Zhongguancun-中关村

English-speaking optometrist on staff, Mr. Zhang Hua Xiang.

Located in the basement of the Shouti Comprehensive Training Center, Century Star Club offers ice-skating lessons in a slightly smaller than regulation-size rink.RMB 40(Mon-Thu) 50(Fri-Sun) for admission.Private lessons are priced at RMB 100-150/45min and group lessons start at RMB 60/45 min.

French hypermarket offers a vast selection of imported wine, cheese, coffee, canned goods and much more. Wonderful variety – especially at the Guangqumenwai location – but the crowds can be thick. The Sanyuan Qiao store offers free delivery for purchases over RMB 500 – order by email customer@carrefour.com.

This prestigious German organization, with a staff of native speakers and professionally trained Chinese teachers, holds German courses all week. Their library collection – free and open to the public – includes over 10,000 mostly German books and multimedia. A library card costs RMB 200 per year, students RMB 120.

Haidian’s newest one-stop shopping center runs alongside and above Carrefour. Featuring outlets of famous labels such as Lacoste, ONLY, and Sephora.

(Guomei) In its 14 stores across the city, Gome stocks a wide range of home appliances as well as PCs and DVD players from the cheap to the mind-blowingly expensive. The sales assistants are very capable. If taking your player to another country, ask if it has encoding restrictions.

The Novotel's buffet restaurant serve European and Asian food prepared in show cooking stations, with grilled fish and meats cooked on-the-spot. Breakfast buffet is RMB 148, lunch is for 168 and dinner is RMB 215. A la carte available 24 hours.

Located in the university district, this store is up there with Xidan and Wangfujing in terms of range of English-language titles. Head to the third floor for English books, which can be found alongside a broad selection of textbooks for Chinese-language study.

The place to see "State-owned" singers belt our nationalistic tunes.