_for_Asia
Taking the MTS for a cruise up to Haikou from Clearwater Bay with a few stopovers along the route.
First stop at a nearby active fishing port near Nanwan Monkey Island: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanwan_Monkey_Island and Chinese website: http://www.monkeyisland.com.cn
Ever wondered about crashed ice processing in China, the secret revealed...
IMHO the JH600 is a decent bike for China since at the moment it is the only Chinese manufactured mid-displacement dual sport-ish type bike available in mainland China for a reasonable price. There is the 400cc X5 by Shineray (with the copied Honda NX400 hundred engine), but the X5 has had it's issues. Aside from the 1st generation JH600 that had some EFI fuelling issues, seemingly the model has a pretty decent track record.
As far as the Chang Jiang CJ750... a classic looking model outfit, but owning a CJ750 not only provides a nostalgic look, it also provides the rider a nostalgic experience, where one has to deal with the high maintenance frailties and reliability issues. I occasionally ride an older 27HP CJ750 in the PLA military green, but never far from my home base. There used to be a well worn path to some CJ rebuilders based in Shanghai and Beijing, though today a little less so. Main issue aside from dependability and reliability, is that CJ750's in China cannot be plated 100% legally in a foreigners foreign name. That doesn't stop some shops and others stating otherwise which is BS.
One day about 5 years ago I was sitting at a local German owned bar sitting outside with one of my bikes parked very close by, as I was eating some food, when a foreign guy rides up on a nice shiny newly rebuilt CJ750 outfit. He'd picked it up that morning and ridden it 400km-ish from Shanghai down to this small third tier city where he and I both lived. As we were sitting there enjoying the food and conversation... I noticed a puddle start to form underneath his new ride. We both got up from the chairs and walked over, petrol was dripping down from the carburettor, which was mixing with a constant flow of drops of oil forming round the bottom end. He'd paid about CNY35K for that privilege.
There is a core group of guys in my riding circle, some of whom have owned the venerable CJ750's from bygone years, as that was all that was available for foreign bike enthusiasts here in the middle kingdo0m 20 years ago - all those guys would never touch one again, and certainly have nothing favourable to say about their ownership experience. However within that riding group there is one guy, a more recent arrival luvs the ownership experience with the CJ750 outfit, but he's always at the back of the rides, and almost guaranteed to need the set of tools he carries in the chair, at some point or another.
As far as crossing the border from/to China-Laos-Thailand, with a mainland China plated bike/outfit, the length of stay for the bike is related directly to the Thai visa that one has in their passport, up to a point. A 3 month visa, not going to be a problem to keep the bike in Thailand that long, anything beyond that - could be a toss up. Might mean having to make regular runs/visits to the Thai Customs Dept, to have the length of stay extended.
YMMV
Could you somehow refrain from telling your whole story in this thread and start your own as I really do not care about the CJ's and the CJ owners experience. Very much appreciate your co-operations and understanding, have a lovely day...
Butch, this is a public forum and an open thread, you don't own it despite what you might think. If you don't want certain replies or replies from certain bikers, then go start your own blog or website so you can have total control...
Another biker asked questions about the JH600 and the CJ750 and I answered both aspects based on my own experience, so get over it... and yourself!
Here we go again and we all know how that ends with all the upcoming talk and ongoing dribble, have a lovely day.... goin' ridin'.....
prince666
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2013
- Location
- Shandong (China)
- Bikes
- CF 250 Jetlux. CFmoto 650 MT Honda CRF 1000 DCT Yamaha 125 YBR KG
Hi Bikerdoc
well written and informative post on a question posted on a open forum despite what other members may think , good to see you on rideasian. Phil the owner will be pleased to see more post and contributions you may have to offer.
well written and informative post on a question posted on a open forum despite what other members may think , good to see you on rideasian. Phil the owner will be pleased to see more post and contributions you may have to offer.
Further up the road = Lingshui Corner (Lingshui Cape) with some deserted stretches of beaches in the area.
Been here before with the JL's 600 (solo / sidecar) but need to hike into the area from the road as deep sandy single tracks now and the MTS doesn't perform well on that particular terrain due to tyres...
Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/place/L...m2!3m1!1s0x315a9c04c4e82629:0x37d208ea1020ecf
Been here before with the JL's 600 (solo / sidecar) but need to hike into the area from the road as deep sandy single tracks now and the MTS doesn't perform well on that particular terrain due to tyres...
Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/place/L...m2!3m1!1s0x315a9c04c4e82629:0x37d208ea1020ecf
KTMphil
Senior member
Looks beautiful there Butch, have never seen that place mentioned before.
prince666
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2013
- Location
- Shandong (China)
- Bikes
- CF 250 Jetlux. CFmoto 650 MT Honda CRF 1000 DCT Yamaha 125 YBR KG
I am sure Phil your CRF would have no promlens getting to the beach no limitations on tyres or rider , I am just 40 mins away from this area, pictures must of been taken a few days ago been very heavy rain in the area the last few days as I said in a PM Hainan is a must !!
The area is more commonly known as Nanwan island AkA monkey island just for reference.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanwan_Monkey_Island
The area is more commonly known as Nanwan island AkA monkey island just for reference.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanwan_Monkey_Island
Mate, few nice hidden spots around the entire island ~ more to come and we do actually a lot of hiking, mountain biking and downhill skateboarding while on Hainan Island for many years but thats another story ~ not for a motorcycle forum...
