Dr. Mark Nan Tu

For a full set of pictures, please visit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drnantu/sets/72157594269953972/

China, Beijing,
Atlantic City Apartment, at the heart of the WangJing District
Property Type: Apartment
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Living room: 1
Dinning room: 1
Laundry room: 1
Date Available: 2008-08-01 to 2008-08-31

2008 Beijing Olympic is almost here. With the exciting events, comes millions of visitors. Can not book a room to enjoy the Olympic? Or just tired of staying in the small and overpriced room? Would you like to rent a comfortable apartment during Beijing Olympic Games 2008?

Owned by an American Chinese, a spacious 3 bedroom , 2 bath, 1 living room, 1 dinning room and 1 washing room apartment available for rent during July to September of 2008.
Atlantic City Apartment, at the heart of the WangJing District, walking distance to numerous restaurants and shopping centers. 10 minutes to Lido Hotel and 15 minutes to

Looking good does not have to be expensive

Most of the people will laugh at me when I tell them that a BMW can be cheaper than a QQ. A BMW 320 made by Huachen BMW in China is sold at around 300,000 RMB. A QQ made in China is sold at 50,000 RMB. So how is a BMW cheaper than a QQ?

Well, if you pay in full price and brought all of them new, BMW is definitely more expensive than a QQ. However, if you get a near used (but near new BMW), it can be cheaper than a new QQ. In Chinese used car market, a 2 year old used BMW320 is around 200,000RMB.

Let us assume that today, you buy a BMW320 at primer condition (as good as new) at the market price of 200,000RMB. A new QQ is sold at 50,000RMB, with all the sales taxes, etc, the new QQ will set you back for 60,000RMB.

One year from today, the BMW is worth around 195,000RMB. The QQ is worth 40,000RMB. Let us do the math here.
Assume 6% interest rate and 0.5% per month.

798 is known to many as the art district. The area was once military factories but now turned into fashionable art district. The space is rather busy during the day time with loads of visitors checking out various art exhibitions and show. At night, the space is rather quite. There were parties, gatherings and new product announcements? mostly to an invited groups. Therefore, there were not many activities to the general public at night.

The situation is changing however. There are some new bars coming up. With the increasing popularity of the art district and the influence of the upcoming Olympics, I can see that the 798 art district becoming bar district at night in the not too far future.

I have been to the bars in 798 district a few times. The bars here are less noisy than the bars in Houhai and Sanlitun. Most of the bars were restaurants in the day time and serves western style snacks but turn into bars at night serving mixed cocktails and liquor. I once visited a bar where I was the only customer at 11pm at night, a time where all the other bars in town are getting the most customers.

I recommend 798 bars to those who prefer quite settings and far away from the cities noise. An easy afternoon stroll to the many art showrooms and a light dinner in many restaurants in the district followed by a very romantic walk in the alleys and then end the night with relaxation in one of the many bars nearby. What a day!

Two friends and I took a Chinese Hummer SUV for a 7 days; 2500 km drive through Hunan and Hubei province during the Spring festival holiday. We went though national highway, local express way, mud, dirt, snow,

I recently wrote an email to my Microsoft Research Asia (MSRA) friends about my experience of traveling in China.

Hello All:

Did Jim Rogers actually say that now is not a good time to travel in China? Wow, I can not believe that he said that. Jim Rogers is wrong about the traveling in China. He is definitely right about the investing in China. The Shanghai composite index raised nearly 100% last year. The real estate price raised about 80% in Beijing (in other words, the return on out of pocket investment in real estate in Beijing with 30% downpayment should be like 150% or more).

I personally traveled to all corners in China, North to HelongJiang, East to Shanghai, West to XingJiang and Tibet, South the Yunnan and Hainan. I also traveled extensively in Europe and North America. In my point of view, I say that China is one of the best (if not the best) tourist place in the world.

Compared with North America, China offers similar landscape but richer history. Compared with Europe, China offers similar history but richer landscapes. What’s more important, traveling in China is so cheap that I even at the local Chinese pay, I do not look at the price tag. Nothing is expensive. How about a soft sleeper from Beijing to GuangZhou for less than $100USD. How about a lavish dinner in LiJiang, Yunnan for less than $20 USD. I recently went to XiaChuan Island (a small island 35 min by speed boat from TaiShan Guangzhou). I had the whole hotel (5 floors) for myself. The beach front room cost me less than $12USD. A seafood dinner cooked on the spot cost me $12USD. The Karaoke girls were asking for $24USD overnight. The island is a smaller version of Hawaii (where I visited twice in the 90s, so I know). I walked on the 2km beach that has only about 10 people and most of them are local fishermen. I call it: the most romantic beach in China.

