I will try to summarize my observations this past week and make comparisons with US and India where relevant. Overall, China impresses.
Infrastructure
Beijing has got its basic infrastructure in place. There are toilets everywhere you go - reasonably clean for a city and very clean for a developing country. Unlike US, you don't need to search for a McDonald's; unlike India, you don't need to hold onto your bladder. It has an excellent public transport system that everyone actively uses. Tickets are issued automatically much like the West and people know how to use it! You don't end up sweating and smelling if you travel by the subway or by the bus. There's enough room left on the roads for people to cycle. Several of them do. Unlike in India, it isn't the urban poor or middleclass but quite a few people cycle. 3 million people ride taxis everyday in Beijing and taxis proudly claim that they take 90 million passengers every month. Nearly all of them gave me a printed receipt.
Architecture
There are countless big buildings which easily highlight the "developing status" of New Delhi or Mumbai. Beijing desperately wants to stand out. In order to do that it attracts architects from Holland or elsewhere to create their stamp and give Beijing its unique structure. The CCTV tower is one of the more recognizable structures in downtown and is jocularly referred to as "the pants" or the underwear or whatever - am sure the architect isn't happy about that. The buildings appear very solid and stable -- reminds you somewhat of DC.
Immigration desk
The immigration officers are extremely courteous and polite and do not behave the way their US counterparts do. While at the US desk, I get the feeling that am already making some mistake and I'm looked at in ways that I'm not supposed to be here. The Beijing immigration desk has an instant-feedback system, which I simply loved. As soon as the officer is almost done with you, it blinks asking you to give feedback -- extremely unsatisfactory, unsatisfactory, satisfactory, very satisfactory -- including smilies. I gave satisfactory both times - my entry and exit. I'm sure they were even smiling beneath their Swine Flu protection masks but I couldn't tell.
Hotels
There are no tips in China except at big, western-styled restaurants. My hotel (the Quandrangle hotel in Deshengmen -- #42 in Xinghua hutong) had excellent service but they wouldn't take tips! It was an amazing experience.
People
People are the same everywhere. I found myself feeling connected with nearly everyone I met. They are warm, friendly, balanced, trusting and forthcoming in their outlook. Family is a very important social element. Unlike the US where it's common to see people grabbing a bite on the move or on their own, in Beijing people always seemed to share their meal and eat in groups. India is getting to where US is. People in the hutongs, at shops always sat around the table and dipped into common bowls of food. It somehow seemed to bring everyone together and brought a sense of solidarity and stability in the social order.
Compared to their Indian counterparts, I found Beijingers surprisingly less conservative and more forthcoming. At the Temple of Heaven park, people including several elderly people were learning to dance Salsa. If I'd see something like that in a park here in Mumbai, there would be a larger group standing and hooting.
At Tiananmen square, I saw a well-dressed gentleman paying his respects to the monument. I can't recall seeing anyone do that at Indian or American monuments -- it would be odd. They would do so at temples in India but not at monuments that symbolize the country (e.g. the Ashoka pillar).
When someone says "homeland" -- I suspect it would stir deeper passions in China than in some other countries. There's perhaps a reason for this. Without a religious upbringing, there's nothing more unifying or a higher-level platform than "country" for China.
People are also quirky - I loved the way they obsess taking pictures. You can tell that this is a new passion -- perhaps 5-10 years old -- of clicking, clicking, clicking. But isn't this everywhere.
There's this energy that I observed amongst the people -- they want to get somewhere regardless of anything. They don't care what the world thinks...it's not their headache...they need to focus on getting China ahead and they are doing it with a pace and a sense of urgency that I haven't seen elsewhere.
Expats
Expats would easily feel more comfortable in Beijing than they would in Indian cities. This is in spite of the language. Beijing has created a reasonably comfortable environment that is commutable. I got oriented in a day. I felt I could get by on my own and anywhere in Beijing the next morning. I don't believe Mumbai offers that kind of comfort for foreigners. You can't simply hop on the train - it would confuse you...more over it's too crowded in Mumbai. The night life is more open. You get beer almost everywhere and it's not looked at like some activity reserved for dinners. You are thirsty, you can have beer and that would be okay. In that respect, it even differs from US.
