Spring in Beijing

Spring is in the air...

I woke up one morning and Spring had sprung upon us. Merely a week ago the trees were still bare and yet today, the flowers were blooming in gorgeous colours. As this is one of the shortest seasons, I felt the need to fully maximise this one precious month before the scorching hot summer hits us.

Starting with...the Hutongs (胡同), which are one of my favourite parts of Beijing. Deciding to venture beyond the usual Nanluoguxiang to check out the less commercial Wudaoying (五道营胡同), we had brunch at a quaint little bistro Vineyard Cafe (葡萄院儿). Our first almost Singapore-quality brunch with a lovely ambience and great prices.

Indulging in eggs done various ways ranging from the usual eggs benedict, eggs royale (smoked salmon) and a big breakfast of sausage, ham and scrambled eggs. 

Chilling out on top of someone's roof...

In terms of settling down, it has been a smooth transition. Even as I adapt to a largely Mandarin-speaking environment, I have decided to just bite the bullet and speak in my very rusty mother tongue. I'm quite sure my colleagues don't always understand what I'm saying and I definitely do not try to make any jokes. While I do miss my HQ colleagues and the easy camaraderie shared with my division folks, life is good and I feel blessed. 

Although lunches cost more than the foodcourt, one can't fault the value that we can get i.e mid-priced cafe food at non-Singapore prices. Even though I might find this reasonable, it is still considered expensive in Beijing especially for the locals. Little wonder, most of them bring their own lunches. 

Great value Japanese fare: decent ramen, chirashi and beef sukiyaki

While it is generally difficult to get good desserts, the parties at Sweet Spot (near our office) and hole-in-the wall cafes have yielded positive finds. 

Paris Baguette: think it's a Taiwanese bakery chain that offers cheap on-the-go breakfasts. Love the cute coffee cups although the contents leave much to be desired. 

All in all, it has been a good month here thus far. Slowly but surely, I'm settling into life in the Capital.