Restaurant Houhai

To take a drink or have dinner, there are plenty of places to choose from. Those who want to experience the beat and buzz of the night should go more to the central part of the Houhai area and visit the huge variety of funky and colourful bars and restaurants offering all kind of food. The romantic version can be found at the places right next to the lake, inviting the people with comfortable sofas and a great view on the lake glowing with the light of lotusshaped lamps.

Houhai Shop at night

Houhai Shops

For a little shopping either during the day or at night, there are many little boutiques and shops welcoming the passerby to enter and spend some money on souvenirs, clothes or jewelry.
The Houhai area is tremendously lively at night and if one wants to avoid sitting in a car being jammed by lots of people and lots of cars honking at each other trying to squeeze through to the center part of Houhai, then I would suggest you better go by bike or just take a nice long walk admiring your environment and looking at all the different people.

Friday nigt in Houhai

There are lots of places to visit in Beijing, but the Houhai area is definitely one you shouldn’t miss. It is the newly developed old town of Beijing and named after the Houhai Lake which it encircles. Here we enjoy Houhai for shopping and having dinner at our favorite Restaurant "Houhai Pizza"!

Fabian and his family fanclub in Shanghai

We all had a lot of fun in Shanghai, the girls, we as the parents and Fabian with his team....

Fabians Team

......the Senion Dragons (Sports Beijing) last week at the Socer Tournament in Shanghai.

Fussball und Sightseeing: Unvergessliche Tage in Shanghai

Nach spannenden Fußballspielen steht Sightseeing auf dem Programm. Alle, die Shanghai kennen sprechen vom "Bund" und dessen besonderem Flair. Und tatsächlich, es ist ein klasse Erlebnis: Der "Bund" ist gesäumt mit alten historischen Gebäuden, es gibt viel zu sehen...
... und den anstrengenden Tag haben wir mit einem Paulaner Weißbier beendet, alles ist möglich in Shanghai!

Shanghai bei Nacht

Fazienierend der Fernsehturm bei Nacht. 468 Meter hoch ist der Fernsehturm der Welt.

The Eberlein family explores Shanghai at night

Blick vom Fernsehturm Shanghai

8 Monate in Beijing, wie die Zeit vergeht

Das Leben ist spanned hier in Beijing, nach 8 Monaten können wir sagen. Bald haben wir Ferien und besuchen Deutschland. Es gibt viel zu erzählen!

Mark Twain

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain

The Eberlein kids living abroad

Der Umzug nach China war eine große Herausforderung für uns alle, besonders aber für die Kinder, das Neue entdecken und dabei die vertrauten Dinge nicht aus den Augen verlieren, für Fabian ist etwas sehr Vertrautes sicherlich der der Fußballsport (deshalb immer wieder Fotos mit auf dem Fußballfeld), für die Mädchen sind sicherlich andere Dinge wichtig und jeder für sich macht seine eignenen Erfahrungen hier in Peking.

family life abroad

I think: Leaving close friends and relatives is the hardest consequence about moving to another country
After 8 month living abroad I can say:
Staying in touch with old friends and support your family to sattle in are key ingredients to finding happiness for yourself, and by default, for your family".

Fabian

Fabian in Action: After school you can find him on a soccer pitch!

Franziska

She is involved in many school activities (here opening celebration of the Canadian International School)

Elisa

On this photo she is cuttting her birtsday cake in our house n Beijing. If you belive it or not: She is already 15 Years old

Ms. Shanen

Nicht nur bei Starbucks gibt es guten Kaffee. Um ehrlich zu sein, am allerliebsten trinke ich meinen Kaffee bei Ms. Shanen, einem kleinen Cafe´.....

...am liebsten esse ich dazu einen Cream Cheese Bagel. oder ich probiere the "Special of the day" (siehe Foto), der Strawberry Frozen Joghurt war echt lecker!

Starbucks Coffee Shop Forbidden City

In a context of all the other retail outlets, the ones pushing plastic jade beats, cigarette lighter...., the coffee shop Starbucks seems preety harmless for me!
In my opinion the discussion about the "Starbucks" in "Forbdden City"shows up the dramatic changes that is happening in China as explified in the Forbidden City and is a result of the inevitable globalization phenomenon!
Yesterday I found a photo in the internet showing a Cup of Green Tea inside of the Forbidden City Starbucks. Maybe this is the future. Finding compromisses, living in a multi cultural society!
Anyway: Last monday I visited the Forbidden City and I had a rest at Starbucks, engrossed in thoughts.

Beijing's Forbidden City palace is considering closing a Starbucks on its grounds after protests led by a state TV personality who says the American coffeehouse's presence is eroding Chinese culture

With Friends at Starucks Forbidden City

Starbucks Forbidden City

Starbucks within the Forbidden City!! It's very small, but sells all the coffees and teas, the Beijing Starbucks cups, and a bit of food. They do a roaring business, partly because it's Starbucks, but also because there aren't many places where you can buy anything to eat here.