Heading along the coast to Shimei Bay + Riyue Bay area.
Beautiful state of the art marina at Shimei Bay operational now, just a short ride up from Riyue Bay but access was blocked off by heavy security, might have something to do with the big international forum (BOAO).
Shimei Bay International Marina Club: http://shimeibaymarinaclub.com/en/
Detour and a short ride back down the G98 Expressway to Riyue Bay and the Riyue Bay Surf Club: http://www.surfinghainan.com ,the original American owner and operator sold the surf business and moved on to Guangdong province.
The place went through a bit of remodelling and restructuring since my last visit.
Beautiful state of the art marina at Shimei Bay operational now, just a short ride up from Riyue Bay but access was blocked off by heavy security, might have something to do with the big international forum (BOAO).
Shimei Bay International Marina Club: http://shimeibaymarinaclub.com/en/
Detour and a short ride back down the G98 Expressway to Riyue Bay and the Riyue Bay Surf Club: http://www.surfinghainan.com ,the original American owner and operator sold the surf business and moved on to Guangdong province.
The place went through a bit of remodelling and restructuring since my last visit.
Staying for a couple of days, Hainan Island capital city Haikou:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haikou
New development going on all around and that includes the area near Mission Hills Golf Course Haikou http://www.missionhillschina.com/en-US/haikou with a new China movie town: http://movietownhaikou.com/en-us/ and the Lan Kwai Fong Entertainment and hotel district: http://www.missionhillslkf.com/en-us/
Anyhow, finished my errands and meetings and next destination, the old part of Haikou.
The police and traffic authorities enforced the motorbike riding ban all over downtown Haikou due to the annual BOAO Forum for Asia and took a mates car, nothing to proof anymore and avoiding lengthy arguments with a cop in China is best sometimes to enjoy the upcoming ride back South....
Haikou, Zhongshan Road, the area was used by the Portuguese in the 1800's.
New development going on all around and that includes the area near Mission Hills Golf Course Haikou http://www.missionhillschina.com/en-US/haikou with a new China movie town: http://movietownhaikou.com/en-us/ and the Lan Kwai Fong Entertainment and hotel district: http://www.missionhillslkf.com/en-us/
Anyhow, finished my errands and meetings and next destination, the old part of Haikou.
The police and traffic authorities enforced the motorbike riding ban all over downtown Haikou due to the annual BOAO Forum for Asia and took a mates car, nothing to proof anymore and avoiding lengthy arguments with a cop in China is best sometimes to enjoy the upcoming ride back South....
Haikou, Zhongshan Road, the area was used by the Portuguese in the 1800's.
The ride back down South from Haikou along the National Road G314.
Daguangba Dam Reservoir besides the G314 National Road http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daguangba_Dam
The Daguangba Dam is a multi-purpose dam on the Changhua River in Hainan Province, China. It is located 35km east of Dongfang. As the primary component of the Daguangba Multipurpose Project, the dam was constructed between 1990 and 1995.
It serves to provide water for both hydroelectric power generation and agriculture. It supports a 240 MW power station and supplies water for the irrigation of 12,700ha. It is also the largest dam and hydroelectric power station in Hainan.
The famous Wuzhishan Monument just of the S313 Provincial Road, a personal must stopover for years....
Wuzhishan Monument / GPS: 18°55'46.6"N 109°28'13.5"E and Google Maps = https://goo.gl/maps/D95KJ
Riding the twisty roads, absolute brilliant, Ducati MTS 1200S-PP (2012) ~ my face hurts from smiling so much, no longer need to stop for coffee as I will arrive sufficiently stimulated....
Having used mine in anger for almost four years now, on road, light off-road and race track, I can honestly say that it is the best bike I have ever ridden bar nothing.
Even the latest bikes I had the privilege to test ride till today don't come close in my personal opinion.
The sheer feedback from the bike is unbelievable, you can feel every stretch of tarmac (good and bad) with great suspension, the chassis is astonishing, the engine is extremely flexible and it is a complete missile during track days...
Daguangba Dam Reservoir besides the G314 National Road http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daguangba_Dam
The Daguangba Dam is a multi-purpose dam on the Changhua River in Hainan Province, China. It is located 35km east of Dongfang. As the primary component of the Daguangba Multipurpose Project, the dam was constructed between 1990 and 1995.
It serves to provide water for both hydroelectric power generation and agriculture. It supports a 240 MW power station and supplies water for the irrigation of 12,700ha. It is also the largest dam and hydroelectric power station in Hainan.
The famous Wuzhishan Monument just of the S313 Provincial Road, a personal must stopover for years....
Wuzhishan Monument / GPS: 18°55'46.6"N 109°28'13.5"E and Google Maps = https://goo.gl/maps/D95KJ
Riding the twisty roads, absolute brilliant, Ducati MTS 1200S-PP (2012) ~ my face hurts from smiling so much, no longer need to stop for coffee as I will arrive sufficiently stimulated....
Having used mine in anger for almost four years now, on road, light off-road and race track, I can honestly say that it is the best bike I have ever ridden bar nothing.
Even the latest bikes I had the privilege to test ride till today don't come close in my personal opinion.
The sheer feedback from the bike is unbelievable, you can feel every stretch of tarmac (good and bad) with great suspension, the chassis is astonishing, the engine is extremely flexible and it is a complete missile during track days...
