Here is what the NYT had to say about each destination:

Moganshan – “Luxury in the former mountain hideaway of Shanghai gangsters.” Slideshow
       ”For much of the early 20th century, Moganshan, a bamboo-covered mountain about three hours from Shanghai, served as a tranquil retreat for the elite. Wealthy foreigners took up residence on the mountain first, building stone villas and tennis courts. Then came the Chinese power brokers, including the Shanghai mob boss Du Yuesheng and the Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek, who honeymooned here in 1927.
       After a lull, the past decade has seen foreigners repopulating Moganshan’s sleepy slopes, transforming old villas into homes and guesthouses. And in late 2011, the mountain went upscale with two new luxury properties. The 121-room eco-resort Naked Stables features tree-top villas with Jacuzzis set on balconies overlooking the mountains, and African-inspired “earth huts” built with environmentally friendly rammed-earth walls. Set on a tea plantation, the 40-room Le Passage Moganshan, which partly opened in December, takes its inspiration from Moganshan’s historic manor homes, with century-old recycled wood floors and a magnificent garden planted with 12,000 rose bushes.”

Lhasa – “New luxury hotels bring respite — and controversy.
       ”Tibet’s holy capital is in the throes of a luxury-hotel boom. In Lhasa, this is news: not only is operating an upscale hotel at nearly 12,000 feet above sea level no small feat, but real-estate developments here are, almost by default, also culturally loaded.
       The majestic, 162-room St. Regis Lhasa Resort has been in full operation since May. In 2010, a charming Tibetan-owned villa called the Lingtsang reopened as a boutique hotel with opulent, colorful woodwork and courtyard verandas. And coming soon are the sprawling InterContinental Resort Lhasa Paradise and the 284-room Shangri-La, both scheduled to open in 2013.
       On the upside, it’s the first time that travelers can get high-end amenities in a city where even basic hospitality has been a challenge. On the downside, the openings — like Lhasa’s booming population, new business districts and shopping malls — are seen by many Tibetans and interested outsiders as more cultural colonization and exploitation of a sacred land.”

1. Where’s the best place for….?

It’s your driver’s job to take people all over the city. In doing so, they probably know exactly where the swankest bars and greatest street food can be found. Your driver likely has a favorite restaurant that he goes to when he gets off work and can even recommend a few dishes for you to try there. These places are guaranteed not to be mentioned in any guidebook and are a great opportunity to see the “real” China (whatever that means). Your driver is likely to have information on the best restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues in town as well because they drive people there everyday. So the next time you are looking for a good recommendation ask a cabbie.

Personal story: my friend and I once planned to go to a well-known Beijing duck restaurant because our guidebook highly recommended it. When we told our cab driver, he pointed out there were much cheaper venues that served duck that tasted just as good. Willing to take the risk and switch our plans, my friend and I opted to try his suggestion and found their duck to be great! As icing on the cake, the small restaurant we went to was also a better deal by far than the guidebook’s choice – they gave much bigger ducks than the famous place for a much cheaper price!

2. Where do most local tourists visit while traveling in the city?

Sure, you want to go where the guidebook recommends (after all, those sites are the most famous and recommended for a reason!), but sometimes it’s the places the locals go that are more interesting. When I was traveling in Nanyang, Henan, during the National Holiday in October, my friend and I got fed up with going to the well-known tourists’ sites so we asked our taxi driver where he thought might be a popular place with locals but that wouldn’t necessarily be famous with foreign visitors. He took us to a park on the outskirts of the city that ended up being the former residence of an official in the Ming Dynasty; it had a very well-maintained garden and we had a good time taking funny photos with the statues there. We were also the only foreigners there and it really gave the feeling of being somewhere special. Of course, if we hadn’t asked the driver neither my friend nor I would have known the place even existed. But driver was a local- of course he knew where all the good places to hang out away from crowds were!

3. What do Chinese people do for fun after work?

In Beijing, many foreigners’ idea of an evening of fun involves going to a bar, usually found in the neighborhoods of Sanlitun (if you are in the eastern part of the city) or Wudaoku/Houhai (if you are in the western part of the city). When we asked our cabbie where Chinese people go on a Friday night to have fun he smiled and said KTV. Coincidentally (or not) his daughter worked for a KTV near the Lama Temple in Beijing so he took us right there! It ended up being an interesting night of off-key singing, a good alternative to drinking the night away. The KTV had a surprising number of English-language songs to choose from as well, and some locals even joined us for a bit when a member of our party invited them to sing a duet.

I hope the three I’ve presented to you can help your experience be more “localized” while visiting China. There are numerous other questions you can ask cab drivers to learn more about what the given city you’re traveling in has to offer, but these questions are a good starting point to get the conversation and your experiences going.

- Elizabeth

The Teas:
China is famous for is its teas, so of course it comes as no surprise most convenient stores carry a large range of local mass produced tea products. These teas generally contain alarmingly high sugar contents which makes them delicious but also means that people with health concerns should be careful not to drink too many. Pretend that each one is a can of soda and you should be able to achieve the right amount of moderation.

