The Bookworm, Beijing – Bookmarked!

Sorry for the hiatus — went on a trip to Beijing and things have been crazy (before and) after I got back.

Anyway, before I start tackling the posts I owe you (I have a growing list of interviews to transcribe), let me share with you my bookish outing in Beijing, to the famous Beijing book cafe, The Bookworm!

I knew we would have a tight schedule in Beijing so I had to carefully plan any solo expeditions, most of which had to fall on the afternoon we arrived in China. I had anticipated navigation to be a problem, so I only marked out two destinations: the Beijing International Art Material Center (for crafty goodness) and The Bookworm.

Attempt #1

So, on my first venture out, after checking in to my hotel, I set out for downtown Beijing, armed with my trusty Lonely Planet: Beijing Encounter. I successfully steered the cab towards the Art Material Center and I happily spent a couple of hours ~~getting high on~~ making my way through the maze of art supply shops, loading up on paper and whatnot.

And then I got a cab to take me to the Sanlitun area, but the driver couldn’t tell me exactly where the Beijing Bookworm was, and he got cross at me after I made him drive down the length of Sanlitun. So I got off the cab and waked around the area in search of the book cafe. Alas, I couldn’t find it. I had no internet access so I couldn’t consult my map, the corner police officer couldn’t tell me where it was,and I was getting antsy because it was getting dark and walking around in the cold (brrr!) wasn’t very appealing.

To console myself, I ducked into a (blissfully heated) Page One and got myself a Chinese Harry Potter I didn’t have yet.

When I got back to the hotel, I checked the maps again and discovered I was in the right area all along, and taking note of the exact location, I earmarked the expedition for another day, because I decided I couldn’t go home without a visit to The Bookworm.

Take 2

On my third day in Beijing, a four-hour window period appeared on my schedule so after a quick lunch and walkthrough (er, shopping) at Ikea, I went back to Sanlitun, and found my target right away. Finally!

The building is a bit receded from the street and the street is lined with trees (and not a lot of streetlights), probably the reason I couldn’t find it on my first foray.

There’s a a bit of stairs, and this greets you on the landing:

And you go through the inner doors… and voila!

Isn’t it wonderful? Flanked with bookshelves on all sides, and the candle-light things hanging from the ceiling remind me of the Great Hall at Hogwarts. The place is surprisingly big. Aside from this main room, there is another room through that door and off to the side.

Half of the place is a bookstore, and half is a lending library (with a sizeable collection, I must say), and they serve coffee, tea and light meals. They also host book signings, book launches, book discussions and other special events. Plus free wi-fi and heating! :)

Here’s a look around — if they offered room and board I’d have moved in right away.