As always, the final ride comes around and cruising over to the Yalong Bay / Sunny Bay area with five star hotels all over the area: Ritz-Carlton, Andaz, Holiday Inn, St.Regis, Hilton, MGM Grand, Marriott, Sheraton, Park Hyatt, Pullman just to name a few....
Packed everything up for the drive up North back to the Shanghai home base via ferry boat from Haikou (Hainan / Nangang Harbour) to Hai'An (Guangdong).
Haikou has two seaports for passenger and cargo service. Haikou New Port, formerly known as the Inner Harbour, is located on the southern side of the mouth of the Haidian River.
Approximately 7km west of Haikou New Port is Haikou Xiuying Port. This port is considerably larger, and is the main distribution centre for cargo entering Hainan, and is also a major port for immigration onto Hainan Island.
Haikou Ports / Harbours
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haikou_New_Port
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haikou_Xiuying_Port
More Hainan Island cruising and various other activities planned for 2015.... stay tuned....
Packed everything up for the drive up North back to the Shanghai home base via ferry boat from Haikou (Hainan / Nangang Harbour) to Hai'An (Guangdong).
Haikou has two seaports for passenger and cargo service. Haikou New Port, formerly known as the Inner Harbour, is located on the southern side of the mouth of the Haidian River.
Approximately 7km west of Haikou New Port is Haikou Xiuying Port. This port is considerably larger, and is the main distribution centre for cargo entering Hainan, and is also a major port for immigration onto Hainan Island.
Haikou Ports / Harbours
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haikou_New_Port
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haikou_Xiuying_Port
More Hainan Island cruising and various other activities planned for 2015.... stay tuned....
Back up in Capital City Beijing = http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn during the summer, great weather as Beijing applied as candidate city to host the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Quite sure a few "polluting" factories and construction sites around greater Beijing region and neighbouring provinces have been temporarily shut down for the Winter Olympics selection process.
No extended lengthy overnight trips planned but free time always allows for great bike riding outside the Beijing city limits. Twisty mountain roads can be reached easily within approx. 45-60 min. riding leisurely using the expressways [up to today riding a motorbike using expressway / tollways only legally possible within the Beijing municipality]. Various pictures taken during rides around Sihai, Black Dragon Pool Road, Miyun Reservoir, Jiankou Great Wall, Yanqing, Changping, Huairou, Pinggu to give some general directions and ideas....
Good rest and meeting spot in the mountains, Sihai Sinopec Service Station (#92 only) = 40°31'44.8"N 116°24'12.9"E
Another convenient Sinopec Service Station ((#92 #95) for meeting and refilling, just out of Beijing Municipality in Hebei province beside the G111 National Road = 40°43'53.9"N 116°38'06.0"E
Some pictures above show road numbers and should be easy as putting together a few custom routes using the road data provided. Lots more road and touring options around the greater Beijing region but shredding tyres around the mountain ranges during free time and can't be really bothered to put up detailed GPS tracks and riding routes this time around.... Ride On!!!
Touristy afternoon with a visiting mate from North Sydney as he has never been to the Beijing Summer Palace.
Summer Palace(Chinese Pinyin: Yí Hé Yuán), northwest of Beijing, is said to be the best preserved imperial garden in the world, and the largest of its kind still in existence in China. It is only a short drive (15 km) from central Beijing but seems like another world... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Palace
Summer Palace(Chinese Pinyin: Yí Hé Yuán), northwest of Beijing, is said to be the best preserved imperial garden in the world, and the largest of its kind still in existence in China. It is only a short drive (15 km) from central Beijing but seems like another world... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_Palace
Baihewan area in the mountain range besides the National Road G111 has a Offroad park (Baihewan Raceway, Liulimiao Village, Huairou) located at 40°40’04.6” N 116°40’56.7”E and a Red Bull sponsered competition during June 2015.
Relaxing afternoon out at the 798 Art-District and 751 D.Park....
751 D.Park (Designer Park) is the rising star of Beijing's creative industries, located on the former site of the 751 factory, next to 798 Art Zone. Two storage tanks for coal gas, each dozens of meters in diameter and nearly 70 meters high, towering over a labyrinth of overhanging steel and iron pipes, radiating rails, vast workshops and other industrial detritus form the gritty backdrop of this worksite for fashion and other commercial designers.
The 751 factory was a power supplier of the hexad – 706, 707, 718, 751,797 and 798 – that formed the first electronic component production base of New China in the 1950s. Because they mainly produced for the military, the factories were identified only by numbers. During its early years, 751 produced coal gas to power the whole industrial zone. Later it expanded production and began to send its surplus to nearby residential areas. By the late 1980s it provided one-third of the coal gas consumed in Beijing. During China's industrial reform around the turn of the new millennium, 751 changed its name to Zhengdong Electronic Power Group Company Limited......
751 D.Park = http://e.751info.com (English) and http://www.751info.com (Chinese).
Revving a DUCATI Multistrada with fully open Termi race exhaust sounds bloody brilliant in one of the massive defunct empty steel gas tank used now for events and exhibitions.
