Travelers from abroad often come to Beijing to soak in the historical sights. But many are surprised to find what a modern city the venerable Northern Capital has become. There was a time not so long ago when finding a cold beer, fresh milk, a bowl of Corn Flakes or a decent cup of coffee was nearly impossible; foreign hotels were about your only bet. Nowadays, there are few amenities that an expatriate or traveler can not enjoy in Beijing.

Beijing today is a bustling, international city teeming with fashinably dressed, savvy citizens on the move. Well-stocked supermakets can be found on practically every block. Cars are everywhere, for better or for worse. Personal computers are commonplace, everyone is logging onto the Inernet, and the city is awash in dot-com billboard advertisements. A mere decade ago the bicycle bell was the signature sound of the city; now, it's the ceaseless ring of cellular phones.

Of course, the very old is still there alongside the very new, creating some startling and often surreal contrasts. High-rise office buildings line many of the broad boulevards and look down on tile-roofed courtyard houses built before the last Manchu Emperor's abdication. Stacks of snazzy new Pentium IV computers are offloaded from rickety old Three-wheeled bicycle carts. Ageless old codgers smoke from long pipes and play Chinese chess while around them young Beijingers decked out in the latest namebrand fashions rush by as they wheel and deal on their mobile phones.