1800What? Beijing Windows

Google uses various modifications and humorous features, such as cartoon modifications, of their logo for use on birthdays of famous people, holidays, and major events, like the Olympics. For the 2008 Beijing Olympic, Google has been publishing a series of logo mostly based on animal characters of the Chinese Zodiacs.

It seems Google did not intent to use the correct order of Chinese Zodiacs. The correct sequence should be, Rat (Yes, 2008 is the RAT’s year), Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.

August 8, 2008. Logo for the opening ceremony in Beijing. The IOC authorized Google to use the 2008 Beijing Olympic icons, such as Fuwa and IOC flag.

August 9, 2008. a ram cycling

August 10, 2008. a weight lifting mouse

August 11, 2008. a diving pig

August 12. 2008. Rhythmic Gymnastics OX

August 13. 2008. a monkey on the rings

August 14, 2008. a dragon is shooting basketball

August 15, 2008. a tiger is playing badminton

August 16, 2008. a horse is kicking (Soccer)

August 17, 2008. a dog and a rabbit (Rowing)

August 18, 2008. a dragon is playing Table Tennis

August 19, 2008. a swimming snake. looks like Michael Phelps

August 20, 2008. a rabbit is chasing a horse on the trackfield

August 21, 2008. a high jump rabbit

August 22, 2008. martial arts. a Monkey VS. a Tiger

August 23, 2008. A rooster is throwing a baseball

August 24, 2008. The Closing Ceremony Logo of Google. It seems this is the end of it. 12 animals appear in this logo and obviously Dragon is the biggest winner of the 2008 Olympic Game.

Beijing has many five star western style accommodation choices; they all provide the similar service what you expect in Europe or North America. However, if you want to pursuit an authentic once a life time oriental experience, a traditional Chinese courtyard style hotel might be the lodging type you are actually looking for in Beijing.

This kind of hotels usually is located in downtown area of Beijing, has a long history and has been renovated with modern facilities for guests’ comfort. The traditional Chinese courtyard usually is an arrangement of several individual houses around a square or a garden. Guests will enjoy precious privacy and tranquility as the hotel recedes from the main street. These courtyards used to be the residents of high level officials, artists and other elites.

Of course, the authentic experiences always cost more. A double room in a Chinese courtyard hotel more often than not is more expensive than a comparative one in a three star hotel. But more of people, especially foreign guests, still think these hotels offer good value for money.

• Jun Wang Fu Hotel Beijing
  
  Located in the middle of CBD and Yansha area, adjacent to the beautiful and quiet Chaoyang Park, the history of Jun Wang Fu can be traced back to the early Qing Dynasty, about 300 years ago. Now, it is a regal Chinese courtyard style hotel for business and leisure travelers. The halls and pavilions in the building are linked by tortuous, long corridors, with a tranquil and elegant surrounding. The Hotel’s garden provides a scene of green pool with performance stage placed in the middle, where visitors can not only enjoy performance but also appreciate the moon at night. Particular attic, fresh plantation, lovely water and hills plus wandering stone path in the garden prove ancient feeling to all guests. Jun Wang Fu Hotel has 80 comfortable guest rooms, including six different standards and 2 presidential suites. All rooms were designed by Chinese ancient style, with air-conditioning, IDD, DDD, TV, etc.

          Review of Jun Wang Fu Hotel Beijing
          Hotel Website

• The Bamboo Garden Hotel Beijing   

  All the rooms were newly decorated with new Chinese traditional furniture of Ming & Qing dynasty, and placed with western-style bathroom, Broad-band Internet access and LCD-TV. The completely combination of tradition and modernization, make the hotel unique in Beijing, and bring you absolutely different culture taste. The Bamboo Garden Hotel is a classical Chinese courtyard-style structure in a quiet lane west of the Drum Tower in Beijing. The halls and pavilions in the building are linked by tortuous, long corridors, with a tranquil and elegant surrounding of bamboo groves, rockeries, and fountains. It was formerly the residence of Sheng Xuanhuai, the Minister of Post of the late Qing Dynasty(1644-1911). It is also said to be the garden of Li Lianying, a noted eunuch of the Qing Dynasty. Since the late Qing Dynasty, many celebrated Chinese people, including Ma Hansan, Dong Biwu, and Kang Sheng had lived in this courtyard. The restaurants, Fu Song Zhai, Sunny Restaurant and Zui Yang Xuan successfully held many kinds of banquet, birthday party, marriage ceremony, as well as business conference and anniversary meeting. The Music Party also can be held in the hotel’s beautiful courtyard; you will enjoy yourself thoroughly in the noon from the hurly-burly.

          Hotel Website
          Hotel Review
          Make a Reservation at the Lowest Rate

• Autumn Garden Courtyard Hotel Beijing   

  A small traditional Chinese courtyard hotel in the city centre of Beijing, 10 minutes from Tiananmen Square and near to the Forbidden City, Qianmen Street, and Dashilan culture street. The Autumn Garden Courtyard Hotel offers an environment that is classical and comfortable in the Xuanwu district of Beijing, close to a street which is famed for its glaze workshops. The rooms have a royal decor and fittings, and the hotel features antique furniture, ornaments of various traditional Chinese craftworks, and the full range of in-room amenities. There is a selection of activities that you can try, free of charge. These include Chinese dumpling tasting and trying on Opera costumes with photos, as well as lessons in Chinese mahjong and Chinese calligraphy. Free Chinese and western breakfasts are also available.

• Sihe Courtyard Hotel Beijing   

  The said place was the former residence of famous Chinese artist Mr. Mei Lan Fang. 10 minutes walking distance from WangFuJing, the travel and commercial center of Beijing. Si He is designed base on the original Chinese historical construction – Si He Yuan, which is used to be the home of Chinese ancient imperial royalty.BeiJing SiHe Courtyard Hotel is one of the subsidiary branches of Hong Kong Hotel Holding Ltd, managed by Singapore Hotel Management Ltd. The spacious guest rooms are sharing the beautiful inner and outer courtyard and patio with each other, and decorated by the antique furniture those are carved with dragon and phoenix, the symbol of Chinese ancient nobility. For your convenience, the hotel is furnished with most modern facility to provide you this idyllic residence, to bring you the wonderful experience of luxury and comfort.

         Hotel Website 
         Hotel Review