The Joy of Six: Jintailu

This month, we’ve checked out all the stops on Line 6 to tell you about the gems that you shouldn’t wait to discover in our station-by-station Going Underground special.

SELLING POINT
So, you’ve actually managed to convince this girl to go out with you. You barely know her and you two have nothing in common and you’re kind of awkward around girls and somehow you’re supposed to survive a whole afternoon in a Chaoyang Park paddle boat thinking up things to say to her. Fear not. We won’t hand you a script but we can point out some nice ice-breakers on the way up to the park’s south exit.

GET WHEELS
Arrive early and take Exit D, heading south. Walk down the main road for about two minutes and you’ll come across a scooter shop. Invest in some wheels – we recommend the quaint little turquoise number that’ll make you stand out. There’s an eyewear shop across the road if you feel like channeling a modish James Dean. Still not quirky enough? Head down a little further on the scooter side and you’ll come across a chinchilla store. And what’s crazier than a guy with chinchillas? Buy two and balance one on each handlebar.

GO WILD
When she shows up at the appointed time, she’s already impressed by your new scooter. But what will you talk about when you’ve run out of chinchilla chat? Have her hop on the back and tell her you’ll take her to the jungle. Speed off northwards for a minute and you’ll come across Dazhaimen Seafood Garden. It just may be the most extravagantly decorated eatery you’ll ever encounter – complete with chained parrots and fake rainforest foliage. Order a shark fin and turtle soup (racking up a tab of RMB 8,000), sup it down and ride off into the sunset without paying. You may get arrested, but at least you’ll have stuff to talk about the next time you see her.

This article originally appeared on page 16 in the February issue of the Beijinger.

Photo: Lova