My last day full day in Beijing was amazing. I had great times with great friends. I didn’t know going into this that I might connect with people the way I did. I started out the day beginning the daunting task of packing two suitcases full of souvenirs and clothing. Luckily for me, Celine told me that she was going on a business trip to northern China, and I asked her if I could donate some of my clothing and shoes to the flood victims. I had grown tired of wearing the same clothes day in and day out in China, and someone else might need them more than me. Also, it gave me more room for goodies from China.
I met up with Jessie at Xizhimen Station to get lunch and return the cell phone that she lent me. I requested that we have Beijing noodles one last time. I don’t think I can ever get the same thing in North Carolina. That goodbye was sad, but I really hope that she makes it to the States someday. She told me that before knowing me, she didn’t have a good impression of the States, but I had changed her mind. That made me feel really good.
Back at the office, I cleaned out my desk, said some goodbyes and went with Celine to exchange my money. For some reason, it feels strange having U.S. dollars in my wallet again.
I told Pang Li to call me when he got off of work so that we could go to the Beer Garden one last time together. We went pint-for-pint for a while, exchanged e-mails and gan bei’d to America. We even got my favorite, boiled dumplings, for the last time. Keith had invited me out to dinner so that I could have Peking duck one last time at a place nearby. He picked me up, and we rode his electric scooter to the restaurant. Itzhel and Pang Li met us there. We had many of my favorite things – roast duck, kung pao chicken, pork bread bowls and salad. The food was delicious and the company made me feel special on my last night in Beijing. Outside the restaurant, I said goodbye to Keith and Itzhel and parted ways, not exactly sure if and when we would see each other again. I think it’s safe to day that we all love traveling, so I hope we cross paths again someday.
Back at the apartment, I struggled to pack while tipsy, which is harder than you would think. Defeated, I set my alarm for 5 a.m., intending to wake up early and finish packing.
I woke up on time, managed to cram everything into two suitcases and two bags and waited for Pang Li and the driver to pick me up and take me to Beijing Capital Airport. My flights went smoothly, and now I’m back in the good ol’ U.S. of A.
Epilogue to come soon.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Time is limited; enjoy the life [69-70]
I spent the weekend checking more things off of my list of things to do in Beijing. First on my list was to visit 798 Art District, a large quarter in northwest Beijing with warehouses that were converted into art galleries. It was a really cool mix of rustic buildings and contemporart sculptures, art and paintings. My favorite art was by the Chinese artist Liu Bolin (Google it!). I must say, though, that I felt more like a tourist here and less like someone who had lived in Beijing for two months. I had never seen so many Westerners in one place in China than at 798.
I took a bus to Yashow Market after I had seen enough art. I couldn’t resist one last visit to the DVD store. Naturally, I got a Jackie Chan movie to take home to the States. I then took another bus to Keith’s apartment in Nanluogu Xiang. Lenore and Tobias arrived soon after I did, and Tobias wanted to show off the sidecar motorcycle that he was renting/about to purchase. Tobias, Keith and I took the bike out for a spin. It was super cool being on the back of a bike in Beijing traffic – something that most Americans don’t get a chance to do (for free, at least), so it made up for feeling like a tourist earlier in the day at 798. However, I was also kind of scared for my life when we topped out at 65 km/h. Not to mention that no one wears helmets and drivers in China are CRAZY. But I’m alive.
Once the twins, Brian and Kevin, and their Chinese friend, Con Lin, arrived, we all took a bus to Ghost Street for hot pot. This was only my second time eating hotpot – kind of like fondue, but with more beer and less chocolate. I got the “spicy” hotpot this time, so it was much better than my first hot pot experience with the “swim team.” We filled ourselves with delicious mutton, mushrooms, potatoes, dumplings, lettuce and pijiu. The conversation dynamics were interesting because everyone but me could speak Chinese, and everyone but Con Lin could speak English, so it kind of just flip-flopped from language to language naturally. The group took a picture with a small Chinese boy selling glittery roses outside of the restaurant before heading to WuDouKou.
In WuDaoKou, we had planned on going to Propaganda, a popular bar for foreigners, but when we got there, we noticed that everything was closing at midnight. Confused, we asked around. Some Germans we met told us that midnight marked the beginning of a national day of mourning for the victims of the flooding and mudslides in Gansu Province, China. Luckily for us, there was still one bar opened, called Laowai’s Lounge. Its name literally translates to “Foreigner’s Lounge” and is owned by the same people as Propaganda. We enjoyed some fries and 5 kuai pijiu.
Despite staying out late, I woke up at 6:30 the next morning to meet Jessie at FuChengMen Station to take a bus to Xiang Shan for some hiking. The mountain’s name translates to Fragrant Hill, named for its odorous pine trees. The bus took about an hour, and the hike to the top took about two hours. At the top, Jessie and I took pictures by a tree strung with red penants on which people had written their wishes. This was also the first time that I could see all of Beijing at one time. It was really cool being able to point out the Summer Palace, the CCTV Tower and the other landmarks of my summer home. We then hiked to a grassy spot where we had a picnic. Jessie had made sushi and brought peanuts, peaches, grapes and pijiu. We both felt so relaxed that we fell asleep laying in the sun. We left the mountain and took the 714 bus back to FuChengMen, where we caught the 800 bus to the market with the tailor who had made my suit. This time it fit very well, so I paid the man and left satisfied.
That night for dinner I decided I wanted street food one more time. I walked to the street across from Jian Mart where I had eaten before. I’m not entirely sure what everything was that I ate, but it was all delicious and cheap as hell. Once again, the barbecued corn on the cob was my favorite.
I took a bus to Yashow Market after I had seen enough art. I couldn’t resist one last visit to the DVD store. Naturally, I got a Jackie Chan movie to take home to the States. I then took another bus to Keith’s apartment in Nanluogu Xiang. Lenore and Tobias arrived soon after I did, and Tobias wanted to show off the sidecar motorcycle that he was renting/about to purchase. Tobias, Keith and I took the bike out for a spin. It was super cool being on the back of a bike in Beijing traffic – something that most Americans don’t get a chance to do (for free, at least), so it made up for feeling like a tourist earlier in the day at 798. However, I was also kind of scared for my life when we topped out at 65 km/h. Not to mention that no one wears helmets and drivers in China are CRAZY. But I’m alive.
Once the twins, Brian and Kevin, and their Chinese friend, Con Lin, arrived, we all took a bus to Ghost Street for hot pot. This was only my second time eating hotpot – kind of like fondue, but with more beer and less chocolate. I got the “spicy” hotpot this time, so it was much better than my first hot pot experience with the “swim team.” We filled ourselves with delicious mutton, mushrooms, potatoes, dumplings, lettuce and pijiu. The conversation dynamics were interesting because everyone but me could speak Chinese, and everyone but Con Lin could speak English, so it kind of just flip-flopped from language to language naturally. The group took a picture with a small Chinese boy selling glittery roses outside of the restaurant before heading to WuDouKou.