Religion
It's very unique to China that it has no religion. After the cultural wipe out years, most young Chinese people have been brought up with no-religion. So I was confused to see people worshiping at the Lama temple. I was told that people do worship when they are in trouble. If you are member of the Communist Party, you definitely cannot follow any religion because communism by itself is a religion. As a citizen you can hold public demonstrations that are religious in nature - the law curtails you. You cannot build temples and of the like without sufficient permission from the party - you may not get it.
Lack of religion does not mean lack of values. People have their values. These are deeply embedded within their culture. Core among them is respect to elders, respect to authority. These values are more Confucian in nature. People also have rituals. G's wedding was an elaborate Chinese ceremony. No one clearly seemed to know the origin of these ceremonies whether it was shooting the arrows or the jumping the fire. If you think about these -- yes, there seems to be underlying reasons of respect, love, worship and so on. But people will not clearly know.
China left religion alone to get more modern. If you see China today and compare it to the China of yesterday, one would feel that it's more modern. However, I doubt very much if dropping religion has been the reason.
Internet and TV exposure
There's no Youtube in China (there's of course www.youku.com). Google is a modified version so are several other websites that form part of normal living in US or India. There was CNN, National Geographic and several traditional Chinese soap operas running on TV. The only amusing thing I recall seeing on TV were ads for bras that made things look bigger.
I found this type of interference and control a little difficult to digest. Someone explained to me that China considers that the websites have sensitive information and does not like its citizens to have access to it. Because TV is state controlled, people go to the Internet for entertainment (that tells something there).
People seemed to have a lot of freedom up till a certain threshold -- as long as it didn't interfere with what the state considers sensitive. For e.g. one can't imagine having a demonstration on Tiananmen square. One might easily do it just about anywhere in India. I feel comfortable getting up right now and mobilizing one if I wanted to. I feel the same in US. It's impossible without ending up in trouble in China.
Mao and the government
I asked several people this question: what is your opinion of Mao? The responses were amazingly consistent -- these were people from different backgrounds -- well educated management professionals, businessmen, middle-class, tour guides, shop keepers and so on...the response went like this after a little bit of hesitation:
"Oh, Chairman Mao...he is great man, his work is well appreciated but he's also human-being"
My follow-up question after a few minutes: does everyone feel the same?
"about 70%"
I wondered how could everyone quote the number 70%. They seemed to say it in response to how many people like him, how much did he do right etc. 70%. George later explained to me that that's the official number/ line on Mao.
It seemed to me that people have been wired this way through countless conversation within closed family walls, within schools etc. etc. He is "also human being."
**
Ask the desis what they think of Nehru or the Americans on Roosevelt...you might get a million answers.
Piracy and ethics
When I saw the soldiers on Tiananmen square, I felt they exhibited a sense of strength that made you want to respect authority. You feel that way everywhere -- you generally feel the citizens respect authority. The Michigan girl sitting next to me at G's wedding said, "It's in China's culture to respect elders - like their father. They consider in some ways the govt. to be an elder and they respect it."
If that's the case how come piracy is so rampant. Check out Meize M8 - a nice, open copy of the iPhone. I was taken to a "secret place" in Beijing. This was in an upscale apartment complex called Soho. In a building 8, on some high floor...it looked like a nice apartment. When we rang the bell, the door opened to a regular apartment. The lady bowed and took us inside. Then she opened another door which led us to a bag store -- that had all the designer labels one can imagine -- Prada, Gucci, Hermes...you name it. A Hermes bag that might cost $2,700 costs $120 in this store. It looks like the real thing and I do think I have a decently keen sense to tell the difference. It's very possible that the suppliers to this secret store work Mon-Fri for the label's factory and sat-sun for themselves. I saw in action how piracy theft occurs. Silk Market is full of examples but not at the same level of sophistication as the secret store.
On my flight back to Korea I was reading the latest Forbes Asia. It talked about the Goodbaby brand and how it struggles to sell on its own brand in spite of being the supplier for all the big US and European brands. But of course, I thought. How can China expect to sell the fakes and also be a brand leader. It would be impossible for China to have the cake and eat it too. I see this on the political issues -- for e.g. it's taking offense to the Japanese PM visiting the Japanese soldiers memorial and it's taking offense to French PM visiting with the Dalai Lama -- how divergent, how opposite.
I'm sure China realizes this. It's easy. If it was apparent for me as a visitor of 5 days, it should be dead-apparent for the country's leaders.