STEAMPUNK ~ The Art of Victorian Futurism
Steampunk is a resurgent art, cult, and lowbrow movement celebrating the romantic elegance of the Victorian era and blending in modern scientific advances—synthesizing imaginative technologies such as steam-driven robots, analog supercomputers, and ultramodern dirigibles. Celebrating the elegant and the strange, the visually arresting steampunk works collected here include sculpture, installations, graphics, bizarre oils, and mind-warping contraptions—from skull cameras to rocket-fueled diving bells. Featured artists include Tom Banwell, Wayne Martin Belger, Greg Brotherton, Frank Buchwald, Chris Conte, Doktor A., Eric Freitas, Dr. Grordbort, Stéphane Halleux, Mike Libby, Pierre Matter, Kevin Mowrer, Kazuhiko Nakamura, James Ng, Sam Van Olffen, Nozomu Shibata, Haru Suekichi, Brian Poor, and Daniel Proulx
March 8, 2014 and running through May 18, 2014, the first steampunk exhibition was on display at the Hangaram Design Museum at the Seoul Art Center IDA in Seoul, South Korea.
The steampunk-themed exhibition is now on display in Beijing, China (751 D.Park / September 27, 2014 to October 7, 2015)
751 D.Park (Designer Park) is the rising star of Beijing's creative industries, located on the former site of the 751 factory, next to 798 Art Zone. Two storage tanks for coal gas, each dozens of meters in diameter and nearly 70 meters high, towering over a labyrinth of overhanging steel and iron pipes, radiating rails, vast workshops and other industrial detritus form the gritty backdrop of this worksite for fashion and other commercial designers.
The 751 factory was a power supplier of the hexad – 706, 707, 718, 751,797 and 798 – that formed the first electronic component production base of New China in the 1950s. Because they mainly produced for the military, the factories were identified only by numbers. During its early years, 751 produced coal gas to power the whole industrial zone. Later it expanded production and began to send its surplus to nearby residential areas. By the late 1980s it provided one-third of the coal gas consumed in Beijing. During China's industrial reform around the turn of the new millennium, 751 changed its name to Zhengdong Electronic Power Group Company Limited......
751 D.Park = http://e.751info.com (English) and http://www.751info.com (Chinese).
Revving a DUCATI Multistrada with fully open Termi race exhaust sounds bloody brilliant in one of the massive defunct empty steel gas tank used now for events and exhibitions.
STEAMPUNK ~ The Art of Victorian Futurism
Steampunk is a resurgent art, cult, and lowbrow movement celebrating the romantic elegance of the Victorian era and blending in modern scientific advances—synthesizing imaginative technologies such as steam-driven robots, analog supercomputers, and ultramodern dirigibles. Celebrating the elegant and the strange, the visually arresting steampunk works collected here include sculpture, installations, graphics, bizarre oils, and mind-warping contraptions—from skull cameras to rocket-fueled diving bells. Featured artists include Tom Banwell, Wayne Martin Belger, Greg Brotherton, Frank Buchwald, Chris Conte, Doktor A., Eric Freitas, Dr. Grordbort, Stéphane Halleux, Mike Libby, Pierre Matter, Kevin Mowrer, Kazuhiko Nakamura, James Ng, Sam Van Olffen, Nozomu Shibata, Haru Suekichi, Brian Poor, and Daniel Proulx
March 8, 2014 and running through May 18, 2014, the first steampunk exhibition was on display at the Hangaram Design Museum at the Seoul Art Center IDA in Seoul, South Korea.
The steampunk-themed exhibition is now on display in Beijing, China (751 D.Park / September 27, 2014 to October 7, 2015)
KTMphil
Senior member
Great photo's Butch, will be back there in a few weeks, you're getting my juices flowing.
Beijing life revolves a lot around the so called "Hutong", a type of narrow streets or alleys, commonly associated with northern Chinese cities, most prominently Beijing. In Beijing, Hutongs are alleys formed by lines of Siheyuan, traditional courtyard residences. Great way to discover and explore the many Hutongs is by bicycle, most Hutongs serve as living quarters while others evolve into art galleries, trendy shops, restaurants, bars and cafes....
Out cruising the greater Beijing mountain regions.... Jiankou section of the Great Wall of China is located in the Huairou district 73km North of Beijing between the famous Mutianyu (ten kilometers to the east) and the Moshikou sections of the Great Wall of China. The Jiankou section of the wall was constructed in 1368 during the period of the Ming Dynasty. It is made of large light colored rocks which can be seen from a great distance. Because of its connection with Mutianyu Wall, along with its relative sparseness in visitors, the Jiankou-Mutianyu Great Wall trail is one of the most popular Great Wall hikes today... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiankou
The small villages nearby have a few hostels so called "Folk Inns" and simple guesthouses for overnight stays to explore and hike the region, the most famous and popular one is called Zhou's Hostel located at Xizhazi village no.5 branch (40°27'54.3"N 116°30'43.6"E / phone: 010-6161-1762).
The closest location rideable with a Ducati MTS is located just above a small village and farmhouse settlement and marks the start of the small rocky and very steep climbing trail to the Jiankou Wall section (40°27’54.4"N 116°31’53.8"E). Someone placed two old lounge chairs in a very convenient location for relaxed Jiankou wall viewing.
Huanghuacheng Great Wall, about 85km North of downtown Beijing (40°25'1"N 116°20'20"E).
Huanghuacheng is a village in Jiuduhe, Huairou District, Beijing, the north of China bordering onto the Great wall of China. The town is famous for having several lakes in close proximity to the wall. The Huangcheng Great Wall is often called "Jintang Great Wall" as the lake (reservoir) by the wall is called Jintang Lake.
Back mountains of the Xiangshuihu Great Wall section (40°27'34"N 116°27'13"E), the wall connects from here to the Moyashike Great Wall area (40°26'43"N 116°28'31"E).