In WuDaoKou, we had planned on going to Propaganda, a popular bar for foreigners, but when we got there, we noticed that everything was closing at midnight. Confused, we asked around. Some Germans we met told us that midnight marked the beginning of a national day of mourning for the victims of the flooding and mudslides in Gansu Province, China. Luckily for us, there was still one bar opened, called Laowai’s Lounge. Its name literally translates to “Foreigner’s Lounge” and is owned by the same people as Propaganda. We enjoyed some fries and 5 kuai pijiu.
Despite staying out late, I woke up at 6:30 the next morning to meet Jessie at FuChengMen Station to take a bus to Xiang Shan for some hiking. The mountain’s name translates to Fragrant Hill, named for its odorous pine trees. The bus took about an hour, and the hike to the top took about two hours. At the top, Jessie and I took pictures by a tree strung with red penants on which people had written their wishes. This was also the first time that I could see all of Beijing at one time. It was really cool being able to point out the Summer Palace, the CCTV Tower and the other landmarks of my summer home. We then hiked to a grassy spot where we had a picnic. Jessie had made sushi and brought peanuts, peaches, grapes and pijiu. We both felt so relaxed that we fell asleep laying in the sun. We left the mountain and took the 714 bus back to FuChengMen, where we caught the 800 bus to the market with the tailor who had made my suit. This time it fit very well, so I paid the man and left satisfied.
That night for dinner I decided I wanted street food one more time. I walked to the street across from Jian Mart where I had eaten before. I’m not entirely sure what everything was that I ate, but it was all delicious and cheap as hell. Once again, the barbecued corn on the cob was my favorite.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Dan, like from Gossip Girl! [66-68]
My crack-of-dawn train ride back to Beijing went smoothly, though it was a bit lonely after being surrounded by friends the past few days. I must say, though, it felt pretty good being able to travel through China on my own without problems.
Once I arrived in Beijing, I took a subway and then a bus back to my apartment, where I pretty much crashed for the rest of the day. I used that night to make a list of the things I wanted to do for my last week in Beijing. I think I have done a pretty good job so far.
On Thursday, I finally had Peking duck, Beijing’s most popular dish. Katherine called me, and we took the 701 bus to Houhai Lake to find a place with roast duck. It isn’t hard to find and it’s not too expensive. We watched the chef carve and serve the roast duck, which we then put in “pancakes,” added cucumber, scallions and hoisin (Chinese dried plum sauce), wrapped up, and gobbled down. It was DELICIOUS. I can’t believe it took me THIS long to try it.
After lunch we walked over to Nanlougu Xiang, where I immediately spotted something else on my list of things to do – cupping. You may have seen this in movies or on TV, where a Chinese masseuse lights cotton on fire, puts it in an open glass globe, and places the globe on another person’s back, forming a suction and making huge bruises. It sounds painful, and it was at first, but the Chinese believe wholeheartedly that this will eradicate any diseases within your body. I kind of just did it for the badass bruises. Later in NLGX, I finally found a stuffed panda cute enough to become mine. I had been looking for the perfect one all summer, and it took me until now to find it! The best part about it is that its head pops off and the body folds out to form a pillow. Thirteen hour plane ride companion? I think so.
The next thing on my list was to go to the Silk Market. I’ve somehow avoided this tourist trap until now, but certain people (read: my mom) want scarves from China. I didn’t think it could happen, but I actually felt guilty about my stellar bargaining this time. I even got myself a nice trench coat for 200 yuan (US$30).
With a few hours to spare before the subway shut down, I paid one last visit to Friends Café in SOHO. This time there were different episodes on, and I tried a milkshake. I noticed a portrait of the Girl With the Pearl Earring – the same as the book I was currently reading!
On Friday, I woke up early to go do something I had really been looking forward to – go to a water park! And not just any water park – the biggest one in Asia… and it was in the Olympic Watercube – how cool! The 200 yuan ticket included a self-guided tour of the aquatics facilities. It was really cool to be able to sit in the stands and imagine watching Michael Phelps winning one of his eight gold metals. The water park itself was a little bit of a letdown, but only because of the crowds. Initially I wanted to ride the biggest water slides, but those lines took over 30 minutes. After suffering through one of those lines for a 30-second ride, I took to the Lazy River. I’m not sure if Chinese people understand that a LAZY River is supposed to be relaxing, because everyone – not just kids – turned it into more of a bumper-tube course. I also went on several smaller slides and rides that were fun. In one of the lines, I met a Chinese girl named Apple (yes, like Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter) who was on vacation from her university in Hangzhou. It turns out she had seen me earlier in the day and had just now worked up the courage to talk to the mei guo ren. As the title of this blog suggests, she was a big fan of American television and recognized my name from one of her favorite shows. Her English was great, and it was fun to have a friend to spend the rest of the day with.
I had to leave the park to meet Jessie to go try on my suit that I had tailored. The pants fit perfectly, but the jacket was a little too loose, so I will be returning to pick up the finished product Sunday. Jessie also wanted to take me to a Korean place to eat, since Korean cuisine is her favorite. I thought it was good, but kind of wished we had done it barbecue style like those seated around us. Each table had a small grill in the middle where they were barbecuing meat, fish and vegetables. Instead, we had noodles, squid with rice, sushi, and ice cream.
When I got off the bus to head back to my apartment, I ran into Brian and Pang Li heading to the Beer Garden for some pijiu. I said, what the hell, and joined them. It was a fun night, mainly consisting of Brian and I trying to convince Pang Li to apply to spend a semester at UNC. He would have some guanxi with Dean Cole and I there, and I KNOW he would love it.
Once I arrived in Beijing, I took a subway and then a bus back to my apartment, where I pretty much crashed for the rest of the day. I used that night to make a list of the things I wanted to do for my last week in Beijing. I think I have done a pretty good job so far.
On Thursday, I finally had Peking duck, Beijing’s most popular dish. Katherine called me, and we took the 701 bus to Houhai Lake to find a place with roast duck. It isn’t hard to find and it’s not too expensive. We watched the chef carve and serve the roast duck, which we then put in “pancakes,” added cucumber, scallions and hoisin (Chinese dried plum sauce), wrapped up, and gobbled down. It was DELICIOUS. I can’t believe it took me THIS long to try it.
After lunch we walked over to Nanlougu Xiang, where I immediately spotted something else on my list of things to do – cupping. You may have seen this in movies or on TV, where a Chinese masseuse lights cotton on fire, puts it in an open glass globe, and places the globe on another person’s back, forming a suction and making huge bruises. It sounds painful, and it was at first, but the Chinese believe wholeheartedly that this will eradicate any diseases within your body. I kind of just did it for the badass bruises. Later in NLGX, I finally found a stuffed panda cute enough to become mine. I had been looking for the perfect one all summer, and it took me until now to find it! The best part about it is that its head pops off and the body folds out to form a pillow. Thirteen hour plane ride companion? I think so.
