Here we are for another week of Wanderfood Wednesday kindly hosted by Wanderlust and Lipstick.

Growing up in Nova Scotia I had always wanted to try Peking Duck. At home I could order duck in some Chinese restaurants, but of course the order had to go in well in advance. That never interested me. Perhaps what I wanted more than the duck was the experience of eating the duck in its homeland, China. That was always what intrigued me.

The evening that I set out for the Donghuamen Night Market (Beijing Snack Attack) it was in the back of my mind that I might be on a mission to satisfy my duck craving. I discovered this restaurant, Da Wan Ju, behind the street vendors, and after checking out the menu I decided it was now or never. There were two reasons that I chose this restaurant. The English menu did a great job of presenting the duck, and the staff person at the door to this crowded eatery was friendly. I can’t tell you how many times I walked out of restaurants in China because the staff were afraid of, or wanted nothing to do with a foreigner. Thankfully, this was not the case here.

I caused a bit of a stir when I walked in. Here I was, a foreigner, a woman, and eating alone. I made eye contact and smiled at a few of the diners as I was lead to my table. Smiles were returned. Now it was time to enjoy the menu and make my selection.

The waitress spoke a bit of English, and as you can see the menu was also in English. I finally decided on the “Choice Roasted Duck” at 98 Yuan (approx. $15.00US). The Imperial Style was the same duck, but with many more side dishes. This would be an excellent choice for two or more diners.

I didn’t have long to wait. Within fifteen minutes of ordering my Beijing Duck with all the necessary condiments was sitting at my table for my dining pleasure.

Condiments included chili sauce, and oyster sauce, along with the sliced veggies and rice wrappers.

I was ready for my FIRST bite. Two words…………..ABSOLUTE PERFECTION. The duck was moist and flavorful. The vegetables and condiments were perfect complements.

This was a meal worth savoring, and I totally took my time.

No, I didn’t eat all of the duck. I was hungry, but not that hungry. I ate until I was pleasantly full. This is a great meal to share, but if you do dine alone make sure you are hungry, and take your time. Da Wan Ju is a great choice for a Beijing duck eating experience.

Things To Do

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Here we are for another week of Wanderfood Wednesday kindly hosted by Wanderlust and Lipstick. I’m a wee bit late again. Better late than never!

The best place to cure your snack attack in Beijing is here at the Donghuamen Night Market. Open from early evening until 10p.m. You can get there easily by subway. Get off at Wangfujing station (“the shopping street”). The street food here ranges from the ordinary to the unimaginable. The prices are a budget travelers dream. Enjoy the tour.

The crab looked amazing. I can’t imagine trying to eat it on the street. I think you would have to have it “to go”.

Then there was the noodle. Nothing out of the ordinary, but it look delicious.

Now for some of the more bizarre. Thankfully, menus were in English, so if you weren’t quite sure what something was you didn’t have to guess. The prices are in Chinese Yuan. When I was there 100 Yuan was approximately 15.00US.

A sample menu……………………

No bugs or other creepy crawlies passed my lips!

Not on your life!! (or on mine either!)

Who would have thought?

These are such magical creatures. Who could eat one?

I couldn’t imagine eating these either. Although, I am curious to know which part is edible.

Here are a few of the tamer snacks available……………….

What did I try? You’d think looking at all of this food (except for the creepy stuff) that I would have been starved. Just the opposite! This is what I finally had, and for the life of me I can’t figure out why I was attracted to this thing. The taste was good in a weird sort of way, but the fact that it was deep fried twice….ewwwwwwwwwwwww. I nicknamed this thing INSTANT HEART ATTACK!

Someone really needs to tell this lady that she shouldn’t be doing this over the food!

Not to be missed if you’re in Beijing.

For the budget travel this is the perfect spot to eat well, but not blow your budget. For those not on a budget, enjoy the delicious food.

If you enjoyed the tour, please leave a comment. Stumbles and tweets are also most welcome.

You can find more Wanderfood Wednesday right here.