**
Final words
I learned more about China in the last 5 days on the ground than I did during my 6 week class in Michigan. Coming from a developing country and market like India, I recognize the challenges and constraints of developing economies and I must say I'm amazed and bowled over by China. How quickly they've scaled and how vast despite the many challenges. It's impressive by any standards. The environmental and other issues are being brought to light because of the intense scrutiny that China is in. No other country is under so much of scrutiny. The West has a lot to worry about as far as China is concerned and therefore everyone wants to point out what's wrong. All of a sudden, everyone wants China to take more responsibility because they've grown so much -- in other words, China is indeed considered by the world as a leader. That's in fact what China also wants....only if it can avoid costly responsibilities.
People in the country in general have respect towards their leaders and Mao because whatever it is that they did or are doing -- it seems to be working. Most people have a better life and better opportunity than their parents did. China is at its peak and it's growing at a pace that the world hasn't seen before.
Everyone there is bound to think China is the center of the universe because it is. If I were viewing it from a person born, brought up and living in China, I wouldn't know any other way. I wouldn't have that much exposure of the world (because the TV and Internet and other media are state controlled) or what the world thinks of China and therefore why would I care. Moreover, from the Australian PM who speaks fluent Mandarin to the US asking China to hang on to those US Treasury bonds, everyone seems to be courting China in one way or the other. Everything converges at China. Hey, it's bound to be the center of the universe.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Day 5: Temple of Heaven, Silk Market
I got up the next morning early. I had retired early despite the wedding bhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifecause the weather got to me and my nose, ears blocked and with a hurting throat....so I left a little earlier than I thought I would. So the next morning I took Hao's other reco and went to the temple of heaven, which was more interesting than Forbidden City.
What I loved about it - more than the structures, which all seemed to intermingle in my mind by now -- was the people. There were so many local people doing so many different things. It was Sunday morning and people were out in the sun -- singing, dancing (salsa and traditional), exercising, playing jianzi, a sport where you play shuttle-cock with your foot - nice fun! People seemed very extroverted, open and forthcoming. People volunteered to sing and it was all so interesting. I lost track of time before rushing to make it back to the Quandrangle hotel for lunch at noon.
At lunch, I tried frog legs, scallops and squid all for the first time - all for fun. Frog legs I thought tasted like Checkers' fries.
**
Silk market was chaos. You can hone your negotiation and bargaining skills well by spending time there. You can find the most unbelievable deals usually at the 1/10th the price they originally quote. It's erstwhile Fashion Street in Mumbai -- only that many times bigger. The vendors spoke better English than most vendors in the rest of Beijing.
That night we ate dinner at the place called "The Place" - a mall with a huge LCD roof that displayed all kinds of things -- from flowers, to kids, to outerspace stuff...it's a great place to get buzzed and lose track of time and your mind.
What I loved about it - more than the structures, which all seemed to intermingle in my mind by now -- was the people. There were so many local people doing so many different things. It was Sunday morning and people were out in the sun -- singing, dancing (salsa and traditional), exercising, playing jianzi, a sport where you play shuttle-cock with your foot - nice fun! People seemed very extroverted, open and forthcoming. People volunteered to sing and it was all so interesting. I lost track of time before rushing to make it back to the Quandrangle hotel for lunch at noon.
At lunch, I tried frog legs, scallops and squid all for the first time - all for fun. Frog legs I thought tasted like Checkers' fries.
**
Silk market was chaos. You can hone your negotiation and bargaining skills well by spending time there. You can find the most unbelievable deals usually at the 1/10th the price they originally quote. It's erstwhile Fashion Street in Mumbai -- only that many times bigger. The vendors spoke better English than most vendors in the rest of Beijing.
That night we ate dinner at the place called "The Place" - a mall with a huge LCD roof that displayed all kinds of things -- from flowers, to kids, to outerspace stuff...it's a great place to get buzzed and lose track of time and your mind.
Day 4: Lama temple and the wedding
Hao, the Michigan alum recommended that I visit the Lama Temple. After the Great Wall trek to Simatai, I was greatly satisfied. I had done whatever I wanted to in Beijing. I mean here was the greatest wall and longest and highest wall in the world...so narrow that I could drop off on either side into the valleys...so beautiful that I could've just stopped and stayed there...I didn't feel the need to see anything more.