One particularly popular form of tea is called Wang Lao Ji 王老吉; it comes in red cans that, if you aren’t observant, you might mistake for cans of Coca-Cola. Despite being considered a tea, Wang Lao Ji actually contains traditional Chinese medicine recommended for combating fevers and acne. It is often drunk in the summer or when eating spicy food such as malatang or hotpot. Definitely be sure to try a can and see if you like it!

Another tea definitely worth trying – it is one of my all time favorites by far – is 冰红茶 BingHongCha “Iced Red Tea”. If you ever had a Nestle Brisk this tastes almost exactly the same but without the carbonation.

The Fruit Sodas:
These sodas are more like carbonated fruit juice than a Pepsi and usually come with brightly colored packaging in fruit flavors you don’t often find at home such as watermelon or mango. In my experience, they make interesting gifts to bring people back stateside; many of my friends for whom I’ve brought a bottle or two to refer to these fruit sodas as “liquid Jolly Ranchers”

The Yogurt Flavored Drinks:
These beverages tend to be a fruit/yogurt combination, with the type of fruit mixed in prominently displayed on the wrapping of the bottle so even non-Chinese speakers know what they’re buying. Unlike the yogurt you might eat for breakfast with a spoon, these yogurts are much thinner and smooth, making them easy to drink. The yogurt is generally slightly sour while the fruit is sweet, giving the beverages a good yin-yang contrast of flavor.

Milk Products:
While some milk in China is sold refrigerated from cartons like the US, the majority is sold in bags unrefrigerated. To make this happen there are surely quite a few chemicals incorporated into the manufacturing process so we would not recommend drinking too much of it.

That being said most Chinese people drink a lot of milk and seem to be no worse for the ware, so pick up a bag of skim milk for breakfast while your here. In addition to the standard chocolate and strawberry, Chinese milk flavors also include walnut or peanut.

Dinner Drinks:
Most diners in China either drink beer, hard alcohol, or something else with their meal. This section will focus on plum juice and coconut milk two of the most popular items in “something else”. We will start with plum juice.

Usually found in uniquely-shaped glass bottles, plum, prune, and date juices are all popular local drinks. Before you get disgusted at the thought of drinking purple brownish sludge, remember two things: one of the main ingredients in Dr. Pepper is plum juice and 1 billion people are unlikely to drink things that taste bad. In fact the plum, prune, and date juices you will find in China are all sweet, with the prune and date juices adding a bit of sourness as well. If you are our with Chinese friends or colleagues ordering a suanmeitang is a great way to display your love of China.

Coconut milk, unlike date/prune/plum juice, is 100 % sweet and creamy. It is the perfect addition to just about every Chinese meal because of its soothing smooth nature and feel. On more than one occasion I have ordered on can only to order another one because I couldn’t wait to finish the first. The most common brand of coconut juice (pictured) comes in a black tin and advertises itself as the official drink of China’s government banquets. So as you sip keep in mind that somewhere in China it is likely that a government official is sipping with you. You can ask for coconut juice either warm or cold depending on your mood. Don’t worry about making a wrong decision though. It tastes great either way.

Milk Teas:
This is my personal favorite local variety of drinks. Milk teas are, as its name suggests, milk and tea together, with a bit of sugar (or sometimes, fruit flavorings) mixed in. They generally are quite sweet because of this yet very smooth and make a great breakfast drink. On the street, milk teas with tapioca balls are sold as “Bubble Tea”. With or without tapioca balls, however, milk tea is delicious!

Chinese Alcohol:
Known as Baijiu 白酒 (Bye Jio) in Chinese and affectionately as fire water in English, rice wine which come in bottles, cans, glasses, and even bags (what is it with China and beverage bags?!) is available at every convenient store. One of the most common brands is Er Gou Tou, but there are plenty of other, better brands to choose from. For a more refined experience by a nice bottle of China’s most famous brand Wuliangye. Word of warning: baijiu is strong, stronger than you think so if you’re planning on trying some, be prepared! The standard proof of baijius 80-110 so buyer beware.

As you can see, during your time in China there are plenty of beverages for you to have a go at; there’s no need to just stick to Coke or Sprite! Of course, there are those moments when a Coke might be best, and certainly they are easily found in stores…but if you want to experience the local flavor of beverages, be sure to check out some of the drinks we’ve suggested. Who knows, maybe you’ll find a new favorite infusion and you’ll want to bring three bottles of back home with you!

- Elizabeth

So this weekend I went out to explore an alternative route to the wall by taking the newly opened commuter train from the Beijing North Station. Not only is this a fast way to get there but it is also the cheapest, by far; the whole round trip cost 12 RMB! Below is my experience complete with pictures so that you can do the same thing.

It was a warm and gorgeous October day when I visited the Great Wall at Badaling by train. The Beijing North Station, located right behind the Xizhimen subway station, offers numerous trains each day to Badaling; a train leaves almost hourly for the Great Wall. As subway lines 2, 4 and 13 all go to Xizhimen, it was also very convenient to get to the station. The Beijing North Station itself is a large white building; with both its Chinese name and English name prominently displayed, I had no trouble locating it.

