Latest Comments

• • June 27, 2007
  • Dianchi Lake slimed by blue-green algae
    

    Delicious picture. Yum.

Latest Forum Posts

• • March 7, 2007
    
  • Forums > Food & Drink > Basil
    

    In my experience all you need to bring is your foreign passport (or copy thereof) and a photo to get a membership card the first time you're there. They can also just take your photo there and I think it's free or at least only a nominal fee(can't remember). Only takes a minute and then you just bring it every time after. My Chinese friends have had to have a business license to get a card, so it's a little more difficult for them. To get to Metro, take bus 96 north (available in the Yunda area at the Jianshelu and Shida stops) way out until you see the blue and yellow Metro sign out of the right side of the bus. I think it's Qiche keyuan beizhan, but the bus announcements are often a stop or two off, so it's best just to stare out the window. Anyone have better directions?

    Also don't forget to bring your own bags. In an admirable attempt to reduce waste and get customers to pay for the real cost of things, they charge for their sturdy plastic bags.

• • March 6, 2007
    
  • Forums > Food & Drink > Basil
    

    Metro, if you're willing to trek out there, has fresh Taiwanese basil for pretty cheap ( 2-5 yuan a bag). Or, if you want to grow your own, I have half a packet of still-viable basil seeds which I am willing to share with the greater community.

• • February 26, 2007
    
  • Forums > Living in Kunming > Kunming runners?
    

    Would be interested in running with people too! Kunming, considering its elevation and good weather, could certainly use a running club. Perhaps topped off with excursions to dirtier, lower-elevation places for a few fun races.

• • January 17, 2007
    
  • Forums > Living in Kunming > Bike - recommendations?
    

    Hey Hamish,
    I don't have a sidecar, but if you haven't gotten around to buying a bike yet, I'd like to offer you my barely used, royal blue, men's Flying Pigeon bike for a pretty low price. Wouldn't want to have to emasculate yourself by riding around on a pink lady's bike. It weighs a lot ( no gears, kunming isn't that hilly) but is really very sturdy, and I might be willing to throw in my excellent (american) lock for a little more. Maybe this should be in classifieds. Ride aggressively and consider spray-painting your bike ugly if it is a pleasant color and build. You can get crappy bikes for about 100RMB in the bikemart, and slightly better (stolen) ones for about the same in the secondhand goods market. But be aware that the cheap bikes will fall apart frequently and constantly need parts replaced. Flying Pigeon is a traditional, slightly more expensive, and sturdier brand.

• • September 28, 2006
    
  • Forums > Living in Kunming > Alternative Kunming?
    

    Given that the Lonely Planet doesn't cover a whole lot, nor with much enthusiasm, this should be easy. Unfortunately, I only know of a couple art spaces which may or may not qualify as alternative. The Nordica/Loft area is a nice space which has displays and music semi-regularly, but the most interesting part is really the fact that all above and around it there are artists holed up in their warehouse-style studios, including the famous creator of the babies-in-uniforms paintings. This area is at the Bai Yao Chang stop on the 62 and 120 bus routes. Another studio/artist hang-out is actually in back of the Minorities museum near Dianchi, straight across from the Minority Village. I'm not sure if it's open to the public, but if you walk around past the dormitory-style buildings to the back of the Museum there it is, in a door and downstairs. Finally, I've heard of the occasional nude art demonstration at the Art School (Yishuxueyuan) northwest of Cuihu but I wouldn't count on it.

• The Old Theatre Inn
• Chicago Coffee
• Lost Garden Guesthouse & Restaurant
• Kunming Mei's Mandarin School
• As You Like
• Keats School
• Moondog
• GoKunming
• YMCA Club 1933
• Slice of Heaven
• Kingsway Tented Resorts
• Bakery 88
• Camel Bar
• The Mask
• Kunming College of Eastern Language and Culture
• My Favor Restaurant
• Chapter One
• Wonders Of Yunnan Travel
• O'Reilly's Irish Pub
• Salvador's Coffee House
• Wangtianshu Restaurant & Deli
• Tenwest Mandarin School
• Cacao Mexican Restaurant
• Flying Tigers Restaurant
• Kunming Yu-Cong Enterprise Management Company
• Huiying Dental Clinic