But I went to the Yonghe temple or the Lama temple. I took a cab and had a nice "Lost in Translation" moment. I was very impressed with the temple. It's bang in the middle of busy city roads and yet so peaceful and quiet inside. There were two bronze lions, several versions of Buddha....very much like Buddha's Indian counterparts....the mudras, the postures...very similar. Devotees purchased incense sticks outside the temple and burned them in front. People were not required to remove shoes to go inside.
What took the cake was the Maitreya Buddha - an 18m tall statue that was carved out of a single piece of sandalwood. The statue takes its place in the Guiness Book of records for being the tallest statue made out of a single piece of wood. While Buddha is mostly depicted for His equanimity, his meditative postures and his laughter...this Buddha seemed super human or rather a super God...someone who ought to be feared. You can't help but gape at the statue in awe at its magnificence. I was thinking of Michelangelo's sculptures and this one...who is to say which is greater. I loved it.
**
The wedding was lovely. The bride and groom looked so lovely in their traditional and modern attires. We went in rickshaw to the lake. The groomsmen and the couple went on a boat to the wedding place. They took the lake that was near Bar street (where I ate bean curd stir fry the other night). Max and I continued in the rickshaw to the wedding place.
The wedding area glowed in red - bright, beautiful red. From the boat, George came on a horse and his bride in a red palanquin. He rode around the area with trumpeters making their sounds. The local tourists in the area went crazy. When he got back to the wedding site, the marriage party was the stop him and ask him for money. He had a bag of coins from the Mardigras and he threw it all around him -- tourists went crazier. It was fun.
Then BeiBei got out of her palanquin - veil and all. The groom removed the veil with the veil-stick. And then there was this MC who directed them in Chinese what to do, what to say. He teased them, made them bow to each others' parents, to each other. Then they had tea. Then they ate dumplings, which are supposed to taste "raw" -- so the crowd would ask, "Is it raw?" and they would respond, "Yes, raw" -- which also has a double meaning that they would deliver babies. Then they jumped on the fire (fake one) and George had to fire arrows to the earth, to the sky and at his bride.
Very nice!
But I went to the Yonghe temple or the Lama temple. I took a cab and had a nice "Lost in Translation" moment. I was very impressed with the temple. It's bang in the middle of busy city roads and yet so peaceful and quiet inside. There were two bronze lions, several versions of Buddha....very much like Buddha's Indian counterparts....the mudras, the postures...very similar. Devotees purchased incense sticks outside the temple and burned them in front. People were not required to remove shoes to go inside.
What took the cake was the Maitreya Buddha - an 18m tall statue that was carved out of a single piece of sandalwood. The statue takes its place in the Guiness Book of records for being the tallest statue made out of a single piece of wood. While Buddha is mostly depicted for His equanimity, his meditative postures and his laughter...this Buddha seemed super human or rather a super God...someone who ought to be feared. You can't help but gape at the statue in awe at its magnificence. I was thinking of Michelangelo's sculptures and this one...who is to say which is greater. I loved it.
**
The wedding was lovely. The bride and groom looked so lovely in their traditional and modern attires. We went in rickshaw to the lake. The groomsmen and the couple went on a boat to the wedding place. They took the lake that was near Bar street (where I ate bean curd stir fry the other night). Max and I continued in the rickshaw to the wedding place.
The wedding area glowed in red - bright, beautiful red. From the boat, George came on a horse and his bride in a red palanquin. He rode around the area with trumpeters making their sounds. The local tourists in the area went crazy. When he got back to the wedding site, the marriage party was the stop him and ask him for money. He had a bag of coins from the Mardigras and he threw it all around him -- tourists went crazier. It was fun.
Then BeiBei got out of her palanquin - veil and all. The groom removed the veil with the veil-stick. And then there was this MC who directed them in Chinese what to do, what to say. He teased them, made them bow to each others' parents, to each other. Then they had tea. Then they ate dumplings, which are supposed to taste "raw" -- so the crowd would ask, "Is it raw?" and they would respond, "Yes, raw" -- which also has a double meaning that they would deliver babies. Then they jumped on the fire (fake one) and George had to fire arrows to the earth, to the sky and at his bride.
Very nice!
Day 3: Bodhi and Rehearsal dinner
I slept through the day. I can't remember what I did that afternoon but I seemed to have done something! Oh yes, we went to George's office for lunch. Nice office with lot of space. And yes, after lunch all the men went to Bodhi for a massage. The masseuse and I conversed in basic English while she busily worked on my foot. I was so sleepy by the end of it.