The next thing on my list was to go to the Silk Market. I’ve somehow avoided this tourist trap until now, but certain people (read: my mom) want scarves from China. I didn’t think it could happen, but I actually felt guilty about my stellar bargaining this time. I even got myself a nice trench coat for 200 yuan (US$30).
With a few hours to spare before the subway shut down, I paid one last visit to Friends Café in SOHO. This time there were different episodes on, and I tried a milkshake. I noticed a portrait of the Girl With the Pearl Earring – the same as the book I was currently reading!
On Friday, I woke up early to go do something I had really been looking forward to – go to a water park! And not just any water park – the biggest one in Asia… and it was in the Olympic Watercube – how cool! The 200 yuan ticket included a self-guided tour of the aquatics facilities. It was really cool to be able to sit in the stands and imagine watching Michael Phelps winning one of his eight gold metals. The water park itself was a little bit of a letdown, but only because of the crowds. Initially I wanted to ride the biggest water slides, but those lines took over 30 minutes. After suffering through one of those lines for a 30-second ride, I took to the Lazy River. I’m not sure if Chinese people understand that a LAZY River is supposed to be relaxing, because everyone – not just kids – turned it into more of a bumper-tube course. I also went on several smaller slides and rides that were fun. In one of the lines, I met a Chinese girl named Apple (yes, like Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter) who was on vacation from her university in Hangzhou. It turns out she had seen me earlier in the day and had just now worked up the courage to talk to the mei guo ren. As the title of this blog suggests, she was a big fan of American television and recognized my name from one of her favorite shows. Her English was great, and it was fun to have a friend to spend the rest of the day with.
I had to leave the park to meet Jessie to go try on my suit that I had tailored. The pants fit perfectly, but the jacket was a little too loose, so I will be returning to pick up the finished product Sunday. Jessie also wanted to take me to a Korean place to eat, since Korean cuisine is her favorite. I thought it was good, but kind of wished we had done it barbecue style like those seated around us. Each table had a small grill in the middle where they were barbecuing meat, fish and vegetables. Instead, we had noodles, squid with rice, sushi, and ice cream.
When I got off the bus to head back to my apartment, I ran into Brian and Pang Li heading to the Beer Garden for some pijiu. I said, what the hell, and joined them. It was a fun night, mainly consisting of Brian and I trying to convince Pang Li to apply to spend a semester at UNC. He would have some guanxi with Dean Cole and I there, and I KNOW he would love it.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
The best things (in life) are free! [62.5-65]
The 10-hour train ride to Shanghai was not as bad as it sounded. We splurged for first class tickets, so we enjoyed lots of leg room, pillows and seats that reclined heavily. Aside from making instant noodles, I slept most of the time.
Sherry, Annie’s Chinese Holland Fellows partner, greeted us with a huge smile at the train station in Shanghai. P.A. and Jesse departed in a cab for their hostel, and Sherry helped me book a train ticket for the return for Beijing. I will be spending three nights at Sherry and her father’s apartment and three days in Shanghai, China’s most largest metropolis and the sight of the 2010 World Expo.
We took a cab to Sherry’s apartment, and the first thing I noticed about Shanghai was how much cleaner it looked than Beijing. This is mainly due to cleaning efforts because of the Expo, much like how Beijing was treated during the 2008 Summer Olympics. There were “Expo 2010” signs and Haibo (‘the official mascot of the 2010 Expo’) charicatures everywhere I looked. We got to Sherry’s apartment, which has a small entrance way and two bedrooms. Sherry set up two places to sleep on the ground, one of which was mine. It was actually more comfortable than my bed at the apartment in Beijing, so I had no trouble sleeping that night.
The one downside of staying at Sherry’s place was that her bathtub had formed a leak the day before we arrived, so to take a shower, we had to walk about five minutes to her grandmother’s apartment. In the hot Shanghai weather, I was sweating again by the time I finished my shower and walked back to Sherry’s the next morning. I also could not communicate directly to Sherry’s father, who only speaks Mandarin and Shanghainese, nor her grandmother, who only speaks Shanghainese.
Sherry’s father provided breakfast every morning – steamed buns filled with meat – which I grew to love and even bought for myself twice in Shanghai. He also is a great cook and made a lot of the food that we had for lunch that day, which Neo joined us for. The four of us had fun catching up and talking about the adventures in the States that we were all about to embark on. Annie will graduate in December and try to roadtrip to Canada in the winter before leaving for Ecuador. I will graduate in May and see where the journalism job market takes me. Neo will spend a semester away from China at Rice University in Texas. Sherry will have the biggest change when she leaves China on the same day as me for SUNY Buffalo to participate in a 5-year Ph.D. program.
After lunch, I set out on my own on a bus to the Oriental Pearl Tower. This is a huge tower that was erected in 1994 and resembles the Space Needle, but shines pink during the day and sparkles at night. I didn’t go up the tower even though it has a glass floor in the second “ball” because of a two-hour wait. Instead, I took pictures and did what I have grown to know best in China – shopping. Uniqlo, a Japanese store similar to H&M, was having a sale, so I bought some shirts and a pair of very Chinese pants.
From there, I hopped on the subway to the Expo. Originally I planned to meet up with Victoria, a fellow Tar Heel who did UNC B-school’s Globe Program with my friend Caitlyn and had been interning in Beijing the whole summer, but it turned out we were there at different times. I’m really glad I waited until the afternoon to visit the Expo, though. I avoided a lot of the lines, crowds and heat.
Because of these differences, the Expo was a lot better than people had told me. I had a lot of fun and actually would go back to see more pavilions. The first pavilion (besides China, which needed a reservation to even line up) to catch my eye was India. I waited for a mere 15 minutes, during which I got to use my portable chair that I bought in the train station a week ago for 10 yuan. Other pavilions that I visited included Sri Lanka, Vietnam, DPR Korea, Iran, Lebanon, Ireland, Ukraine, Canada, Australia, and the Czech Republic. I also got a Hogaarden beer at the Belgium Pavilion and a Dutch veal croquette and fries at the Netherlands Pavilion. I won’t go into detail about these pavilions, but some were definitely better than others. I’d have to say that my favorite was the Netherlands. I was disappointed that some of the Central and South America pavilions were closed by the time I reached them at 10:30 p.m., so I left the expo on a subway home.
