Ren and her boyfriend Joff spent a week here in Beijing and I went on leave to show them around.
On their first day, I met them after work to go to Tiananmen Square and walk around. We realized it was a bad idea when it was a couple of degrees below zero and the fricking wind is not much of a help. It was torture walking around Tiananmen Square, the Egg (see below picture), and at Qianmen street. 
Afterwards we decided to have dinner at a hotpot resto near my office at Xizhimen but ended up going to an eat all you can buffet at a Brazilian restaurant. After getting full, we decided to hit up the D-22 bar but it was closed and we ended up at a weird coffee and bar place and had a few beers.
Our 2nd day consisted of hitting up the Yonghegong Lama temple and lunch at the famour dumpling restaurant then headed off to walk the long stretch of the Olympic Green where the Bird's nest and Water Cube is. For dinner we ate at a Taiwanese Hotpot and stuffed our faces with food. Yummy!
For New Year's eve, we started off the day having lunch at my favorite Korean restaurant then walked the long stretch of the Gulou street and ended up at the frozen lake at Beihai. Ren and Joff spent their NY's eve at the D-22 bar while I attended a NY's eve party at one of my Russian agent's house. I was quite surprised how much fun I had. It was a perfect way to start the New Year - drunk and happy!
As for the first day of 2009, we went to Yu Yang Ski resort with Susy and her French roommate. I had to have someone who speaks Chinese as my broken Chinese won't fair well if you want to rent some ski gear and get through the whole day at an all Chinese ski resort. We tried snow boarding and I can honestly say that I found it easier than skiing. Just for the fact that I fell less on the snowboard. Hehe!
Because we were all sore from all the falling and tripping, we met up just before lunch and headed off to Nuerenjie - where the famous Lady's street and 2nd hand electronic shops are. We then went to another famous site for people interested in arts - 798 Art District.I'm not sure if it's too much walking around in the middle of winter or I just smoked too much but I ended up getting sick over the weekend. I was bummed out but it was a welcome rest from being out all week.
I had fun and it was nice seeing a familiar face. I can say that I didn't do bad for a tourist guide but then again, touring the city in the middle of winter, getting numb and not knowing if snot's already dribbling down your nose - I can do better next time. =D
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