I never travel without first doing my homework. Be it a weekend getaway or several months abroad, stocking up on guidebooks and browsing the web for supplemental material is always a must. (Spending hours on TripAdvisor before, during, and after a trip is also an obsession of mine.) My trip to Beijing is no exception; so far I’ve read Insider’s Guide to Beijing 2008, Fodor’s China, Lonely Planet Beijing, and Zagat Beijing. I’m bringing along an Eyewitness Pocket Map & Guide as well so I always have something, well, in my pocket.
Though not as relevant in 2008, I’m also working my way through China Today: Sin or Virtue? — written in 1978 by my grandfather, Albert Honig, after returning from several weeks in China. A psychiatrist, known around the world at the time for his experimental treatments, he was among the first Americans to visit post-Mao China.
Without this blog as a resource, I had no choice but to turn to other authors for my pre-journey fix. Even with the information you’ll find here in the coming weeks, it’s still a good idea to bring a guidebook or two.
With its list of 228 restaurants ranging from "spectacular Peking duck" at Beijing Da Dong to "surprisingly authentic" Mexican at El Fogoncito, I recommend picking up a copy of Zagat Beijing before leaving home. I definitely plan on using it to guide me to my first few culinary experiences.
With posts detailing everything from hot photo spots in the Chinese capital to restaurant reviews, camera repair tips, and a detailed look at transportation, our Beijing Olympics blog will be the number one source for photographers and journalists heading to Beijing to cover the games, and photographers watching from home or planning a trip to the city. Our 2008 Beijing Olympics blog will become active on July 1st. Until then, please visit American Photo’s State of the Art blog for daily industry news and events.
This is my first ever public blog post. In just over two weeks, I will be on my way to Beijing, where I will spend two months blogging, exploring, eating, and working with journalists from all over the world as they report from the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Since I plan to blog at least once a day beginning on July 1st, I decided with two weeks to go, it’s about time to figure out just what that will involve. OK fine — I lied — my girlfriend Beth made me do it. While my Beijing posts will be hosted on PopPhoto.com, I also plan to share them on this blog as well, so a record of my experience will remain far after my blog fades from Pop.
A little about the header image… this picture was captured on the Paris metro on an overcast morning on New Year’s Day 2008. Beth and I were traveling to Montmartre before catching our evening flight to Rome when this puppeteer entered out lives. I’m not one to throw tons of cash at people that don’t seem to make the slightest effort to make money using their own creativity, but this guy’s show, albeit short, was utterly fantastic. He earned my tip and I was eager to pay up. You’ll find a YouTube video of a similar show below.
