Beijing News You Might Have Missed This Week, Feb 6
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Beijing is a happening city! Don't miss a thing with our weekend roundup of the latest news.
Authorities have busted over 80 individuals who participated in a scheme to manufacture and sell fake COVID-19 vaccines, including in Beijing, as well as Jiangsu and Shandong provinces. Over 3,000 fake doses were confiscated, at least some of which were intended to be sold outside of China. While not harmful (the doses were merely a simple saline solution), the fakeries could have hindered global efforts to end the coronavirus crisis.
Apparently responding to an odd trend of Beijingers wanting to take home the cotton swab used to pad the injection site after vaccination, Beijing’s CDC has announced that all such swabs must be collected and placed in designated disposal containers before the patient departs. Sorry folks, but the only keepsake you get to take with you is the gift of immunity.
Trains from Dalian to Beijing, running via the Beijing-Shenzhen high-speed rail, have now drastically cut travel time to just an hour and 40 minutes – a full three hours shorter than the ride would have previously taken you. This speedier route is part of an ongoing effort to bring all major cities in Liaoning province into the ever-shrinking “Beijing three-hour economic circle,” the oh-so catchy nickname for the basket of places from which one can reach Beijing in under three hours.
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A new park may be coming to your neighborhood in 2021 as Beijing announced the construction of 26 parks and four urban forests this year. Space upward of 900 acres has been dedicated to new parks. In addition to this urban greening, more than 24,000 acres of land in greater Beijing are slated for forestation this year, and more than 2,400 acres of wetland will be restored.
Some bus routes in the city now allow users to book a seat on the city’s “custom buses” using the 北京交通 Beijing Jiaotong app. After pressing the 定制公交 dìngzhì gōngjiāo button, users can select a destination to see if any buses with seat reservation are available, then book a seat through the app.
Still planning on traveling over the New Year holiday? Be sure you know what to expect when you come back.
On the other hand, if you're sticking around, then how about a nice staycation?
Fireworks are more difficult to come by these days, but you can still get your hands on them at select stores. Just be sure to find a spot outside the Fifth Ring Road to set them off!
Why the heck do we eat spring rolls for the holiday? Find out in this week's Solar Terms 101.
If you love a cup of coffee and a walk in the park, then Tiantan 1420 is the place for you.
Neither bread lovers nor general foodies can afford to miss out on Mesa Madre, the sourdough slinging Filipino restaurant.
READ: Mask After Vax? Yes! And Other Mask Questions Answered
Images: Unsplash, CCTV, Wangyi, Miaopai