The next morning, after another lunch cooked by Sherry’s father, I contacted Victoria and we made a plan to meet up at an art district with cafes and stores like Nanlougu Xiang in Beijing. We walked around there for a bit but didn’t buy anything. Our next stop was People’s Square, a park which is popular among locals and tourists. To escape the heat and learn a little more about Shanghai and China, we went to the Shanghai Museum. The museum was shaped like a ding, a Chinese food vessel, and was laid out in a way that made it very easy to see anything and everything you wanted to. I especially liked the mask, jade and painting, and ceramics exhibits. Best of all, it was free and air conditioned!
We made our way over to Nanjing Street, which is very similar to Wafujing in Beijing. It is a huge walking street full of clothing stores, outdoor entertainment and different food venues. We ate dinner at a Chinese restaurant that was tucked away and we would not have noticed had it not been for Vicctoria being able to read Chinese (her parents are Taiwanese) and my keen sense of smell for vinegar (read: dumplings!!!). The dumplings and spicy noodles that I got hit the spot. I said goodbye to Victoria and rounded out the day with a trip to Yu Gardens, another tourist attraction. There is a garden that you can pay to enter, a lake and several streets of souvenir shopping. I enjoyed just strolling down the streets as the sun went down and the bright lights and neon signs came up. Every place I went this day was packed with Chinese and foreign tourists visiting Shanghai’s other attractions after or before a day at the Expo. I felt a bit clostrophobic at times, but enjoyed myself nonetheless.
I woke up early the next day and met Victoria at the train station to purchase tickets to Suzhou. This is a relatively small city outside of Shanghai that is suggested as a day trip in all of the guide books as a way to see ‘scenic gardens.’ The train was only about an hour long, but Suzhou was HOT (35 degrees C) when we arrived. We felt a bit lost at first, not really planning much past the return train ride before arriving. Once we got a hold of a proper map, we took our own advice from the day before and started out with a free and air conditioned tour of the Suzhou Museum. Many of the things on display were similar to the items in the Shanghai Museum, so we spent the bulk of the time touring the outdoor courtyards and pavilions, which seemed like a clever maze, stumping us at times.
We checked out the details of two gardens before deciding on which one to spend our money on. We chose the smaller and cheaper one, which was both good and bad. First of all, the Chinese don’t think of “gardens” the same way we do – instead of flowers, bushes and bright colors, Chinese gardens are characterized by pagodas, courtyards, fake rock formations , manmade lakes and general landscaping. This came as a surprise, as did the immense number of Chinese tourists who made the same cheaper decision as we did. Feeling claustrophobic, we left the garden and headed toward the commercial district for a bite to eat. We both got smoothies, which we had been craving since we met in Shanghai. Not feeling like shopping, we walked farther south to Suzhou Park, which was free and open to the public. It was similar to all the parks I’ve been to in Beijing – old people synchronized dancing, men fishing in non-fishing areas and beautiful lotuses. After failing to get closet to the Twin Pagodas (it was closed early for some reason), we took a bus back to the train station, had a steamed meat bun, and took a train back to Shanghai. We could only get standing tickets, but luckily, I had my handy Expo seat with me, and the train was air conditioned and only lasted about 35 minutes.
We were back in no time, but the sun had gone down in the process, so I decided to go to the Bund. This is an area that overlooks a river and the Shanghai skyline. It was a great view, but filled with way too many sweaty tourists, so I didn’t stay too long before heading back to Sherry’s for an early night’s sleep before returning “home” to Beijing.
Sherry, Annie’s Chinese Holland Fellows partner, greeted us with a huge smile at the train station in Shanghai. P.A. and Jesse departed in a cab for their hostel, and Sherry helped me book a train ticket for the return for Beijing. I will be spending three nights at Sherry and her father’s apartment and three days in Shanghai, China’s most largest metropolis and the sight of the 2010 World Expo.
We took a cab to Sherry’s apartment, and the first thing I noticed about Shanghai was how much cleaner it looked than Beijing. This is mainly due to cleaning efforts because of the Expo, much like how Beijing was treated during the 2008 Summer Olympics. There were “Expo 2010” signs and Haibo (‘the official mascot of the 2010 Expo’) charicatures everywhere I looked. We got to Sherry’s apartment, which has a small entrance way and two bedrooms. Sherry set up two places to sleep on the ground, one of which was mine. It was actually more comfortable than my bed at the apartment in Beijing, so I had no trouble sleeping that night.
The one downside of staying at Sherry’s place was that her bathtub had formed a leak the day before we arrived, so to take a shower, we had to walk about five minutes to her grandmother’s apartment. In the hot Shanghai weather, I was sweating again by the time I finished my shower and walked back to Sherry’s the next morning. I also could not communicate directly to Sherry’s father, who only speaks Mandarin and Shanghainese, nor her grandmother, who only speaks Shanghainese.
Sherry’s father provided breakfast every morning – steamed buns filled with meat – which I grew to love and even bought for myself twice in Shanghai. He also is a great cook and made a lot of the food that we had for lunch that day, which Neo joined us for. The four of us had fun catching up and talking about the adventures in the States that we were all about to embark on. Annie will graduate in December and try to roadtrip to Canada in the winter before leaving for Ecuador. I will graduate in May and see where the journalism job market takes me. Neo will spend a semester away from China at Rice University in Texas. Sherry will have the biggest change when she leaves China on the same day as me for SUNY Buffalo to participate in a 5-year Ph.D. program.
After lunch, I set out on my own on a bus to the Oriental Pearl Tower. This is a huge tower that was erected in 1994 and resembles the Space Needle, but shines pink during the day and sparkles at night. I didn’t go up the tower even though it has a glass floor in the second “ball” because of a two-hour wait. Instead, I took pictures and did what I have grown to know best in China – shopping. Uniqlo, a Japanese store similar to H&M, was having a sale, so I bought some shirts and a pair of very Chinese pants.
From there, I hopped on the subway to the Expo. Originally I planned to meet up with Victoria, a fellow Tar Heel who did UNC B-school’s Globe Program with my friend Caitlyn and had been interning in Beijing the whole summer, but it turned out we were there at different times. I’m really glad I waited until the afternoon to visit the Expo, though. I avoided a lot of the lines, crowds and heat.
Because of these differences, the Expo was a lot better than people had told me. I had a lot of fun and actually would go back to see more pavilions. The first pavilion (besides China, which needed a reservation to even line up) to catch my eye was India. I waited for a mere 15 minutes, during which I got to use my portable chair that I bought in the train station a week ago for 10 yuan. Other pavilions that I visited included Sri Lanka, Vietnam, DPR Korea, Iran, Lebanon, Ireland, Ukraine, Canada, Australia, and the Czech Republic. I also got a Hogaarden beer at the Belgium Pavilion and a Dutch veal croquette and fries at the Netherlands Pavilion. I won’t go into detail about these pavilions, but some were definitely better than others. I’d have to say that my favorite was the Netherlands. I was disappointed that some of the Central and South America pavilions were closed by the time I reached them at 10:30 p.m., so I left the expo on a subway home.