That evening was the wedding rehearsal dinner. We went to a French restaurant at one of the oldest buildings in Beijing. The restaurant and the historical building was frequented by several celebrities and there were photographs all around.
The food was nice. I met an interesting Michigan alum who started up an Internet-based travel company's operations in China.
Prior to the dinner, I watched the couple practice their wedding moves and that was a lot of fun!
That evening was the wedding rehearsal dinner. We went to a French restaurant at one of the oldest buildings in Beijing. The restaurant and the historical building was frequented by several celebrities and there were photographs all around.
The food was nice. I met an interesting Michigan alum who started up an Internet-based travel company's operations in China.
Prior to the dinner, I watched the couple practice their wedding moves and that was a lot of fun!
Day 3: Tiananmen Square
I didn't sleep from the bachelor party night. I decided to walk to Tiananmen square. It was a 40 min walk from Deshengmen Inner street (where the hotel is). As I walked close to the government buildings, I observed guards standing still like statues. It was nippy and I was amazed how they did that. I stood and observed for long. Their eyes would flutter and move around but not their bodies. They looked thin and young but they definitely demonstrated inner strength and resolve that made you want to respect them.
At the square, the security check was no big deal. In fact, the guard missed checking me at all. This I noticed everywhere in Beijing. They haven't had the troubles of Mumbai and it shows. It was a pleasure to walk into public places without being frisked.
The square was beautiful. It was clean. There were several local tourists who were taking pictures of themselves in front of the monument, in front of the Mao image on the other end of the road at Forbidden City. People were flying kites that were in the shape of birds. I saw one man in a suit pay his respects to the monument - he bowed thrice. The soldier on the other end looked on. I missed the flag hoisting that happens every morning at sunrise. I saw a group of soldiers taking their morning run.
It was cold, I was tired and sleepy and I left.
At the square, the security check was no big deal. In fact, the guard missed checking me at all. This I noticed everywhere in Beijing. They haven't had the troubles of Mumbai and it shows. It was a pleasure to walk into public places without being frisked.
The square was beautiful. It was clean. There were several local tourists who were taking pictures of themselves in front of the monument, in front of the Mao image on the other end of the road at Forbidden City. People were flying kites that were in the shape of birds. I saw one man in a suit pay his respects to the monument - he bowed thrice. The soldier on the other end looked on. I missed the flag hoisting that happens every morning at sunrise. I saw a group of soldiers taking their morning run.
It was cold, I was tired and sleepy and I left.
Day 2: Bachelor party at Chocolate
**I'm actually back in India now but wanted to finish writing up before everything escapes my mind**
I didn't think Day 2 would extend sooo long. So I got back to the hotel and slept. George called me I think at 10.40pm and I didn't know what was happening, where I was etc. when the phone rang. I remember someone from the hotel staff came to my room to connect the call but I can't remember.
After 15min, I headed out to Chocolate - an out and out expat hangout in Beijing. It was a Thursday night and I couldn't believe the crowd nor the number of entertainers - quite a lot. There was some belly dancing, table dancing, lots of vodka, cross dressers, rock band, opera-ish singers, standup comedians -- amazingly a lot of things for a weekday night. Most of the women seemed to have come from Russia. I met several expats - someone who worked in private equity space, an architect from Boston, an Australian/ South African entrepreneur who started a scientific papers translation service, someone who worked at the embassy and an artist from California (G's best man). It was a fun night that stretched to the very next morning.
While we waited for G to exit what he had taken in (somewhere near 2nd ring road), I noticed an African-English guy from Welsh who happened to join our group (we had a big van). Something suddenly flashed for him and he went, "What am I doing here, what am I doing here? I don't know any of you..." It was funny.
I basically realized that Beijing offered a lot of expats (several of them have been living for over 5 years) freedom at an unbelievably low cost. Such an environment is important for any major city to attract expats. As one of them said, he could hang out every night and that would be okay. At some points, you can't really tell where you are. Like Chocolate could be in Southeast Michigan...only the waiters were Chinese.
We got back to the hotel at 5am...I was hungry and I couldn't sleep. My day continued.
I didn't think Day 2 would extend sooo long. So I got back to the hotel and slept. George called me I think at 10.40pm and I didn't know what was happening, where I was etc. when the phone rang. I remember someone from the hotel staff came to my room to connect the call but I can't remember.
