Useful Information for 29^th IAHR Congress Delegates

By George Christopher

• Please make sure you have 90Yuan in local currency to pay the airport tax on departure.
• Internet – PCs have been provided for Congress delegates in BICC Congress Center for accessing e-mail; if you have difficulty using these PCs or if you need access when the Center is closed there is well organized internet shop in the Beijing Recreation Center adjoining the Continental Hotel.
• Do not forget to have a hotel card when you take a city journey. Hotel reception will write a note for taxi drivers indicating your destination in Chinese characters.
• Typical taxi fees from the hotel are:

Hotel-airport 100yuan
Hotel –downtown shopping district 40-80yuan (depending on car size and traffic)

• Traffic congestion is acute at certain times of day. Allow enough time for traveling- one hour to the airport, and one hour to downtown.
• There is a modern shopping center near the hotel, which has a well-stocked modern supermarket.
• There is a post office in the Congress Center. A special desk of the post office will be set up in the lobby of BICC during Congress for delegates mailing the Proceedings home.
• Explore the restaurants in the local area and downtown –there is a wide range of restaurants within walking distance including very good value Chinese restaurants and western restaurants such as TGI Friday, and Domino Pizza. Many restaurants in the tourist areas have menus in English with photos.
• The Beijing Recreation Center adjoining the Continental Grand Hotel contains a wide range of modern, well-maintained facilities including a large modern, leisure pool complex, ten pin bowling alley, an internet cafe (30 PCs), large billiard room, gymnasium and shops.
• Guests are advised to block their phones at nighttime to prevent false calls.
• Shopping – a very popular destination for foreigners will be the famous Xiu Shui Street (silk market) where export brands of clothing are sold at low prices.

Ask taxi driver to take you to XiuShui-street market

• The basement of the giant mega-mall Xin Dong An Market on Wang Fu Jing Street (the main shopping street of Beijing) recreates the atmosphere of old Beijing with many interesting shops selling traditional goods which will appeal to delegates.