The next morning, after another lunch cooked by Sherry’s father, I contacted Victoria and we made a plan to meet up at an art district with cafes and stores like Nanlougu Xiang in Beijing. We walked around there for a bit but didn’t buy anything. Our next stop was People’s Square, a park which is popular among locals and tourists. To escape the heat and learn a little more about Shanghai and China, we went to the Shanghai Museum. The museum was shaped like a ding, a Chinese food vessel, and was laid out in a way that made it very easy to see anything and everything you wanted to. I especially liked the mask, jade and painting, and ceramics exhibits. Best of all, it was free and air conditioned!
We made our way over to Nanjing Street, which is very similar to Wafujing in Beijing. It is a huge walking street full of clothing stores, outdoor entertainment and different food venues. We ate dinner at a Chinese restaurant that was tucked away and we would not have noticed had it not been for Vicctoria being able to read Chinese (her parents are Taiwanese) and my keen sense of smell for vinegar (read: dumplings!!!). The dumplings and spicy noodles that I got hit the spot. I said goodbye to Victoria and rounded out the day with a trip to Yu Gardens, another tourist attraction. There is a garden that you can pay to enter, a lake and several streets of souvenir shopping. I enjoyed just strolling down the streets as the sun went down and the bright lights and neon signs came up. Every place I went this day was packed with Chinese and foreign tourists visiting Shanghai’s other attractions after or before a day at the Expo. I felt a bit clostrophobic at times, but enjoyed myself nonetheless.
I woke up early the next day and met Victoria at the train station to purchase tickets to Suzhou. This is a relatively small city outside of Shanghai that is suggested as a day trip in all of the guide books as a way to see ‘scenic gardens.’ The train was only about an hour long, but Suzhou was HOT (35 degrees C) when we arrived. We felt a bit lost at first, not really planning much past the return train ride before arriving. Once we got a hold of a proper map, we took our own advice from the day before and started out with a free and air conditioned tour of the Suzhou Museum. Many of the things on display were similar to the items in the Shanghai Museum, so we spent the bulk of the time touring the outdoor courtyards and pavilions, which seemed like a clever maze, stumping us at times.
We checked out the details of two gardens before deciding on which one to spend our money on. We chose the smaller and cheaper one, which was both good and bad. First of all, the Chinese don’t think of “gardens” the same way we do – instead of flowers, bushes and bright colors, Chinese gardens are characterized by pagodas, courtyards, fake rock formations , manmade lakes and general landscaping. This came as a surprise, as did the immense number of Chinese tourists who made the same cheaper decision as we did. Feeling claustrophobic, we left the garden and headed toward the commercial district for a bite to eat. We both got smoothies, which we had been craving since we met in Shanghai. Not feeling like shopping, we walked farther south to Suzhou Park, which was free and open to the public. It was similar to all the parks I’ve been to in Beijing – old people synchronized dancing, men fishing in non-fishing areas and beautiful lotuses. After failing to get closet to the Twin Pagodas (it was closed early for some reason), we took a bus back to the train station, had a steamed meat bun, and took a train back to Shanghai. We could only get standing tickets, but luckily, I had my handy Expo seat with me, and the train was air conditioned and only lasted about 35 minutes.
We were back in no time, but the sun had gone down in the process, so I decided to go to the Bund. This is an area that overlooks a river and the Shanghai skyline. It was a great view, but filled with way too many sweaty tourists, so I didn’t stay too long before heading back to Sherry’s for an early night’s sleep before returning “home” to Beijing.
Tsing Tao beer will give you passion and happiness [60-62.5]
This past week, I started my vacation with a trip to Qingdao with Pang Li, Annie, Jesse and P.A. Initially we were planning on going to DaLian, another beach city, but there was an oil spill just weeks ago that has ruined the waters and beaches (sound familiar?).
There are really only two words I need to describe Qingdao: beach and beer. If you want to get more cultural about it, I can add that there is a heavy German influence in the architecture and history.
The train from Beijing to Qingdao went by fast, and once we arrived, we took a van to check in at Kai Yue Youth Hostel/Old Church Lounge. This was my first time staying in a hostel, and it was a great experience. The hostel was recommended by Hostelworld.com and Lonely Planet. They had a bilingual staff, a bar/hang out area and one free beer per day per customer! We stayed in two eight-person rooms with other Americans, an Irishman, and a Taiwanese family. My only complaints: no hot water and the front doors are locked at 2 a.m.
Once we were settled in and got our free beers, we called the van driver from earlier. We (read: Pang Li) struck a deal with him that we would pay 300 yuan to hire him as a guide for the three days we would be in Qingdao, and he would take us wherever we wanted to go. He recommended (as did Lonely Planet) that we go to Beer Street, which houses the Tsing Tao brewery that makes Tsing Tao beer. Both Qingdao and Tsing Tao are pronounced "ching-dow," but they are written differently because of the evolution of Chinese pinyin. Beer Street also had numerous places to eat, drink and listen to live performers. We ate outside at a barbecue restaurant that the driver recommended. Since Qingdao is a port city, we had lots of delicious seafood. The pitchers of fresh Tsing Tao were also great and “the real deal.” We even tried black beer, which I think was only appreciated by myself and Pang Li. Our driver was fast asleep by this time, so we bribed a taxi driver an extra 5 yuan (US$0.75) to let us cram all five people in his cab and got home safely.
The next morning, we enjoyed an American breakfast (that’s even how it was advertised on the menu) at the hostel with eggs, bacon, sasuage, coffee, etc. It hit the spot, especially the coffee. Pang Li was not impressed and insisted that we give Chinese breakfast a chance the next day.
We set out for the day to an island called Little Qingdao that could be accessed by one road with waves crashing upon it. On the island, we walked along the rocks, let the waves crash upon our legs, took some pictures, and marveled at the number of Chinese people disobeying the “do not cross” signs to get nearer to the sea.
Next we went to one of my favorite places in the world: the beach. It was pretty crowded, but we found a spot to put our stuff down and lather up. The sun was out in full force, and the Chinese people all had their personal umbrellas to help. They also had an eye-catcihng range of clothing, bathing suits, and floating devices. I’m talking inner tubes, rafts, and even wing floaties (yes, grown men were wearing floaties – many Chinese people don’t ever learn how to swim). The sea water felt great, and we even got Pang Li to go in to his waist (he also can’t swim).
Once we were good and pruny and had seen enough small children running around the beach in the buff, we set off in search of lunch. Jesse and P.A. recognized a Chinese restaurant they dined in the last time the ASU group was in Qingdao, so the driver joined us for lunch there. It was amazing, but we all ate so much that we were in need of a nap back at the hostel.
