Beijing Weekend

I left for Beijing with Sidney and Leslie on Friday night of this past weekend. It was an easy cab ride to the Airport with our cabbie friend Danny who agreed that she would also meet us at the airport on Sunday to drive us back home. A very convenient and cheap 100 yuan spent. The flight to Beijing is about 55 minutes. They have just enough time to serve you a drink and immediately come around and collect it before you touch back down to the ground. At the airport in Beijing, we were approached by a cab driver who offered to take us into the Hutong where we were staying. We asked if it was a metered cab (legal) and he said yes. However, when we got outside(thick polluted air like a wall), the cabbie told us the meter was broken but we could get a very cheap and good price of 350 yuan into the city. Sidney scoffed at this man and he persistently shouted cheaper and cheaper prices at us as we walked away. I think his cheapest offer was 150. Anyway, we lined up for a taxi and took a metered ride to the Hutong of 100 yuan.

The Hutong is an area of Beijing that is composed of a densely packed maze of little tiny shack like houses. It is within walking distance to the Forbidden City and to Tiananmen Square. It is packed with people who make their living by selling food and craft items out on the streets. It has incredible character. The streets are so narrow that taxi drivers will often not take a car through them for fear of getting stuck (As Sidney and Xiao Wei’s cab did on Saturday- followed by loud shouting and a many, many point turn around). There are many bicycle racks and booths with things for sale everywhere. The Beijing pollution and the steam from outdoor fire pits causes a steam that hangs in the air. Pungent odors of every kind tickle the nose. Some people are dressed in modern clothing, but some still wear traditional clothing in bright colors. The homes of these people generally consist of one room with a sleeping place and a cooking place. I really have no idea how sanitation is handled, as there doesn’t seem to be any developed plumbing infrastructure in the Hutong. In recent years, the city has constructed public toilets for the area, but I have no idea about before that. I think people just went outside somewhere. However, the Hutong streets were surprisingly clean and free of debris. As I walked around, I remember thinking that we have areas of cities like this, but violence and crime keeps the onlookers out, and we in the Americas would never have the chance to witness this slice of life. This place in contrast, felt safe and clean – just extremely impoverished.

I think the Hutong in Beijing does well on tourism, because the interior of the Hutong hotel was nicer than the surrounding buildings. The owner was watching a show on a new flat screen T.V. and he had new business cards since Leslie’s and Sidney’s last visit in the summer. The rooms were not exactly clean, but definitely not dirty. I was comfortable sleeping there. On Friday evening we walked around the Hutong and walked over to Tiananmen square, which is the size of one city block. I could no go onto the square, because there were guards standing along the perimeter preventing entry. But, I was able to look at all the architecture and the famous building (Mao museum?)with the image of Chairman Mao on the front.

Saturday was a pretty luxurious day. Beijing has many westerners and I felt a little culture shock to be running into so many non-Chinese people. In the morning we went to the dirt market, thus named because it is an outdoor flea market that is enormous. It is full of arts and crafts, fine fabrics, cheap knockoffs, & antiques and replicas sold as though they were antiques! There were silver stands with bracelets and necklaces, helmets and pieces of armor. There were old embroidered cloths that were just stunning! There were burls carved into images of Buddha, and religious artifacts, beads, jade and stone jewelry, ancient coins, Chairman Mao paraphernalia- watches and posters. Really, I think there was a taste of every piece of cultural art and craft in China at this dirt market. The floors are no longer dirt, but tile, and a cold wind blew, making me freeze all through the wandering I did there. Many of the vendors wore thin clothing and too few garments and I felt bad for them as they jumped up and down to keep warm. I also saw a little chickadee in a tiny, tiny cage battering its body as it frantically threw its self from one cage wall to the other. I could have sworn it was caught just that morning and if not, it definitely understood the feeling of freedom. I really wanted to buy and release it, and felt guilty when I eventually wandered on. The place was packed with people, and while I did not buy anything, I enjoyed people-watching very much. I also loved viewing the incredible painting section where all kinds of artists displayed their work in booths. Sidney bought a huge oil painting of a door for 300 yuan (36 dollars).

After the dirt market, we (Leslie, Sidney, me, Xiao Wei, Betsy and her daughter Meng Hua), went to lunch to a special Peking Duck restaurant that Xiao Wei used to work. I liked the Duck, but not the Plum sauce it was to be eaten with. Very rich food. Too sweet. Tasted like dessert. We then went to an English book store (Heaven!! None in Dalian!) and I bought five books. I could just eat them! We stopped at a mall for Starbucks hot chocolate (Very western place, this mall. Christmas abounds in the western world, even in China!) and then all went for a foot massage. After that, it was back to Betsy’s beautiful home, where we ate Indian food for diner and relaxed for the evening. We slept at Betsy’s and made plans for Xiao Wei’s first birthday party (surprise party). He turned 25 this week.

On Sunday, we returned to the dirt market to get a few more things that we wanted. I bought a door painting from the same artist that Sidney had done the day before. I liked the artist and wanted to give her some business, besides just liking the painting. Our primary job, though was to keep Xiao Wei occupied until we could return to Betsy’s at 12:30 for the party. The surprise worked wonderfully, and the party was very sweet. It felt good to be around so many families, with little children running all around the house. The party was an even mix of western and Chinese families, and many people helped translate between English and Chinese where necessary. But it felt really good to have the diversity and see it work so well together. I wondered what the Chinese families thought of the American style party, since there were only a few food dishes there where a Chinese party would have many, and Xiao Wei opened his gifts in front of everyone, which is not done here. In fact I think many Chinese people don’t really celebrate birthdays. At the end of the party, a girl brought out a Chinese harp like instrument (the same one I played at Jessie’s house) and played some beautiful traditional music, and later I chased the little girls all over the house in play. It felt good. It felt homey. I loved meeting Betsy and her family, and thought they were very welcoming. I will see them again in Thailand in a few weeks! Check out my flicker site for photos of Beijing! They should be up by tonight!