As we approached the center of the 300-year-old city, I saw the golden spire of the Admiralty. We rounded the corner in view of the Tsars' Winter Palace, and then passed the soaring onion domes of th..

While Bejing's Zhou Dynasty days are ancient history, the city is still an intriguing blend of old and new, with booming development and a healthy respect for old traditions. My gentleman companion t...