In Beijing a real Sinterklaas

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Yes, we still celebrate

In Beijing a real Sinterklaas, never mind all the misplaced hoopla around it all,
see this post:
Stand up for our values: http://www.unirizon.com/2016/11/22/stand-up-for-our-values/

So thumbs up for our Belgian and Dutch community.

Belgian Sinterklaas

Some pictures by Sofie show the creative arrival of Sinterklaas at Nearby The Tree, The event was organized by the Belgian Embassy on 27 November, way ahead 0f 6 December, to allow our good Saint to be on time in Belgium. Our ambassador was there to welcome the many children and parents.

The Embassy of The Netherlands

The Dutch also had their Zwarte Piet and … a Blauwe Piet (creative, maybe coming from Mars?).
See their video clip:
“Het Sinterklaasfeest georganiseerd door de Nederlandse Ambassade, de Nederlandse Vereniging en De Rode Leeuw”
http://tigertube.wab.edu/video/Sinterklaasfeest-3-december/6ef24a2b89f527527997008e7b963302

Well, it seems all “races” present were enjoying it.

2016 German Christmas Charity Bazaar

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

A yearly grand event

I have been trying to visit it yearly. The 2016 German Christmas Charity Bazaar was as always a blast. This time I bought the entrance ticket in advance, at the German School. Good because otherwise it is near impossible to enter. I understand last year there were 5,000 visitors, most being Chinese and not just foreigners.
I arrived too early, 10:30. It opened 11 am. The good things was, I was quickly inside and could try some of the food with queuing. The VW curry sausage was great.

Rotary present

Rotary had again its coffee corner. I met a number of Rotarians and Rotaractors and it was just great fun for all.
We were lucky with the weather, not so cold nor winday and even the pollution levels came down a bit.
The 2016 German Christmas Charity Bazaar has a great marketing machine; the British Bazaar instead was left unnoticed by most.

Thierry Beer Mania shaved

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

The bet

Thierry Beer Mania shaved or not? That was the bet for the Maovember action. Guests could put money in either the shave or no shave container. I had put in the no-shave. Well, I lost!
But no panic, Thierry has decided to grow his beard again. I gues, will take some time to reach his previous record…

Maovember

A charity event that teams bars, restaurants, vendors & customers in Beijing. This year’s charities: Library Project and Good Works. Beer Mania was one of the participating bars and raised a total of far over the 20,000 RMB of just for the shaving event.
See: http://www.maovember.com/

For Beer Mania:
http://www.beermania.asia/

Beer Mania has not only Belgian beer: also snooker and more.

Legend Beer has great food, and girls

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

A good meeting spot

As Legend Beer has great food, and impressive girls, and is next door to my home, reasons enough to have a dinner with friends.
Good to meet an old friend from Belgium, Professor Alphons (“Fons”), who visits China regularly and is also a great photographer (and travels a lot).

Some of the food

See here some of the great dishes: roasted lamb, avocado with shrimps, crispy pork knuckle, German sausages, German potato salad. And more.
As a friendly help to the manager Adam I also function At times as the “professional photographer” (haha) to make pictures of the customers. And yes, beautiful girls ( and handsome boys), see also earlier posts.

Old China Hands and The Beijinger

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

The first Friday as usual

As usual, on the first Friday of the month our lunch at Morel’s Restaurant. This time 2 December and it was “Old China Hands and The Beijinger”, as we had the visit of their journalist (Scott) and photographer.
The Beijinger is an authority on what is going on in Beijing, see:
http://www.thebeijinger.com/

We had a nice group of just over 30 people, with a large variety of nationalities.

Now waiting for…

Waiting for the interview that should come out in January. See the great pics I got back from The Beijinger.
And waiting for the next lunch, Friday 6 January 2017.
Our informal get together is for foreign passport holders with at least ten years of China experience.