After 15min, I headed out to Chocolate - an out and out expat hangout in Beijing. It was a Thursday night and I couldn't believe the crowd nor the number of entertainers - quite a lot. There was some belly dancing, table dancing, lots of vodka, cross dressers, rock band, opera-ish singers, standup comedians -- amazingly a lot of things for a weekday night. Most of the women seemed to have come from Russia. I met several expats - someone who worked in private equity space, an architect from Boston, an Australian/ South African entrepreneur who started a scientific papers translation service, someone who worked at the embassy and an artist from California (G's best man). It was a fun night that stretched to the very next morning.
While we waited for G to exit what he had taken in (somewhere near 2nd ring road), I noticed an African-English guy from Welsh who happened to join our group (we had a big van). Something suddenly flashed for him and he went, "What am I doing here, what am I doing here? I don't know any of you..." It was funny.
I basically realized that Beijing offered a lot of expats (several of them have been living for over 5 years) freedom at an unbelievably low cost. Such an environment is important for any major city to attract expats. As one of them said, he could hang out every night and that would be okay. At some points, you can't really tell where you are. Like Chocolate could be in Southeast Michigan...only the waiters were Chinese.
We got back to the hotel at 5am...I was hungry and I couldn't sleep. My day continued.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Day 2: The Great Wall - Jinshaling to Simatai hike
Am returning from the hike - back in the van. Very happy. Super satisfied.
I liked the Jinghsaling part more than I did the Simatai part. Jinshaling seemed more rugged and true to Earth. Simatai more sophisticated. 8km? I didn't know it. Badaling is the more popular tourist spot which I avoided like plague.
My knee gave trouble last night - I think I walked some 20km and that must've done it. I had the pain even this morning. I've been badly stuck in hikes (recall one excruciating pain in Seattle) bcos of this left knee. So I deliberated and finally decided to a direct to simatai. But when we reached Jinshaling I abruptly changed my mind - just like that. I'm glad I did that. It tells me again and again that I gotto let go and trust my instinct than my rational 2x2 brain. I did the hike quite seamlessly.
There are about 30 gates or so with the 14th one being the highest point. There I bought tea from Mongolean tea seller to celebrate. I paid her 20RMB - the costliest ever but I did so deliberately. You spot several of these tea, coke, beer, cigarettes and tshirt sellers. They first look at me and say - "you want cold water?" Then "you want to buy tshirt" and then " hey where ur from?" - they smile so fully - it's nice.
You can't help but wonder why the Chinese emperors took the elaborate pains to build this wall. Would they have imagined that it'll be like a hot tourist spot a few hundred years later? The gates and the walls are all in ruins. You can drop and fall quite easily anytime. But there is peace here - enormous amount of peace. Mountains all around - lush green valleys - it demands you to drop your thoughts and experience nothingness. It was nice to touch everything - the bricks of the wall, the ground, the steps - you feel connected to an infinite past and everything feels one.
Forget me - I can sense a renewed energy among the other backpackers in the van. I met a farmer from New Zealand who has never travelled all his life and decided to do so now. We were talking business from NextServices to his (dairy and meat) and connected instantly.
I liked our driver too - a thin guy dressed in tight fitting pants and shirt. His pants has a small dragon on the side. He's quite most of the time and speaks when necessary. Very chill.
I liked the Jinghsaling part more than I did the Simatai part. Jinshaling seemed more rugged and true to Earth. Simatai more sophisticated. 8km? I didn't know it. Badaling is the more popular tourist spot which I avoided like plague.
My knee gave trouble last night - I think I walked some 20km and that must've done it. I had the pain even this morning. I've been badly stuck in hikes (recall one excruciating pain in Seattle) bcos of this left knee. So I deliberated and finally decided to a direct to simatai. But when we reached Jinshaling I abruptly changed my mind - just like that. I'm glad I did that. It tells me again and again that I gotto let go and trust my instinct than my rational 2x2 brain. I did the hike quite seamlessly.
There are about 30 gates or so with the 14th one being the highest point. There I bought tea from Mongolean tea seller to celebrate. I paid her 20RMB - the costliest ever but I did so deliberately. You spot several of these tea, coke, beer, cigarettes and tshirt sellers. They first look at me and say - "you want cold water?" Then "you want to buy tshirt" and then " hey where ur from?" - they smile so fully - it's nice.