Great spot to start hiking around Moyashike Valley and Great Wall Spur Loop and over the mountain range to the Xiangshuihu Great Wall section.
The small villages nearby have a few hostels so called "Folk Inns" and simple guesthouses for overnight stays to explore and hike the region, the most famous and popular one is called Zhou's Hostel located at Xizhazi village no.5 branch (40°27'54.3"N 116°30'43.6"E / phone: 010-6161-1762).
The closest location rideable with a Ducati MTS is located just above a small village and farmhouse settlement and marks the start of the small rocky and very steep climbing trail to the Jiankou Wall section (40°27’54.4"N 116°31’53.8"E). Someone placed two old lounge chairs in a very convenient location for relaxed Jiankou wall viewing.
Huanghuacheng Great Wall, about 85km North of downtown Beijing (40°25'1"N 116°20'20"E).
Huanghuacheng is a village in Jiuduhe, Huairou District, Beijing, the north of China bordering onto the Great wall of China. The town is famous for having several lakes in close proximity to the wall. The Huangcheng Great Wall is often called "Jintang Great Wall" as the lake (reservoir) by the wall is called Jintang Lake.
Back mountains of the Xiangshuihu Great Wall section (40°27'34"N 116°27'13"E), the wall connects from here to the Moyashike Great Wall area (40°26'43"N 116°28'31"E).
Great spot to start hiking around Moyashike Valley and Great Wall Spur Loop and over the mountain range to the Xiangshuihu Great Wall section.
It's that time of year again around Beijing: the time to sit outside on tiny stools, order way too much Chuan'r (roadside / outdoor BBQ Beijing style = skewered meat sticks), overestimate your ability to stand mala, and wash it all down with a mug of jiapi (that delicious draft beer).
Mates up here in Beijing always try but been in the lovely motherland for some years now and reckon had my fair share of roadkill, mystery meat and lousy tasteless greasy food full of MSG and not very fond of the native "food experience & adventure" anymore.
Well ~ people always ask about my favourite places to eat while in Beijing, here we go with a short list of my personal new and old time favourites go-to places within reasonable city limits during June / July 2015.
Beijing's worst kept secret is back with tasty tacos and tequila, this time setting up in the Sanlitun area.
Tasty and super fresh Mexican over at the Taco Bar = http://www.tacobarchina.com
Solid great food, prepared - cooked and expertly smoked in-house, never had a wrong meal at Homeplate BBQ (Sanlitun) = http://homeplatebbq.com
Sanlintun MokaBros = http://mokabros.com ,good solid food and drinks and absolute great location for people watching. Food is split up in salads, sandwiches & wraps, savory & sweet crepes, and something they're calling "Power Bowls", which is rice and or noodle-based main courses. A fair amount of variance in each section with some pretty creative options.
Stuff'd located in the Jianchang Hutong / Doncheng District, English style gastro-pub Stuff'd specializes in food that is stuffed -- nay "Stuff'd" -- with other food. Everything on the menu is the glorious meeting of one thing inside another -- sausages, pits, pot pies, calzones, and more. Recommended are their homemade sausages and beer. Popular brunch special too = http://www.stuff-d.com adjacent to Arrow Factory Brewery Beijing = http://www.arrowfactory.org.cn
The ballers are back, this time with their first offline space, in a quiet Hutong just off Gulou Xidajie.
The Meatball Company = http://www.themeatballcompanybj.com ,not far from Bohai Lake district and the Bell Tower.
Okra 1949 is a modern sushi bar and restaurant founded by Chef Max Levy features sushi, sake and cocktails in Sanlitun's 1949 -The Hidden City- / Beijing. = http://okra1949.com
Same area (Sanlitun's 1949 -The Hidden City- / Beijing) has the famous JingA Brewery =http://capitalbrew.com
Chef Jeff's "Frost", serves a great tasty burger (different versions) located at 55 Xingfucun Zhonglu (in the alleyway across from April Gourmet Supermarket) Chaoyang District
朝阳区幸福村中路55 (phone: 64175430).
Furthermore, one can't go wrong with well established food + beverage outlets owned and operated by Blue Frog: http://www.bluefrog.com.cn / Wagas: http://www.wagas.com.cn / Element Fresh: http://www.elementfresh.com
Fresh expert brewed coffee over near the big T-Square, Soloist Coffee = https://www.facebook.com/pages/Soloist-Coffee/1380438645530898
Furthermore, great coffee served by FlatWhite = http://www.cafeflatwhite.com with several locations around Beijing including a nice venue for people watching in the 751 / 798 Dashanzi, Chaoyang District: http://www.798district.com
Famous breweries are The Great Leap outlets with various locations across Beijing....Great place to bring visitors to Beijing that have had one too many Chinese meals and need a western alternative. Food is consistent and reasonably priced and the beer samplers are good for finding the brew you like best. http://www.greatleapbrewing.com
As with every hustling and bustling Capital City, places opening and closing just overnight, really good up to date listings to explore the food + beverage options available in Beijing: http://www.timeoutbeijing.com -- http://www.smartbeijing.com -- http://www.thebeijinger.com
Last but not least, all public spaces incl. bars and restaurants enforce the newly introduced NO SMOKING ban...
Mates up here in Beijing always try but been in the lovely motherland for some years now and reckon had my fair share of roadkill, mystery meat and lousy tasteless greasy food full of MSG and not very fond of the native "food experience & adventure" anymore.
