Leathery turtle, fried camel, and a Buddha larger than the Statue of Liberty—China’s culinary and cultural delights

Leathery turtle, fried camel, and a Buddha larger than the Statue of Liberty—China’s culinary and cultural delights

We were greeted at the entrance to our Beijing hotel by two immaculately dressed girls, who escorted us to the reception desk in the marble-floored lobby. At the far end, a female soloist, elegant in black, was performing Chopin on a concert grand. Check-in completed, we made our way to the elevator, where an attendant in a floor-length robe bowed as he held the door open for us. Ah…five-star living…