"I Love Sports" is 800 yuan/year, never packed and on the lower end of Kunming gyms in terms of upkeep - bathroom and changing area is a little malodorous and there are no showers. That said, their weights are as heavy as any other gyms and they have a nice little green area with a good view of Kunming where you can stretch and relax. Not bad if you're into cheap/no-frills.
I've been also been to Powerhouse and Impulse, both of which are part of international gym chains. Both are cleaner and more pleasing to the eye than I Love Sports, and both of them cost a little more... can't remember off the top of my head exactly how much for a year. Tianhao is along the same lines but rather small.
What area do you mean when you say 'northwest part of town'? Kunming's big enough that most of the gyms listed could be considered in the city's northwest. The most northwestern gym listed would be the Kunming Municipal Gymnasium Fitness Center on Huancheng Xi Lu near Jiaoling Lu. Hope that helps.
I don't know if Kunming can be compared to Shanghai very easily... if you're looking for nice green surroundings, chances are you'll want to check out the Cuihu/Green Lake area or Beichen in the north. Younger foreigners tend to favor around Cuihu and families tend to live in Beichen, but more families are beginning to move the Cuihu area.
Dongfeng Lu, Renmin Lu and Beijing Lu are slightly similar to Huaihai Lu and Nanjing Lu in that they're developing into Kunming's CBDs. These streets will add more amenities and conveniences in the coming months/years and are already better than most other parts of the city in terms of transportation. Newer residential developments on these streets tend to have more green spaces than the average Kunming xiaoqu.
I can't help but agree with EK Kadiddlehopper. An efficient regional rail network would be good for many of the people in China/SE Asia/South Asia who have yet to see the benefits of their respective countries' recent opening up.
Oddly, this train may be one of Kunming's better places for a picnic. Inspired by Quester, I rode it again this afternoon with a friend, who brought a nice wine and some freshly baked bread. We hung out on the sunny side of the train with the windows open and shot the breeze as the empty Chinese New Year version of Kunming rolled by... good fun.
My favorite Tengchong-style restaurant in Kunming. Their ersi and erkuai are trucked over from Tengchong and are the real deal — Kunming ersi and erkuai do not compare.
The restaurant itself is a bit jumbled, but there are a couple of tables outside in the courtyard that are nice to sit at when the weather's pleasant.
Don't believe them when they say they don't have lufu.
Starbucks' thirst for Yunnan coffee growing
发布者That would appear to be true. There's also a new one on Dianchi Lu at the massive Nanya Fengqingyuan development.
Giveaway: Massage for two at Canaan Day Spa
发布者Congratulations to Karen Song, the first to reply that Geoffrey Chaucer was the medieval poet credited with linking St Valentine's Day with romance.
Stay on the lookout for more giveaways on GoKunming in the near future!
Yuxi-Mengzi railroad to be operational this year
发布者I can't help but agree with EK Kadiddlehopper. An efficient regional rail network would be good for many of the people in China/SE Asia/South Asia who have yet to see the benefits of their respective countries' recent opening up.
Around Town: China's last narrow gauge passenger train
发布者I suppose Billbob's first comment on this post was also inspirational.
Around Town: China's last narrow gauge passenger train
发布者Oddly, this train may be one of Kunming's better places for a picnic. Inspired by Quester, I rode it again this afternoon with a friend, who brought a nice wine and some freshly baked bread. We hung out on the sunny side of the train with the windows open and shot the breeze as the empty Chinese New Year version of Kunming rolled by... good fun.