Well ~ people always ask about my favourite places to eat while in Beijing, here we go with a short list of my personal new and old time favourites go-to places within reasonable city limits during June / July 2015.
Beijing's worst kept secret is back with tasty tacos and tequila, this time setting up in the Sanlitun area.
Tasty and super fresh Mexican over at the Taco Bar = http://www.tacobarchina.com
Solid great food, prepared - cooked and expertly smoked in-house, never had a wrong meal at Homeplate BBQ (Sanlitun) = http://homeplatebbq.com
Sanlintun MokaBros = http://mokabros.com ,good solid food and drinks and absolute great location for people watching. Food is split up in salads, sandwiches & wraps, savory & sweet crepes, and something they're calling "Power Bowls", which is rice and or noodle-based main courses. A fair amount of variance in each section with some pretty creative options.
Stuff'd located in the Jianchang Hutong / Doncheng District, English style gastro-pub Stuff'd specializes in food that is stuffed -- nay "Stuff'd" -- with other food. Everything on the menu is the glorious meeting of one thing inside another -- sausages, pits, pot pies, calzones, and more. Recommended are their homemade sausages and beer. Popular brunch special too = http://www.stuff-d.com adjacent to Arrow Factory Brewery Beijing = http://www.arrowfactory.org.cn
The ballers are back, this time with their first offline space, in a quiet Hutong just off Gulou Xidajie.
The Meatball Company = http://www.themeatballcompanybj.com ,not far from Bohai Lake district and the Bell Tower.
Okra 1949 is a modern sushi bar and restaurant founded by Chef Max Levy features sushi, sake and cocktails in Sanlitun's 1949 -The Hidden City- / Beijing. = http://okra1949.com
Same area (Sanlitun's 1949 -The Hidden City- / Beijing) has the famous JingA Brewery =http://capitalbrew.com
Chef Jeff's "Frost", serves a great tasty burger (different versions) located at 55 Xingfucun Zhonglu (in the alleyway across from April Gourmet Supermarket) Chaoyang District
朝阳区幸福村中路55 (phone: 64175430).
Furthermore, one can't go wrong with well established food + beverage outlets owned and operated by Blue Frog: http://www.bluefrog.com.cn / Wagas: http://www.wagas.com.cn / Element Fresh: http://www.elementfresh.com
Fresh expert brewed coffee over near the big T-Square, Soloist Coffee = https://www.facebook.com/pages/Soloist-Coffee/1380438645530898
Furthermore, great coffee served by FlatWhite = http://www.cafeflatwhite.com with several locations around Beijing including a nice venue for people watching in the 751 / 798 Dashanzi, Chaoyang District: http://www.798district.com
Famous breweries are The Great Leap outlets with various locations across Beijing....Great place to bring visitors to Beijing that have had one too many Chinese meals and need a western alternative. Food is consistent and reasonably priced and the beer samplers are good for finding the brew you like best. http://www.greatleapbrewing.com
As with every hustling and bustling Capital City, places opening and closing just overnight, really good up to date listings to explore the food + beverage options available in Beijing: http://www.timeoutbeijing.com -- http://www.smartbeijing.com -- http://www.thebeijinger.com
Last but not least, all public spaces incl. bars and restaurants enforce the newly introduced NO SMOKING ban...
The "Tail of the Dragon" (Black Dragon Pool Road S310 "That road scared the shit out of me, let's do it all over again") riding once before departure from the greater Capital City Beijing region to other destinations....
Unfortunately once again time to say goodbye to Beijing cruising till 2016...
Unfortunately once again time to say goodbye to Beijing cruising till 2016...
ཨ༌མདོ
Amdo is one of the three main regions of Tibet found in the northeast corner of the Tibetan Plateau. Amdo is home to approximately 25% of the total Tibetan population. Parts of Amdo lie in northern and eastern Qinghai, southwest Gansu and northern Sichuan. If you think of Tibet as rolling grasslands filled with yaks and nomads, the Amdo region is what you are thinking of. Amdo covers an area of over 645,000 square kilometers and is slightly smaller than the state of Texas and slightly larger than Ukraine.....
Traveling around the greater Amdo-Tibet region one can't miss the awesome grassland scattered all over the various mountain ranges, pics below are taken around the greater Labrang / Langmusi / Rebkong area.
Langmusi (Tibetan = Taktsang Lhamo སྟག་ཚང་ལྷ་མོ་) is a small village straddling the provincial Gansu and Sichuan border in the Amdo Region of the Tibetan Plateau.
Sitting at approx. 3600m, Lhamo lies in a beautiful valley surrounded by alpine forests and amazing mountains. The town only has a population of around 4000, with more than 10% of the people belonging to the two monasteries located in the village. During Tibetan New Year (Losar ལོ་གསར་) and during other festivals throughout the year, many pilgrims can be found going to Lhamo from other areas in Amdo. These pilgrims often prostrate to the ground every three steps all the way to the monasteries. The journey for them can take several weeks or even months to complete. The town is home to Buddhists and Muslims, Tibetans and Huizu, government-backed monasteries, Tibetan-back monasteries, the Chinese military, nomadic herders, Tibetans on pilgrimages, and a splash of foreign and Chinese tourists. Mix all of that among a population of less than 5,000, and there you have Langmusi....
