Hey, what do you think of the Insider's Guide 2008 edition?
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- Joined: Jan 10th, 2005
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Hey, what do you think of the Insider's Guide 2008 edition?
would love to hear your feedback.
And if you liked it (or even if you didn't), why not post your opinion on Amazon.com --
Customer reviews of the IG 2008
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Glenderful
Re: Hey, what do you think of the Insider's Guide 2008 edition?
It done rocks, yo!
herojuana
Re: Hey, what do you think of the Insider's Guide 2008 edition?
I bought the 2007 one, then soon realized that I could find all the information contained in the book on this site, and I wouldn't have to read the boring articles written by boring, sober lao wai who don't seem to ever have any fun.
So if I want to find something in Beijing, I do a search on this site or I check the directory. The book is not necessary.
How
Evil
Robots
Operate
Glenderful
Re: Hey, what do you think of the Insider's Guide 2008 edition?
There's a lot of material in the 2008 guide that isn't original if you bought the 2007 guide.
admin
Re: Hey, what do you think of the Insider's Guide 2008 edition?
what did you think of the map?
PS it's printed on waterproof paper
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Glenderful
Re: Hey, what do you think of the Insider's Guide 2008 edition?
The map (yi zhang ditu) was nice. I wish I could purchase additional copies of that, frankly.
herojuana
Re: Hey, what do you think of the Insider's Guide 2008 edition?
Waterproof map is good, for those drunken afternoons. But who needs a map of Beijing unless you can't speak Chinese?
How
Evil
Robots
Operate
microphonehead
Re: Hey, what do you think of the Insider's Guide 2008 edition?
I havn't read it - I seem to have missed my free journalists copy for review - is that in the post?
alex the droog
Re: Hey, what do you think of the Insider's Guide 2008 edition?
I hate to say that I bought it, and it's very good.
It has City Weekend writers contributing though.
Would the real Jonathan Haagens please stand up........
spettro9
Re: Hey, what do you think of the Insider's Guide 2008 edition?
the map is sweet,
i think also saw it at SinoMaps 中国地图出版社, near MuXiDi and 白纸坊
along with some similar ones
What China really needs:
- Bill Nye, "the Science Guy", to come teach them basic Science.
- Jared Diamond, Dan Brown, and Spencer Wells to teach them about world/human history.
- MLK and Gandhi and Einstein to teach them about what being human means.
e-mac
Re: Hey, what do you think of the Insider's Guide 2008 edition?
is the map available anywhere else? I'd love some more copies!
-e
canuck
Re: Hey, what do you think of the Insider's Guide 2008 edition?
I really enjoy the Insiders Guide. 2007 edition was given to me when I arrived as a welcome present. I bought the 2008 and will buy the 2009 when that time comes.
I find it very useful myself but also for the visitors who arrive here with no bloody idea of what they might like to do. Friends who have come with a long list of things they want to see and do always find other ideas after looking through the guide. I also send it along with them when they go out on their own so that they can show the taxi driver their destination (taxi book doesn't always have enough info)
I say keep up the good work.
Jordean
Re: Hey, what do you think of the Insider's Guide 2008 edition?
The 2006-2007 IG was a nice blend of information, but in my cranky opinion the 2008 edition went too far into the alternative cultural vector, James Fallows notwithstanding. The 2008 guide really is now very much directed at the younger crowd; I stopped clubbing and hanging out before many of the forumites were born, apparently, and such things have zero appeal for me here. The IG is comprehensive in this respect, if that's what you're looking for.
I suppose a real challenge would be to include a section aimed at a more mature crowd (NOT the bermuda-shorts wearing blue hairs, but just folks a little past the bar scene).
Whatever. I am sure the IG is a success nonetheless, and does have lots of useful info.
"A disarmed populace learns to knuckle under."
-- javajoe, or was it Charlton Heston?
Jordean
Re: Hey, what do you think of the Insider's Guide 2008 edition?
And another thing...
why does the IG promote Jin Wu Xing Bai Huo Cheng over near Dazhongsi subway station? This place sells cheap cr*p, and the vendors can always be counted on to try to cheat a laowai. If you manage to score some cheap stuff, it will almost certainly fall apart, so why would you get souvenirs here, unless you hate your friends back home.
Don't waste your time even trying to find this place! (It's in my backyard so I do shop there, if I don't care about quality and need something in a hurry.)
As to the Dong Wu Yuan markets, again I have not seen any great deals, and lots of the merchants won't bargain.
Unless you have LOTS of time to kill, you might as well go to your local shops or malls, the prices won't be that much higher, you don't waste time 'bargaining' and the quality will be higher.
The only way to really bargain is either to be fluent in Chinese, or have a Chinese friend (and then you're not really bargaining). The markets are such a cr*pshoot, I would rather see them get downplayed.
"A disarmed populace learns to knuckle under."
-- javajoe, or was it Charlton Heston?