We woke up and set off for a restaurant/bar that John recommended. John is an Englishman that works in our office and taught in Qingdao for a few years two years ago. The French restaurant, Le Bang, was a pretty big letdown as we were among the only people there, the service was slow, and the menu was pricy. We tried another of John’s recommendations, Corner Jazz Bar, later and this was equally disappointing. We decided to leave the empty establishment after one Qingdao. This proved to be a great idea since we found a place called Beer Bar (although it was basically just a few kegs and small chairs outside on the street across from our hostel) selling pints of beer for 2 yuan (US$0.30). Annie busted out the cards and we taught Pang Li B.S. and Spoons (which we improvised for and re-named “Chopsticks”). It turned out to be a great night full of lots of laughter.
The next morning, we held up our end of the bargain and ate a Chinese breakfast of dumpling soup and vegetable buns. Surprisingly, I liked it a lot, though nothing will replace bacon and buttered toast. Next, we set out for Mount Laoshan, which was about an hour outside of Qingdao. It was pretty touristy, but great to get away from cities and have a good sweat and hike. We hiked past pagodas, waterfalls, and a monastery that was supposedly 500 years old (although it looked pretty new to me). We even saw some goats, which reminded me of the last time I had hiked abroad on Mount Pilatus in Greece.
We returned to Qingdao and ate on Snack Street, another strip of restaurants specializing in barbecue seafood. I had a crab, a large shrimp (Qingdao’s specialty), some kind of large clam, and a fish that we picked out and watched get killed (sad, but, as Pang Li says, “TIC: This is China.”). We decided to give up on the bars and embrace our hostel’s amenities, so we headed back home to out free beer and hookah. This was another first for Pang Li and something I had been wanting to do in China ever since I heard that Hookah Bliss in Chapel Hill had closed (moment of silence, please). We worked our way across the street and down a bit to a place where the beer was, believe it or not, even cheaper. We eventually even got a bag of beer, another #onlyinchina moment. While we were out drinking and socializing, P.A. didn’t feel well so he was in the hostel meeting an American roommate named Chris who, no lie, graduated from UNC and was originally from Charlotte. P.A. told Chris about me and sent him out to find us. We flagged him down as the only other Westerner sitting amongst Chinese people and had a great conversation. It turns out that he did a summer in China when he was my age through UNC’s B-school and decided to learn Chinese and return before starting work for Habitat for Humanity. We “bar hopped” and toasted to yuan fen (read: fate) for introducing two Charlotteans and Tar Heels in Qingdao!
The next morning, while Chris set off for the airport to go back to the States, we had another Chinese breakfast, said our goodbyes to Pang Li and set off for the train station.
Next stop: Shanghai!
There are really only two words I need to describe Qingdao: beach and beer. If you want to get more cultural about it, I can add that there is a heavy German influence in the architecture and history.
The train from Beijing to Qingdao went by fast, and once we arrived, we took a van to check in at Kai Yue Youth Hostel/Old Church Lounge. This was my first time staying in a hostel, and it was a great experience. The hostel was recommended by Hostelworld.com and Lonely Planet. They had a bilingual staff, a bar/hang out area and one free beer per day per customer! We stayed in two eight-person rooms with other Americans, an Irishman, and a Taiwanese family. My only complaints: no hot water and the front doors are locked at 2 a.m.
Once we were settled in and got our free beers, we called the van driver from earlier. We (read: Pang Li) struck a deal with him that we would pay 300 yuan to hire him as a guide for the three days we would be in Qingdao, and he would take us wherever we wanted to go. He recommended (as did Lonely Planet) that we go to Beer Street, which houses the Tsing Tao brewery that makes Tsing Tao beer. Both Qingdao and Tsing Tao are pronounced "ching-dow," but they are written differently because of the evolution of Chinese pinyin. Beer Street also had numerous places to eat, drink and listen to live performers. We ate outside at a barbecue restaurant that the driver recommended. Since Qingdao is a port city, we had lots of delicious seafood. The pitchers of fresh Tsing Tao were also great and “the real deal.” We even tried black beer, which I think was only appreciated by myself and Pang Li. Our driver was fast asleep by this time, so we bribed a taxi driver an extra 5 yuan (US$0.75) to let us cram all five people in his cab and got home safely.
The next morning, we enjoyed an American breakfast (that’s even how it was advertised on the menu) at the hostel with eggs, bacon, sasuage, coffee, etc. It hit the spot, especially the coffee. Pang Li was not impressed and insisted that we give Chinese breakfast a chance the next day.
We set out for the day to an island called Little Qingdao that could be accessed by one road with waves crashing upon it. On the island, we walked along the rocks, let the waves crash upon our legs, took some pictures, and marveled at the number of Chinese people disobeying the “do not cross” signs to get nearer to the sea.
Next we went to one of my favorite places in the world: the beach. It was pretty crowded, but we found a spot to put our stuff down and lather up. The sun was out in full force, and the Chinese people all had their personal umbrellas to help. They also had an eye-catcihng range of clothing, bathing suits, and floating devices. I’m talking inner tubes, rafts, and even wing floaties (yes, grown men were wearing floaties – many Chinese people don’t ever learn how to swim). The sea water felt great, and we even got Pang Li to go in to his waist (he also can’t swim).
Once we were good and pruny and had seen enough small children running around the beach in the buff, we set off in search of lunch. Jesse and P.A. recognized a Chinese restaurant they dined in the last time the ASU group was in Qingdao, so the driver joined us for lunch there. It was amazing, but we all ate so much that we were in need of a nap back at the hostel.
We woke up and set off for a restaurant/bar that John recommended. John is an Englishman that works in our office and taught in Qingdao for a few years two years ago. The French restaurant, Le Bang, was a pretty big letdown as we were among the only people there, the service was slow, and the menu was pricy. We tried another of John’s recommendations, Corner Jazz Bar, later and this was equally disappointing. We decided to leave the empty establishment after one Qingdao. This proved to be a great idea since we found a place called Beer Bar (although it was basically just a few kegs and small chairs outside on the street across from our hostel) selling pints of beer for 2 yuan (US$0.30). Annie busted out the cards and we taught Pang Li B.S. and Spoons (which we improvised for and re-named “Chopsticks”). It turned out to be a great night full of lots of laughter.
The next morning, we held up our end of the bargain and ate a Chinese breakfast of dumpling soup and vegetable buns. Surprisingly, I liked it a lot, though nothing will replace bacon and buttered toast. Next, we set out for Mount Laoshan, which was about an hour outside of Qingdao. It was pretty touristy, but great to get away from cities and have a good sweat and hike. We hiked past pagodas, waterfalls, and a monastery that was supposedly 500 years old (although it looked pretty new to me). We even saw some goats, which reminded me of the last time I had hiked abroad on Mount Pilatus in Greece.