Kirti Monastery (Sichuan province side of the village with around 750 monks). Behind the monastery is a gorge with several old meditation caves. In Tibetan, “Taktsang” means “Tiger Cave” and a short hike behind Kirti Monastery will bring you to the caves for which the town is named. Hiking behind the monastery is one of the highlights of the area.
Sertri Monastery (Gansu province side of the village with around 350 monks). It is the higher of the two Langmusi monasteries and sits in a less impressive setting than nearby Kerti Monastery. There is a pilgrimage Kora around Sertri. It is best to go in the morning as there are normally many Tibetan pilgrims also doing the Kora. If you follow the paved road past Sertri, it leads to several small villages home to Tibetan herders. These families are quite friendly and are worth the extra hike to reach.
Sitting at approx. 3600m, Lhamo lies in a beautiful valley surrounded by alpine forests and amazing mountains. The town only has a population of around 4000, with more than 10% of the people belonging to the two monasteries located in the village. During Tibetan New Year (Losar ལོ་གསར་) and during other festivals throughout the year, many pilgrims can be found going to Lhamo from other areas in Amdo. These pilgrims often prostrate to the ground every three steps all the way to the monasteries. The journey for them can take several weeks or even months to complete. The town is home to Buddhists and Muslims, Tibetans and Huizu, government-backed monasteries, Tibetan-back monasteries, the Chinese military, nomadic herders, Tibetans on pilgrimages, and a splash of foreign and Chinese tourists. Mix all of that among a population of less than 5,000, and there you have Langmusi....
Kirti Monastery (Sichuan province side of the village with around 750 monks). Behind the monastery is a gorge with several old meditation caves. In Tibetan, “Taktsang” means “Tiger Cave” and a short hike behind Kirti Monastery will bring you to the caves for which the town is named. Hiking behind the monastery is one of the highlights of the area.
Sertri Monastery (Gansu province side of the village with around 350 monks). It is the higher of the two Langmusi monasteries and sits in a less impressive setting than nearby Kerti Monastery. There is a pilgrimage Kora around Sertri. It is best to go in the morning as there are normally many Tibetan pilgrims also doing the Kora. If you follow the paved road past Sertri, it leads to several small villages home to Tibetan herders. These families are quite friendly and are worth the extra hike to reach.
Walk up past the left side of Serti Monastery (Langmusi), you'll eventually come to a clearing near a hilltop to the site of a Tibetan tradition.
Sky burial (Tibetan: བྱ་གཏོར་, Wylie: bya gtor, lit. "bird-scattered" is a funeral practice in which a human corpse is placed on a mountaintop to decompose while exposing to the elements or to be eaten by scavenging animals, especially birds of prey. It is a specific type of the general practice of excarnation. It is practiced in the Chinese provinces of Tibet, Qinghai, Sichuan and Inner Mongolia, and in Mongolia proper. The locations of preparation and sky burial are understood in the Vajrayana Buddhist traditions as charnel grounds. Comparable practices are part of Zoroastrian burial practices where deceased are exposed to the elements and birds of prey on stone structures called Dakhma. Few such places remain operational today due to religious marginalisation, urbanisation and the decimation of vulture populations.
The majority of Tibetan people and many Mongols adhere to Vajrayana Buddhism, which teaches the transmigration of spirits. There is no need to preserve the body, as it is now an empty vessel. Birds may eat it or nature may cause it to decompose. The function of the sky burial is simply to dispose of the remains in as generous a way as possible (the source of the practice's Tibetan name). In much of Tibet and Qinghai, the ground is too hard and rocky to dig a grave, and, due to the scarcity of fuel and timber, sky burials were typically more practical than the traditional Buddhist practice of cremation. In the past, cremation was limited to high lamas and some other dignitaries, but modern technology and difficulties with sky burial have led to its increasing use by commoners.
During my last visit to the exact same Sky Burial site (May 2004), the grounds were littered with bones, skulls and decomposing corpses - body parts.
The vultures and birds of prey were too fat and heavy to fly and just hopped away (May 2004)....
Sky burial (Tibetan: བྱ་གཏོར་, Wylie: bya gtor, lit. "bird-scattered" is a funeral practice in which a human corpse is placed on a mountaintop to decompose while exposing to the elements or to be eaten by scavenging animals, especially birds of prey. It is a specific type of the general practice of excarnation. It is practiced in the Chinese provinces of Tibet, Qinghai, Sichuan and Inner Mongolia, and in Mongolia proper. The locations of preparation and sky burial are understood in the Vajrayana Buddhist traditions as charnel grounds. Comparable practices are part of Zoroastrian burial practices where deceased are exposed to the elements and birds of prey on stone structures called Dakhma. Few such places remain operational today due to religious marginalisation, urbanisation and the decimation of vulture populations.
The majority of Tibetan people and many Mongols adhere to Vajrayana Buddhism, which teaches the transmigration of spirits. There is no need to preserve the body, as it is now an empty vessel. Birds may eat it or nature may cause it to decompose. The function of the sky burial is simply to dispose of the remains in as generous a way as possible (the source of the practice's Tibetan name). In much of Tibet and Qinghai, the ground is too hard and rocky to dig a grave, and, due to the scarcity of fuel and timber, sky burials were typically more practical than the traditional Buddhist practice of cremation. In the past, cremation was limited to high lamas and some other dignitaries, but modern technology and difficulties with sky burial have led to its increasing use by commoners.