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“Better City, Better Life” is the theme of Expo 2010 happening in Shanghai until the end of October. Participating countries are sharing how they are improving their cities and countries with the latest technologies. In addition, many are embracing a “green environment”. Shanghai has done an amazing job in organizing this huge event. Having spent three days there, I say that if you have the chance to go don’t miss it. The Expo is a far cry from your local fair, so knowing what to expect and a bit of preparation will greatly enhance your Expo experience.

1. I’m not sure that anything can quite prepare you for the sheer magnitude of the crowds. The Chinese estimated five hundred thousand visitors a day. While I was there they were reporting between 470,000 and 500,000 each day. Just knowing what to expect can help get you into the mindset you need to cope with the crowds.

2. Don’t buy tickets in advance or online. Many convenience stores sell them. I was able to purchase mine at “Alldays” for 160CNY. This way you avoid paying any extra fees. Also, you can buy a day at a time.

3. You can no longer make reservations for any individual country pavilion. If you want a ticket for the China Pavilion, you need to be at Gate 6 when it opens at 9:30am. You will receive a reservation card that tells you what time you can line up. My reservation was for 5:30pm and it took about 45 minutes for me to actually enter the pavilion. The Chinese have gone all out, and i’m glad that I was able to do the tour.

3. Unless you are really set on getting into China, don’t arrive until after the 9:30am opening. If you arrive at 9:45am (or even a little later) you will miss the initial crush of people. Believe me, it’s scary! When the gates open the locals RUN!

4. The Expo is divided into three sections…Asia, the Americas, and
Europe/Africa.Decide on which section you want to visit and then find the closest gate on your map You can check a map online (see links at the end of this post). This will cut down on the amount of walking you will do. Believe me you will be walking plenty! The subway is easy to use, and the best way to travel to and from Expo.

5. Decide how long you are prepared to wait in a lineup On my first day I waited in line at the India Pavilion for almost two hours, and then they closed it down. I never did find out why. At that point I made the decision that my maximum wait time was 30 minutes (preferably less). For the most part the Asian pavilions have the longest waits. People were waiting up to 8 hours to get into Saudi Arabia……………………NO THANK YOU! I saw fantastic African, South American, and European pavilions with very little wait time.

6. Be sure to visit your own country’s pavilion. Cruising through the Canadian Pavilion was so much fun. The apple pie and the “Canadian” breakfast made my day!!

7. Security is enforced. All bags must go through x-ray and you are wanded as you go through. You cannot carry water inside. You will get in much more quickly if you are prepared. That means nothing in your pockets that will make the alarm sound, and NO water. The locals know that they cannot take water inside, but all have it in their bags. They insist on standing in front of security and drinking every last drop. This slows things up considerably. Also, lighters will be confiscated.

8. Stay hydrated. There is no shortage of water, etc. for sale. The prices are not much higher than out on the street. In fact, there are many well marked free water stations. Try some of the food at the pavilions. Again, prices are quite good. I loved my “Canadian” food. Part of that of course was the novelty of being able to eat “Canadian” when I live in Asia. I also ate at the Peruvian Pavilion….HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

9. Wear the coolest clothes you own, and your MOST comfortable shoes.

10. The locals can be pushy. Politely stand your ground in the lineups and they will back off and stay in line.

11. Enjoy some of the evening entertainment. I saw some awesome African drumming, dancing and singing.

12. Finally, keep smiling and have fun! Again………………..COMFORTABLE SHOES, COOL CLOTHES.

Links to help you plan your Shanghai experience:

Expo 2010 Shanghai China

Shanghai Metro Map

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Let me begin by saying that Internet access is agonizingly slow here in China. Even a good proxy and an Internet connection does not guarantee that you will be able to send even the shortest email.

I took this shot in the city of Souzhou, which is known for its waterways and gardens. I stayed in the historical section of the city, and as you can see the buildings are beautifully lit at night. Click through to Flickr should you want to see a larger version.

Comments, stumbles, and tweets are all appreciated!

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My hotel is located within a ten minute walk of Shanghai’s famous Bund.
I fell in love with the awesome night views.

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