You can't help but wonder why the Chinese emperors took the elaborate pains to build this wall. Would they have imagined that it'll be like a hot tourist spot a few hundred years later? The gates and the walls are all in ruins. You can drop and fall quite easily anytime. But there is peace here - enormous amount of peace. Mountains all around - lush green valleys - it demands you to drop your thoughts and experience nothingness. It was nice to touch everything - the bricks of the wall, the ground, the steps - you feel connected to an infinite past and everything feels one.
Forget me - I can sense a renewed energy among the other backpackers in the van. I met a farmer from New Zealand who has never travelled all his life and decided to do so now. We were talking business from NextServices to his (dairy and meat) and connected instantly.
I liked our driver too - a thin guy dressed in tight fitting pants and shirt. His pants has a small dragon on the side. He's quite most of the time and speaks when necessary. Very chill.
Day 2: on the way to Jinshaling great wall
Am riding to Simatai in a van full of backpacker tourists from Australia, NZ and elsewhere. One of them has taken 3 mths off to trek in Beijing, Morocco, Italy and France. Morocco sounds interesting.
The highways are well developed - much like the good parts of NH8 to Delhi or interior parts of US. While I see fields, plantations on either side, it's all developed. We are just 1.5 hrs outside Beijing. The real trips must lie in the west coast.
The vegetation looks like India. If I were to not look at signs or people I wouldn't know. We are going up a mountain right now - a mini one. I don't see dead animals on the highway. It also worries me that am sitting next to the driver and this seat has no belt. And our friend here likes to overtake from the wrong side of the highway.
Poor people look a tad better off than the poor in India. Everyone, everywhere smokes. People cycle a lot and mopeds are very common.
The highways are well developed - much like the good parts of NH8 to Delhi or interior parts of US. While I see fields, plantations on either side, it's all developed. We are just 1.5 hrs outside Beijing. The real trips must lie in the west coast.
The vegetation looks like India. If I were to not look at signs or people I wouldn't know. We are going up a mountain right now - a mini one. I don't see dead animals on the highway. It also worries me that am sitting next to the driver and this seat has no belt. And our friend here likes to overtake from the wrong side of the highway.
Poor people look a tad better off than the poor in India. Everyone, everywhere smokes. People cycle a lot and mopeds are very common.
Beijing day 1 - forbidden city, NanLuoGoXian
Am riding in the van with Sunflower (our tour guide) who keeps scratching her ankle and George's family. Sunflower's talking nonstop, smiling all the time and explaining different quirks of Beijing.
We went to the Olympics stadium - it was fun. I enjoyed taking pics. Chinese tourists from all over seem to visit it. If you look for long you can tell the difference amongst the faces.
*
We had lunch at Aria, an Italian restaurant in World Trade ctr hotel. Then I got off near Forbidden city and had an amazing time walking around Beijing.
Forbidden city is in distinct layers - with each palace playing its part. Kings changed clothes, received visitors, thought and did diff stuff in diff palaces. I particularly liked the Middle Harmony Palace. The theme itself was to bring a sense of balance in one's ruling of the kingdom.
After Forbidden City I walked for several km to NanLuoGuXian st which has a lot of bars and eateries. Classic backpacker lane. I loved it. I got tshirts at Plastered 8 store, ate asparagus sandwich at Alba restaurant and bought tickets for the great wall hike. I managed quite easily w English, the translation book and broken Chinese. You really can get by in Beijing w English. I'm thinking that it'll never be like it is in say Mumbai but it's likely to be like Paris.
Later at night aftr I finished wrk stuff, I walked w the hotel waiter (fantastic guy) to buy something to eat for the hike. I spent a little time with george, jenny and his friend john and later retired to my room w beer, tv, internet and a head full of thought about the difficult hike w my knee.
We went to the Olympics stadium - it was fun. I enjoyed taking pics. Chinese tourists from all over seem to visit it. If you look for long you can tell the difference amongst the faces.
*
We had lunch at Aria, an Italian restaurant in World Trade ctr hotel. Then I got off near Forbidden city and had an amazing time walking around Beijing.
Forbidden city is in distinct layers - with each palace playing its part. Kings changed clothes, received visitors, thought and did diff stuff in diff palaces. I particularly liked the Middle Harmony Palace. The theme itself was to bring a sense of balance in one's ruling of the kingdom.