During my last visit to the exact same Sky Burial site (May 2004), the grounds were littered with bones, skulls and decomposing corpses - body parts.
The vultures and birds of prey were too fat and heavy to fly and just hopped away (May 2004)....
Knowing your shit or knowing you're shit......
One my favourite life long sayings and makes me seriously smile once again while looking at all the Yak dung drying in the sun (Langmusi) like artwork to be used as a fuel source (open + closed fireplaces) by the Tibetan herdsmen / nomads.
When used as fuel source, the faeces are first dried. Faeces for this purpose is collected daily at the campsite at the end of the day's grazing or brought in from the range in the warm season.
A stick wrapped in yak hair is used to cut the faeces into slices that are exposed to the sun for a day or longer on each side until dry. When fully dry, the faeces slices are stacked in heaps up to 2 m high and "painted" with fresh faeces to keep out rain.
A drainage channel is often dug at the bottom of the heap to take away run-off water. If the heap is to be used up before the rainy season, it may not be painted. Completely dry faeces are also stored in the Tibetan herdsmen / nomad tents, ready for use at any time.
The favourite saying of mine above truly fits a few individuals currently and previously resident in Mainland China when it comes to China bike riding, motor vehicles, licensing and lets not forget tyre pluggin'....
One my favourite life long sayings and makes me seriously smile once again while looking at all the Yak dung drying in the sun (Langmusi) like artwork to be used as a fuel source (open + closed fireplaces) by the Tibetan herdsmen / nomads.
When used as fuel source, the faeces are first dried. Faeces for this purpose is collected daily at the campsite at the end of the day's grazing or brought in from the range in the warm season.
A stick wrapped in yak hair is used to cut the faeces into slices that are exposed to the sun for a day or longer on each side until dry. When fully dry, the faeces slices are stacked in heaps up to 2 m high and "painted" with fresh faeces to keep out rain.
A drainage channel is often dug at the bottom of the heap to take away run-off water. If the heap is to be used up before the rainy season, it may not be painted. Completely dry faeces are also stored in the Tibetan herdsmen / nomad tents, ready for use at any time.
The favourite saying of mine above truly fits a few individuals currently and previously resident in Mainland China when it comes to China bike riding, motor vehicles, licensing and lets not forget tyre pluggin'....
Langmusi changed a lot since my last visit during early May 2004 and the town is now full of touristy shops, restaurants, hotels and guesthouses, entry tickets required to the two monasteries (Sichuan / Gansu side of Langmusi).They even laid cobblestones and asphalt onto the main road and quite a few new houses around, old days just one government owned and operated hotel and gravel / dirt tracks going through the simple monastery settlement....
Still great fun up in the mountains and great countryside surrounding the Langmusi area, some simple info below.
The 'Black Tent Cafe' is the most comfortable coffee shop in Langmusi nowadays. They offer pretty decent western breakfast and coffee (cappuccino, espresso, etc).
Same owners as the Langmusi Tibetan Horse Trekking company across the street.
Lesha's Restaurant has been open for more than a decade here and has a great, lively atmosphere.
More detailed Langmusi info = http://www.langmusi.net and Langmusi Hotel at the top of the village has a large parking lot out front with security guards, nuff said',,,,
Still great fun up in the mountains and great countryside surrounding the Langmusi area, some simple info below.
The 'Black Tent Cafe' is the most comfortable coffee shop in Langmusi nowadays. They offer pretty decent western breakfast and coffee (cappuccino, espresso, etc).
Same owners as the Langmusi Tibetan Horse Trekking company across the street.
Lesha's Restaurant has been open for more than a decade here and has a great, lively atmosphere.
More detailed Langmusi info = http://www.langmusi.net and Langmusi Hotel at the top of the village has a large parking lot out front with security guards, nuff said',,,,
Located in a parallel valley to Xiahe (Labrang), the Ganjia Grasslands (Gānjiā Cǎoyuán, 甘加草原) offer a glimpse into the lives of the semi-nomadic Tibetans living in the Amdo region. Unlike the Sangke Grasslands that lie closer to Xiahe (Labrang), the Ganjia Grasslands have yet to be turned into a commercial tourist attraction. Many denizens of the Ganjia Grasslands still keep to their traditional lifestyle herding yaks. During the chilly winters, many of them stay in mud-brick homes and head back to tent living during the warmer months. One of the real nice areas are near the so called White Rock Cliffs and the temples Tseway Gompa and Trakkar Gompa.
The Ganjia Grasslands are also home to the ancient walled Bajiao Village. Ancient, crumbling walls rise up from the dry scrub of the Ganjia Grasslands. Bajiao Village (Bājiǎo Chéng Yízhǐ, 八角城遗址), known as Karnang in Tibetan, is a roughly 2,000-year-old village surrounded by a 12-sided city wall that appears as a nearly perfect cross when viewed from above. Once an important point for traffic between Gansu and Qinghai, the city was fortified in this unique cross shape rather than a square. The distance between the corners of each wall were intended to be short enough to be within the range of crossbows fired from atop the wall, making the town easier to defend. Traces of the moat, once another part of the town's defences, also still remain.
bsacbob
Administrator (Retired)
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2012
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- Chiang Rai
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- Honda CRM-AR 250, Honda CRF 250-L, Suzuki V Strom XT 650 Honda XR250 Baja BMW F650GS
Your producing extremly nice dramatic pictures of late Butch, what camera are you using