We returned to Qingdao and ate on Snack Street, another strip of restaurants specializing in barbecue seafood. I had a crab, a large shrimp (Qingdao’s specialty), some kind of large clam, and a fish that we picked out and watched get killed (sad, but, as Pang Li says, “TIC: This is China.”). We decided to give up on the bars and embrace our hostel’s amenities, so we headed back home to out free beer and hookah. This was another first for Pang Li and something I had been wanting to do in China ever since I heard that Hookah Bliss in Chapel Hill had closed (moment of silence, please). We worked our way across the street and down a bit to a place where the beer was, believe it or not, even cheaper. We eventually even got a bag of beer, another #onlyinchina moment. While we were out drinking and socializing, P.A. didn’t feel well so he was in the hostel meeting an American roommate named Chris who, no lie, graduated from UNC and was originally from Charlotte. P.A. told Chris about me and sent him out to find us. We flagged him down as the only other Westerner sitting amongst Chinese people and had a great conversation. It turns out that he did a summer in China when he was my age through UNC’s B-school and decided to learn Chinese and return before starting work for Habitat for Humanity. We “bar hopped” and toasted to yuan fen (read: fate) for introducing two Charlotteans and Tar Heels in Qingdao!
The next morning, while Chris set off for the airport to go back to the States, we had another Chinese breakfast, said our goodbyes to Pang Li and set off for the train station.
Next stop: Shanghai!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
I love you, my dear. Will you marry me? [55-59]
My last day working at CIIC was also the first day that I wore a tie in China. The interns gave a presentation in front of our department directors, Celine and the scholars that would be visiting UNC and ASU next year. Here are some pictures from during and after the presentation:
So here’s the deal about this internship: it’s the reason I am in China, so I am very grateful for the opportunity. I am so thankful to have met Celine, Pang Li, Catherine, Ada and everyone else who welcomed me at CIIC and helped me accomplish more than I thought I would. However, I feel like I have gotten more out of just being in China and experiencing life outside of the office. That leads me to a tough decision I had to make this weekend.
Pang Li invited me to his best friend’s wedding in Hebei Province, and I accepted without question. It came to my attention Thursday night that the party that Celine had been planning for the interns was also Saturday. I felt really bad missing her party because I love Celine, but I knew that going to a Chinese wedding was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I think I made the right choice: the weekend was amazing.
Pang Li, Annie, and I left after work on Friday. We took a train (my first in China!) to Pang Li’s hometown – Gaobeidian, Hebei Province. My first impressions of this place were all good – cheap cab rides, 100% more trees than in Beijing, and the warmest welcome I’ve ever experienced from Pang Li’s family. His family (mother, grandmother, aunts, cousins, etc.) lives on a ranch, for lack of a better word. We got a short tour and then ate dinner which Pang Li’s mom made with the vegetables from the family garden. It was delicious, and the noodles were the best I’ve ever had. I was fully prepared to stay the night in one of Pang Li’s family’s rooms, but he surprised us by telling us that his “rich cousin” had booked us a hotel room at the best hotel (and the tallest building) in the town. When we got to the hotel, we found out that his cousin had actually booked us each a hotel room – so I had a huge bed and a shower (with a curtain!!!) all to myself.
On Saturday morning, we had breakfast at the hotel (sadly, all Chinese food – not the Western-style breakfast I was hoping for) and walked to the restaurant (yes, restaurant) where the wedding was being held. There was a huge, tacky blow-up archway, fireworks and confetti when the bride and groom pulled up. The whole wedding was a spectacle, complete with pink and red fake flowers, a red carpet, and other (pink and red) decorations. We sat at a table with Pang Li’s friends and watched the show unfold. Chinese weddings are very different for many reasons, but the most being the fact that the couple is already legally married by the time of the ceremony. In fact, there are sometimes two or more ceremonies – one in the groom’s hometown and one in the bride’s hometown. Also, most couples hire a wedding company to perform the ceremony. The host of this wedding stole the show, in my opinion. He had everyone laughing, clapping and even shouting (still not sure what this was about). There were some rituals that I have never seen before – pouring wine in a cascading tower of glasses, bowing to the parents, almost kissing the bride… more than I can post in a blog.
The ceremony was followed by lunch – which was convenient since we were already seated at tables with lazy susans in a restaurant and all… The men at the table wanted the meg [uas] to drink some baijiu, but I could barely let it touch my lips. I seriously don’t know how they drink that stuff. Pang Li probably had a little too much because, as he explained it, guests at the party prove their friendship to the bride and groom by staying longer and drinking more.
The bride was beautiful and she had two wardrobe changes. The groom spoke some English and even incorporated it into the wedding (see blog title). He had his Ph.D. and even published a book in English.
I took the best nap ever at the hotel then met up with Pang Li and his friends for [chaun’r] (barbecue) and pijiu. It’s amazing how much you can enjoy someone’s company without speaking the same language. We had a lot of fun, ate everyerything imaginable barbequed (the fish tasted like candy!) and supposedly finished 100 beers before leaving for KTV (!!!). It’s the Chinese version of karaoke, but so much better. The best part is you get a personal room instead of embarrassing yourself in front of everyone in a bar. Pang Li’s friends rocked out to some Chinese music and picked out Lady Gaga (surprise, surprise) for Annie and me to perform. Unforgettable.
[ktv pics to come]
We slept late on Sunday, and we ate at a dumpling restaurant before Pang Li took us back to his family’s ranch. This time we took a proper tour of the place (with sunlight). Besides the garden, his ranch had a fishing pond, chickens, rabbits and Tibetan dogs (AKA monsters). His grandmother was the sweetest person I have ever met. She kept inviting us (through Pang Li’s translation) to “stay for a few days.” His little five-year-old cousin was the cutest kid ever. He was making forts out of his aunt’s traditional Chinese wooden furniture and silk pillows. The whole family was adorable and made me hope that sometime in the future I will take Pang Li’s grandmother up on her offer.
Pang Li’s friend who also works in Beijing gave us a ride home. The rest of Sunday was spent resting and planning our first official day off of work.
After being treated to an amazing weekend by Pang Li, I didn’t feel guilty going shopping the next day. I felt guilty afterwards. Annie and I went to Panjaiyuan Antique Market, where I bought a bunch of really cool but pretty useless souvenirs. However, I’m pretty happy with a red Buddha bracelet and a framed dragon shadow puppet that I bought. I also picked up a pair of prescription sunglasses from Glasses City.
Since Annie and I missed the dinner party with Celine, we took her out to eat Monday night. Well actually, SHE took us out. She took us to a fancy Chinese restaurant, where the food was amazing. It was great to catch up with Celine – I will surely miss her.