After Forbidden City I walked for several km to NanLuoGuXian st which has a lot of bars and eateries. Classic backpacker lane. I loved it. I got tshirts at Plastered 8 store, ate asparagus sandwich at Alba restaurant and bought tickets for the great wall hike. I managed quite easily w English, the translation book and broken Chinese. You really can get by in Beijing w English. I'm thinking that it'll never be like it is in say Mumbai but it's likely to be like Paris.
Later at night aftr I finished wrk stuff, I walked w the hotel waiter (fantastic guy) to buy something to eat for the hike. I spent a little time with george, jenny and his friend john and later retired to my room w beer, tv, internet and a head full of thought about the difficult hike w my knee.
korea Ichleon - first impressions
Just arrived in Seoul. The entrance announced: Koreeya meom aapka swaagat ho! I was of course mighty pleased. The air hostesses had a nice sing song way of speaking in Korean - sounded really easy on the ears.
Am looking at the landscape outside - dry, little flat with mountains in the distance - could be anywhere - sfo, LA, Bangalore, you wouldn't know.
The security ladies are spiffily dressed. I'm mighty amused. She kept stroking the butt of the guy before me with her detector bcos it kept beeping.
*
There are these Korean cultural spots sponsored by the Korean tourism dept. They invite you experience their culture. I went and made a small wooden desk, painted it black and even stuck two shining things on it. A lady came up on stage and played an instrument called hidem - soulful, Buddha bar kind music. The whole experience made me warm up to Korean culture- made me curious. You know all the while that the act has been repeated n times over and they've aced it - yet you warm up. It was so subtle, understated in making me commit my time and making me remember them. Makes me wanna do business here. Kudos Korea.
*
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Seoul airport. I ate bibimbop with kimchi in a hot stone bowl - it was so yum! Checked my email at the internet lounge - there were a variety of laptops that I've never seen. By chance I went to a paul smith store - deliberated on a jacket and finally got it. Korea airport did get my money in return for the beautiful, small touches and gestures.
Am looking at the landscape outside - dry, little flat with mountains in the distance - could be anywhere - sfo, LA, Bangalore, you wouldn't know.
The security ladies are spiffily dressed. I'm mighty amused. She kept stroking the butt of the guy before me with her detector bcos it kept beeping.
*
There are these Korean cultural spots sponsored by the Korean tourism dept. They invite you experience their culture. I went and made a small wooden desk, painted it black and even stuck two shining things on it. A lady came up on stage and played an instrument called hidem - soulful, Buddha bar kind music. The whole experience made me warm up to Korean culture- made me curious. You know all the while that the act has been repeated n times over and they've aced it - yet you warm up. It was so subtle, understated in making me commit my time and making me remember them. Makes me wanna do business here. Kudos Korea.
*
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Seoul airport. I ate bibimbop with kimchi in a hot stone bowl - it was so yum! Checked my email at the internet lounge - there were a variety of laptops that I've never seen. By chance I went to a paul smith store - deliberated on a jacket and finally got it. Korea airport did get my money in return for the beautiful, small touches and gestures.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Words before flight
This time literally - a flight not my motorcycle. Am sitting at terminal 6 waiting for the flight to Seoul. Cute little Korean kids are running around.
My original plan was to stay in Dongcheng district, dump my stuff and head off to Shangdong. Now George offered me to stay w them - I said ok - some place in old beijing that's built the old style - cool. I still plan to give a day and go to Taishan. Take a direct train with peasants on what they call a 'hard seat' and climb Taoism's most imp mountain - Mt. Tai. It has a few thousand steps. George hadn't told me about the wedding rehearsal on Friday night - so I gotto be back in beijing by then. I spent last night getting my stuff in order. Fun!
So what do I feel before flight - well the unknowns are dramatically reduced because George is picking me up and we go to where everyone is. Let's see what happens. Me needs some juice.
My original plan was to stay in Dongcheng district, dump my stuff and head off to Shangdong. Now George offered me to stay w them - I said ok - some place in old beijing that's built the old style - cool. I still plan to give a day and go to Taishan. Take a direct train with peasants on what they call a 'hard seat' and climb Taoism's most imp mountain - Mt. Tai. It has a few thousand steps. George hadn't told me about the wedding rehearsal on Friday night - so I gotto be back in beijing by then. I spent last night getting my stuff in order. Fun!
So what do I feel before flight - well the unknowns are dramatically reduced because George is picking me up and we go to where everyone is. Let's see what happens. Me needs some juice.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)