Detail from Wikipedia showing the new Shunyi Line 15 (in yellow) … click map for more detail
The hustle and bustle of Christmas is over, and things are pretty quiet here in Shunyi. Some people started their travels before Christmas Day; others are just now leaving for warmer climates and different scenery. For the rest of us, it’s time to relax right here.
Some things noticed over the past week:
*The new subway Line 15 connecting Shunyi with Wangjing (and by extension, Beijing’s entire subway network) is just about to open! The Houshayu Station (approximately 6km from Pinnacle Plaza on Jingmi Lu) was slated to open on the 28th; however, it wasn’t ready and is now expected to open on the 30th. Stay tuned for updates on prices, connections, ride duration and more … and should you be more curious about the line, you can always check this map and post from Wikipedia for the intimate details. Note, this is NOT the China International Exhibition Center Station, nor is it the Hualikan Station a little further along. No word yet on when these stops will open.
*Tried out the new West Hair Salon in Euro Plaza, specializing in blond highlights and Western cuts/styles. People are now starting to discover this good salon with decent prices. My biggest complaint: service is very slow and you should not consider bringing your children if you’re there for more than a quick cut (although, they do have a very nice kids area, and a lovely refreshments bar for clients). However, I must say that the hair wash and accompanying head massage was one of the best I’ve experienced here. It was a good 15+ minute massage that made me very relaxed, despite the whining of my children who had been ready to leave much earlier. It alone is worth a visit.
*The Ice Zone is always a great place to spend some fun time with the kids. And during the week, you can skate for as long as you want from 12 noon-4pm (Tuesdays and Fridays) or 12 noon-5pm (Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays) for only RMB 30, including rental skates! You must wear a helmet (provided, if you don’t bring your own) and you must wear gloves or mittens to protect your fingers. Other than that, skate for one hour or four/five at a bargain price.
* Mercurius Travel will have a permanent location within the River Garden clubhouse very soon! There are few English-speaking full service travel agents in Shunyi, and this will provide another choice for expats to use. Not only will this company provide travel options, but they will take care of ticketing onsite. More info on that coming soon as they hope to open in early January.
* Not technically in Shunyi (ok, not at all…), but I just learned of a new store in the Decathlon/Auchan area outside the 5th Ring Road (near Wangjing). I believe it’s called Shop-In, and it’s a huge store carrying everything from shoes to coats to toys, all with set prices. Someone compared it to the large open area building of the Yansha Outlets; perhaps a fun new place to check out during break.
*A friend and I each won a RMB 200 gift voucher for Ruan’s Massage (Euro Plaza). We couldn’t resist settling on the foot massage called “Set Course for Old People” — great marketing, and too amusing to pass up. However, they would not give that one to us, as it’s for people over 60 years old (there was no difference whatsoever in the price or service description), so we got the “Jade Massage for Foot Nursing” instead. It was 100 minutes of pure bliss, using hot volcano magic stones and a jade stick in a relaxing, pampering environment. Ruan’s Massage never looks very busy, perhaps one reason being that there is very little English spoken here and we are in a heavily expat populated area. Still, worth checking out.
