The main language in China is Mandarin Chinese and this is what people in Beijing speak, though they may have some local dialects too.
Beijing uses the same type of money as Shanghai. That is the renminbi or RMB.
In most touristy neighborhoods of Beijing the water is more expensive. I paid between 4 RMB and 9 RMB depending on where I was. How much do you think that is in U.S. dollars?
The best dish I tried in Beijing was a traditional noodle dish. It is called "Beijing noodles" or Zha Jiang Mian which translates to "fried sauce noodles". They're thick white noodles topped with some vegetables and served with a side of fried pork in a dark brown, thick and salty sauce. You flavor each mouthful of noodles with a tiny bit of sauce only, otherwise it will be too salty.
Aside from the crazy carriage music I had to listen to while riding to and from the Great Wall, I mostly listened to calming music on the train and busses so that I could fall asleep. It can be loud when you are traveling so it is good to bring headphones if you want to rest.