Cost of living in big cities such as Beijing is rising. But not nearly as high as in the Valleys. The trick is NOT to live like LaoWai (foreigner), but to live like Chinese. If the rooms are paid off, the cost of living can be as low as $250USD/month and the quality of live is as good as a white collared person in the Valleys

I took a guided tour to Northern China last summer. The scene reminded me of my days in Minnesota with the Pine trees and dark soil. My 7 day guided trip including the guide, transportation, lodging, entrance tickets, etc cost around $250USD. It is cheaper than most of the people staying in Beijing for a week. In other words, traveling around China in such tours would be better option for retired folks than ask them to stay in Beijing, cost wise.

I respect Jim Rogers. In fact, he is my hero. I read two of his three books. Investment Biker and Adventure Capitalist. However, I totally disagree with him that now is not a good time traveling in China. The real difference between his traveling and mine traveling is that he traveled in China in a custom-made Mercedes Benz and staying mostly in 5 star hotels. I traveled in China with a back pack, using various transportation means and staying in all local hotels. I can say that I enjoyed just as much if not more than he did. I for sure have seen more of the real China than he did.

There is an old Chinese saying: In a local town, behave like a local. So in China, behave like a Chinese. You will enjoy more.

Best Regards
Mark Tu

The rice noddle that costs only 10RMB

GuangZhou at night from the BaiYun mountain

The viewing platform on the BaiYun Mountain

It is very easy to get into a healthy life style in GuangZhou for the following reasons:
1: The weather in GuangZhou is very warm. One can enjoy outdoor sports even in winter
2: Local people are very much into workout.

I had worked out three times this week. I went hiking in BaiYun mountain at night, played basketball and swam in TianHe stadium. The basketball courts are surprisingly affordable for 5RMB at night or 3RMB during the day time. The swimming pool is an international standard pool. The entrance cost is 30RMB. The pool was heated but very crowded. There were 5-6 people in each lane.

I had one of the best rice noodle soap in the

Our company management went for a strategic meeting out of office today. We did not want to be interfered by the daily operational routines that are common in the office. So we opt for a quite place outside the office. We choose a tea house close to GrandBuy department store.

The team house is located in a residential compound. It is rather difficult to find. After we finally located it, we found a very quite place. We went there in early afternoon and we were the only clients. We sat in a corner and enjoyed our tea. The tea was rather expensive. It was 60 RMB/pot. The snacks are equally expansive and there is a minimum charge of 30RMB/person. We had very serious discussion about the company

Dancing clubs

The next YaoMing?

Porker clubs

Ballroom dancing in open air 10 C degree

Located to the east of Beihai Park and north of the Imperial Palace, Jingshan Park is a worthy place spot to visit. JingShan in Chinese means Scenic Hill. The hill was originally made with the earth from the moat surrounding the Forbidden City. The hill is the highest natural place inside the city. From there, one can have wonderful views of Beijing, especially over the Forbidden City, The park was an imperial garden during the Yuan (1271 – 1368), Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1644 – 1911) dynasties.

Living in Beijing for over 3 years, I have not visited the JingShan Park. I decided to visit the park in Sunday afternoon. The entrance fee is surprisingly cheap, only 2 RMB. I was impressed by the lush green grass field and the cypress trees surrounding the hill. There are many visitors, mostly are local Beijingers enjoy the Sunday afternoon outing. There are a lot of folk singings, dancing and even music performance in the park. These are the local opera, singing and music clubs and mostly consist of middle or elder aged persons. The singing, dancing and socializing are signs of a

Chinese government announced recently that the Chinese workers will enjoy 11 paid holidays. 1 more day than the previously 10 paid holidays.
These holidays are:
New Year

Chinese fast food between 6-10 RMB/meal.

The cost of eat out is so low and the choices are so many. Many Chinese office worker eats out every day.

I came to Guangzhou 2 month ago and I have not cooked once. I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner in restaurants every day. I call it outsourced chicken.

Chinese are world class in many things, among them two stand out above everything else: 1st: cooking,
2nd: mass production.
One can find Chinese food in every part of the world. Chinese production line is one of the most efficient systems in the world which produces majority of the items that the world uses everyday. With the combination of cooking and mass production skills, you have a country that offers extremely efficient and good public canteen that is suitable for every occasion.

I walk to work every morning. On the way to work, there are at least two food stands that I can buy milk and Chinese dumplings for breakfast. I usually grab a box of milk and bread or a box of Chinese dumplings. The cost is 5 RMB. I usually have lunch in the office. A few local restaurants deliver the box lunch everyday.