New Rules to (Hopefully) Make the Subway More Civilized
A trip on the Beijing subway can be… interesting at times. However new regulations promise to make it a slightly more pleasant experience in the summer heat. Eating, lying down, and playing loud music without headphones have all, thankfully, been outlawed. Selling or marketing on the subway has also been forbidden, which should put a stop to all those people asking you to scan their QR codes. Offenders will lose social credit, and eventually this can lead to them being banned from using the network, unless they recover their status by volunteering for the subway. We applaud any move to make traveling around Beijing more civilized; it just remains to be seen whether the new rules are actually enforced…
New Toy Store Puts Magic Back in Shopping
Parents across Beijing will be getting ready for an assault on their wallets, now that iconic toy store FAO Schwarz has now opened its doors at the China World Center Mall in Guomao. The new store, even larger than the original in New York, aims to bring the magic back to toy shopping. “FAO Schwarz is focused on creating a theatrical experience, where there will be many demonstrators to interact with children and parents in store,” the company’s Chinese partner said. With 2,600 sqm of teddy bears, robots, dolls, cars, and Lego, there’s something for everyone… and for the child who truly has everything, there’s a USD 25,000 crystal-studded miniature Mercedes Benz.
A Season of Change… and a New Career for You?
Summer is always a season of change in Beijing, as it’s the time when many families leave and arrive. If you’re heading off to new adventures, then we wish you the very best of luck, and hope your time in this city has been a productive and fulfilling one. If you’ve just arrived – welcome! Whether you’re here for the long haul, or just for a couple of years, you’ll find this an exciting, unique, and sometimes challenging place to live. But we at beijingkids are always here to help, whether it’s finding the new fun places to play, or guiding you through the difficult days. You can find us at events or contact us on WeChat, and we’re always delighted to answer your questions or share your stories. With the brilliantly talented Niicole Bonnah stepping up to take over as Deputy Managing Editor, we need new writers too, so if you’ve got a flair for writing and a zest for Beijing, get in touch – you could become part of the team!
This article appeared in the beijingkids June 2019 Home & Relocation Guide issue.
Photos: Fang Yifei, Uni You, the Beijinger
