Author: Gabriel Stein
Lecturing at the National University of Mongolia, 3 October 2018
I spoke on ‘The global trade conflict and its impact on central bank monetary policy’
Xiamen City Hotel, Xiamen, 12 October 2018
A quantum leap from earlier breakfasts on this journey. Here we truly have quantity combined with quality. I barely know where to begin. A huge selection of Chinese dishes, of course. But, equally, a very ample spread of Western food: cold cuts, fruit – fresh and canned – many different…
Tianwei Art Hotel, Ningbo, 10 October 2018
Another substantial buffet breakfast. This one was much more heavily slanted towards Chinese breakfast than others I have seen, but there was ample choice for those, like me, who prefer western-style morning food. The choice is primarily in fruit, cereal and vegetables. One type of (bland) cheese, no cold cuts,…
Konggang Baiyun Hotel, Tianjin, 9 October 2018
At first, my impression was of an absolutely amazing buffet. However, once I started to look more closely, I again realised that quantity does not necessarily mean the same as quality. So, a large buffet, particularly strong on the Asian (Chinese and Japanese) side. Plenty of different bread, very good fruit…
Beijing Pudi Hotel, 8 October 2018
This one was a bit of a conundrum. The first impression is of a very nice, very varied buffet. There is a Chinese section, as well as a large Western selection. Different kinds of bread, pastries, lots of vegetables, a few cold cuts and some fruit. Also a hot dishes…
Hotel Nine, Ulaanbaatar, 3 October 2018
A lovely breakfast and easily the best on this trip so far. Again, small, but packed with goodies. Fruit, vegetables, cold cuts, hot dishes. Four kinds of bread, yoghurt, jams and honey, cereal. The nicer for being unexpected. On the extra plus side, glasses and slices of lemon for the…
Guru Ger Lodge, Terelj National Park, Mongolia, 2nd October 2018
As with the train, so with this. This is after all a ger camp. It was never going to be “amazing buffet breakfast”. There is no real choice, you are given what there is. The bread is white only, but this is not a bread culture. The Mongolian biscuits (boortsog)…
Edelweiss Hotel, Ulaanbaatar, 30 September 2018
We were taken here directly from the train to have breakfast and move on. A very small and sparse breakfast, but very welcome and what there was, was nice enough. Still, not more than 3/10.
Hotel Complex Angara, Irkutsk, 29 September 2018
A very pleasant surprise. Breakfast is served from 3 a.m., so I expected something very perfunctory. Instead, there is a very adequate buffet, again nicely balanced between meat, salads, vegetables, cheese and fruit. The warm offerings were perhaps not that appetising but nothing wrong per se. The bread is disappointing,…