While there were no English signs anywhere, I found the ticket counter through the far right door. The train ticket, to my surprise, only cost 6 kuai… much cheaper than renting a cab for the day! I paid cash, but I also had the option to use my Beijing Transportation Card (the one for the subway). There are no assigned seats on this train and the ticket is valid for any train on the day of purchase, much like the subway.

I wanted to get to the Great Wall early to beat the crowds, so I took the 9:03 AM train on a Saturday. As I prepared to board the station had already filled up with tourists so I was happy to be out of there (presumably weekdays are less busy). Similarly, I was lucky to have been towards the front of the line, as when it came time to board the train, there was a lot of pushing and shoving.

Patience and persistence are key virtues when in China. I didn’t bother running on to the train like everyone else and found that there were still many spots to choose from; however, the passengers who straggled in just moments before the train doors closed did not get seats and had to stand.

The train to Badaling took about an hour and a half; it passed through the rural surroundings of Beijing and providing many great photos opportunities of the mountains – much better views than the highway. As we neared Badaling the destination was only announced in soft Chinese so be vigilant OR just get off with everyone else! On my journey a kindly woman sitting across smiled and motioned for me to follow her, saying: “we had arrived at the wall”.

The platform at the station was a sea of people all heading in the same direction. I just followed the crowd to the exit. Though the Badaling station doors were further down the way, everyone instead exited through a small white building closer to where the train dropped us off. Exiting the Badaling station, we were on a two way road with everyone walking to the left and it was clear why – a large brown sign showed this was the way to the Great Wall!

After about 15 minutes of walking at my brisk pace I had arrived at one of the 7 man made wonders of the world, the Great Wall!

A ticket to actually climb up on the wall at Badaling cost 40 RMB, but with a student ID or a senior citizens card they are only 25 RMB. The lines moved quickly, and I soon found myself on the Great Wall, ready to enjoy the day!

After my visit, returning to Beijing was as easy as backtracking my way to the station, plus there were a few signs to help guide me back.

The Badaling train station is much smaller than the Beijing North Station, so it was very easy and convenient to find my way to its ticket counter and to the train platform. The train station attendants seemed even more alert than in Beijing, and personally showed me to the train, making sure everything was all right. It was a nice way to end a trip!

The first time I visited the Great Wall there were no trains to Badaling leaving me only one option of renting a taxi; plus that is what my guidebooks and hotels had both recommended. But now that there is a train, getting to the wall is 100 times cheaper (6 RMB versus 600 kuai) and smoother than before. Also, it seemed to take much less time. Skipping the traffic, I made to to the Great Wall within 2 hours. Finally, I the scenery along the train route winding through the farmlands and mountains as opposed to staring at numerous cars and asphalt is much nicer than the highway.

Hope you found this helpful and enjoy your cheap tour to the Great Wall!

- Elizabeth

Now, if your reaction is similar to the average American, you’re probably a bit grossed out because we tend not to consider members of the equidae family as viable food options. But eating donkey is not much stranger than eating cow or pig or lamb…is it?! No, is totally in the same ballpark. Plus, with the prevalence of donkey meat venues in China, try something new? Live a little!

Now let me tell you more about this delicious treat. Donkey burgers or 驴肉火烧 Lurou huoshao in Chinese originate in northeastern China and are particularly popular in Baoding where they are considered a local specialty. One Chinese saying from the northeast proclaims “In heaven there is dragon meat, on earth there is donkey meat”.

As for their constituents, Lurou huoshao are super basic with only two moving parts: the bun and the donkey meat. The bun can be described as a flakier more pastry-like panini or pita. It is cooked over a fire in a pan or on a skewer rather than baked in an oven.

The donkey meat has a texture similar to mutton and is a very dark pink color even after it’s been cooked and seasoned; its taste reminds me of corned beef. For the burger, the meat is minced into small pieces, with some shops even mixing in a pepper or onion for added flavor. It is then sandwiched into the bun and served warm in a straw basket. Prep time is minimal, so 1 makes a very quick and delicious snack or and 2 a meal

Lurou huoshao restaurants are easy to find and are numerous in most major Chinese cities. They can range from small holes-in-the-wall to fancy establishments, and are easily recognized by their signs which always display 驴肉火烧.

Lurou huoshao are also really cheap, never costing more than four kuai for one. Also, if you discover Lurou huoshao aren’t enough to satiate your new-found donkey meat hunger, don’t worry – most restaurants that serve the burger also serve other donkey-meat products, such as donkey hotpot or donkey meat noodle soup. For the real food adventurers, try another part of the donkey, the penis (supposedly beneficial to male virility) but that is a topic for a different blog post.

Donkey burgers are not for everyone I know but while you are in the Middle Kingdom, you might be surprised at how great it tastes and if nothing else, you can always go home and brag to your friends about the succulent/interesting taste of donkey. Just don’t forget to take a picture to show everyone you really ate it!

- Elizabeth