On Tuesday, I spent most of the day with my Chinese friend, Jesse, or Jessie, I should say. She was an economics major in college and idolized a stock trader named Jesse Livermore, so she decided her English name would be Jesse! I told her that J-E-S-S-E is how a man spells the name, but a woman can also have the name if she spells it with an "ie" or a "y." She was happy to change her name to be more feminine. Anyway, she took me to a really good Chinese place for lunch. It had lots of pastries, but we got noodles, peanuts, Korean vegetables, pumpkin porridge and sweet pea pudding. It was all delicious. Next, she took me to a tailor to get sized for a suit. This is one thing that I have been told I should buy in China. I hate dressing up, and a large part of me hopes that I don't have a job that entails wearing a suit often, but at least now I will have one if I need it. And it will only cost me 420 yuan (US$62).
The American Jesse came into Beijing Tuesday, so Pang Li took us out to a place that served Sijuan (sp? Also, not to be confused with Sichuan) food, a cuisine indigenous to a region of northwest China. It was one of the best meals I've had in China, and the black beer was great. What would I do without Pang Li??
Next up – vacation!
So here’s the deal about this internship: it’s the reason I am in China, so I am very grateful for the opportunity. I am so thankful to have met Celine, Pang Li, Catherine, Ada and everyone else who welcomed me at CIIC and helped me accomplish more than I thought I would. However, I feel like I have gotten more out of just being in China and experiencing life outside of the office. That leads me to a tough decision I had to make this weekend.
Pang Li invited me to his best friend’s wedding in Hebei Province, and I accepted without question. It came to my attention Thursday night that the party that Celine had been planning for the interns was also Saturday. I felt really bad missing her party because I love Celine, but I knew that going to a Chinese wedding was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I think I made the right choice: the weekend was amazing.
Pang Li, Annie, and I left after work on Friday. We took a train (my first in China!) to Pang Li’s hometown – Gaobeidian, Hebei Province. My first impressions of this place were all good – cheap cab rides, 100% more trees than in Beijing, and the warmest welcome I’ve ever experienced from Pang Li’s family. His family (mother, grandmother, aunts, cousins, etc.) lives on a ranch, for lack of a better word. We got a short tour and then ate dinner which Pang Li’s mom made with the vegetables from the family garden. It was delicious, and the noodles were the best I’ve ever had. I was fully prepared to stay the night in one of Pang Li’s family’s rooms, but he surprised us by telling us that his “rich cousin” had booked us a hotel room at the best hotel (and the tallest building) in the town. When we got to the hotel, we found out that his cousin had actually booked us each a hotel room – so I had a huge bed and a shower (with a curtain!!!) all to myself.
On Saturday morning, we had breakfast at the hotel (sadly, all Chinese food – not the Western-style breakfast I was hoping for) and walked to the restaurant (yes, restaurant) where the wedding was being held. There was a huge, tacky blow-up archway, fireworks and confetti when the bride and groom pulled up. The whole wedding was a spectacle, complete with pink and red fake flowers, a red carpet, and other (pink and red) decorations. We sat at a table with Pang Li’s friends and watched the show unfold. Chinese weddings are very different for many reasons, but the most being the fact that the couple is already legally married by the time of the ceremony. In fact, there are sometimes two or more ceremonies – one in the groom’s hometown and one in the bride’s hometown. Also, most couples hire a wedding company to perform the ceremony. The host of this wedding stole the show, in my opinion. He had everyone laughing, clapping and even shouting (still not sure what this was about). There were some rituals that I have never seen before – pouring wine in a cascading tower of glasses, bowing to the parents, almost kissing the bride… more than I can post in a blog.
The ceremony was followed by lunch – which was convenient since we were already seated at tables with lazy susans in a restaurant and all… The men at the table wanted the meg [uas] to drink some baijiu, but I could barely let it touch my lips. I seriously don’t know how they drink that stuff. Pang Li probably had a little too much because, as he explained it, guests at the party prove their friendship to the bride and groom by staying longer and drinking more.
The bride was beautiful and she had two wardrobe changes. The groom spoke some English and even incorporated it into the wedding (see blog title). He had his Ph.D. and even published a book in English.
I took the best nap ever at the hotel then met up with Pang Li and his friends for [chaun’r] (barbecue) and pijiu. It’s amazing how much you can enjoy someone’s company without speaking the same language. We had a lot of fun, ate everyerything imaginable barbequed (the fish tasted like candy!) and supposedly finished 100 beers before leaving for KTV (!!!). It’s the Chinese version of karaoke, but so much better. The best part is you get a personal room instead of embarrassing yourself in front of everyone in a bar. Pang Li’s friends rocked out to some Chinese music and picked out Lady Gaga (surprise, surprise) for Annie and me to perform. Unforgettable.
[ktv pics to come]
We slept late on Sunday, and we ate at a dumpling restaurant before Pang Li took us back to his family’s ranch. This time we took a proper tour of the place (with sunlight). Besides the garden, his ranch had a fishing pond, chickens, rabbits and Tibetan dogs (AKA monsters). His grandmother was the sweetest person I have ever met. She kept inviting us (through Pang Li’s translation) to “stay for a few days.” His little five-year-old cousin was the cutest kid ever. He was making forts out of his aunt’s traditional Chinese wooden furniture and silk pillows. The whole family was adorable and made me hope that sometime in the future I will take Pang Li’s grandmother up on her offer.
Pang Li’s friend who also works in Beijing gave us a ride home. The rest of Sunday was spent resting and planning our first official day off of work.
After being treated to an amazing weekend by Pang Li, I didn’t feel guilty going shopping the next day. I felt guilty afterwards. Annie and I went to Panjaiyuan Antique Market, where I bought a bunch of really cool but pretty useless souvenirs. However, I’m pretty happy with a red Buddha bracelet and a framed dragon shadow puppet that I bought. I also picked up a pair of prescription sunglasses from Glasses City.
Since Annie and I missed the dinner party with Celine, we took her out to eat Monday night. Well actually, SHE took us out. She took us to a fancy Chinese restaurant, where the food was amazing. It was great to catch up with Celine – I will surely miss her.
On Tuesday, I spent most of the day with my Chinese friend, Jesse, or Jessie, I should say. She was an economics major in college and idolized a stock trader named Jesse Livermore, so she decided her English name would be Jesse! I told her that J-E-S-S-E is how a man spells the name, but a woman can also have the name if she spells it with an "ie" or a "y." She was happy to change her name to be more feminine. Anyway, she took me to a really good Chinese place for lunch. It had lots of pastries, but we got noodles, peanuts, Korean vegetables, pumpkin porridge and sweet pea pudding. It was all delicious. Next, she took me to a tailor to get sized for a suit. This is one thing that I have been told I should buy in China. I hate dressing up, and a large part of me hopes that I don't have a job that entails wearing a suit often, but at least now I will have one if I need it. And it will only cost me 420 yuan (US$62).
The American Jesse came into Beijing Tuesday, so Pang Li took us out to a place that served Sijuan (sp? Also, not to be confused with Sichuan) food, a cuisine indigenous to a region of northwest China. It was one of the best meals I've had in China, and the black beer was great. What would I do without Pang Li??
Next up – vacation!
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