Tuesday, December 15, 2009

ABC in Beijing ... part II

My overall experience of Beijing? I honestly wouldn't go again without someone who lives there. We had a tour guide and a driver to our self but they took us to all the government owned factories to 1. learn about how they made jade, vases, silk, etc. and 2. to get you to spend as much money as possible. I suggested that we go shopping where the locals go shopping and the they dropped us off at a shopping center area the first night. I also suggested to go to 798 Art district in Beijing and the driver complained it was too far (20 minutes from our hotel) the second night. Needless to say we did not get to go. After multiple requests to be dropped off at the hotel they kept us out all day until the Kung Fu show where I was insistent that they take us back to the hotel after. We left for Hong Kong the next morning.

The government is everywhere and it's not subtle. And I can't help but feel like everyone's trying to get more under the table. It's hard to feel comfortable that everyone you meet is genuine and honest because they are not. In a world where trust is already hard to come by, Beijing is not a city where I would trust at all. The Chinese Army is visible no matter where you go. The police are of course seen as much as the army. I couldn't live there. I mean I could if I had to but I'd have to learn Mandarin quick. Since everything is in Chinese characters, I'd have to learn that too. I know Chinese but my dialect isn't "major." Beijing is not the most tourist friendly town. I wonder if it would ever be because I still wish China never did close off their country to the foreign world roughly a hundred years or so ago. (Here's a history lesson: Isolationism of the Ming/Qing Dynasty: Source 1; Source 2; Source3). With inventing so many things throughout history, I really believe they could be more advanced than they are now. It saddens me actually. Hopefully the Chinese government won't find this blog post since I had so much trouble getting a Chinese Visa this time around. I'm sure I will be interrogated even more so next time. Really though, it's only because I stated on my application that I work for the media.

Don't take me as a Debbie downer. I am not. I want to go back to Beijing but I'd rather experience it with a local not as a tourist. As Edwin says, "We are casual tourists." We like to see the tourist spots but we're more into living the local life and eating the local food.

The best things about Beijing? Dr. Tea's pee pee boy, my paper cutting art pieces and Peking Duck. Oh and of course a 6 to 1 conversion of the U.S. dollar (6RMB Chinese money equals $1). I also used one of those hole in the ground toilets. Honestly I prefer it... it's a lot easier to squat and I don't have to worry about my butt touching a dirty seat. I didn't say it was more comfortable but to me it seems more sanitary. (Here's a picture of a Chinese toilet.) If words couldn't describe our Beijing trip well enough... here's some amateur photos I took with my point and shoot camera: BEIJING PHOTOS

No worries. I will answer my curious questions but for now... on to Hong Kong!

Saturday, December 12, 2009

ABC in Beijing ... part I

This was Edwin and my first trip to China, second trip out of the states for me. Edwin is a little more world traveled than I but still I'm eager to fill up our passports with as many stamps as possible. And, since we're heading to China, I'm a little curious about a few things...
  • How much do I stand out from other Asians?
  • Am I really that much smaller than other people? Is Edwin that much taller than other Asians?
  • How American are we really?
  • Is the food better in the "mother" country?
  • Will we get a cultural shock that some people talk about?
  • Will we be able to get around with the amount of Chinese we know?
I planned to be disconnected from the world I knew for a couple weeks. Unfortunately China blocks social media sites and wifi isn't very "available" so I kept my tweets on my AK Notepad app on my G1. Hopefully you can follow along but it's not as if my regular tweets ever made sense either. So here goes, my trip by way of what I would have tweeted in 140 characters (or more).

November 30, 2009 -------------


Hell is other people. --- that's a new one to me #theanswerman


Am I the first to see your monsters? #thatswhatshesaid #theanswerman


Got corrected by the drink server for not saying please... MY BAD? #feelbadforyou #morningbreathelastslongeronflight @unitedairlines sucks

I love Rachel McAdams movies - too bad I tried to watch the Time Traveler's Wife twice and passed out at the end... twice #dimplesrule #ionlyhaveoneandahalf

You can't do this. I showed you my monsters! #theanswerman

December 1, 2009 (one day lost due to time/space travel) -------------

I've seen straight sunlight since I left Houston @ 820am... it's 12 hours later. #shadesaredowntofakenight

Good thing I played vball Sunday ... makes this time travel more bareable. #icantsitanymore #ifijumpwillifeelzerogravity #ijumpinelevators

If my feet swell while I'm on this flight does that mean my boobies and butt are swollen too? #justcurious

FINALLY! After 80 min 5 seconds I won the spider solitaire game... #slow #notmyfastesttime #iblametimetravel

Beijing Airport -------------

I feel like we're in Monsters, Inc. At any moment we'll see a bunch of yellow suited officials jumping some careless unsuspecting foreigner screaming "2319!" #plsbeme

Who would have guessed I'd possibly be infected by a virus from the US? #coughheresagiftchina #h1n1 #seriouslyJK

"Please take your belongings and GET OFF THE TRAIN." #dontcarewhereyougo #directtranslationsareawesome

Chang An Grand Hotel -------------

Wow... now I see why they say Americans are rude. #learnChinesecustomsfaster

Holy cow... how do you turn on the lights? #itsdark #paranormalactivityfollwedmetochina

Hi Chinese tv? I can't speak or understand Mandarin; therefore I can't read Chinese subtitles either. #racialdiscrimenation #wtharetheysaying? #iamtheotherchinese

Missed dinner and all the fancy flashing lights are out. #nothingtodoforlatenightowls #stupidamericans #damnjetlag

No one understands iced tea. #thereisnoicehere #novendingmachinesinhotel

December 2, 2009 -------------

It's 2:55 am in Beijing and I am still on Houston time - 1:55 pm #timeforlunch #itsdark #gobacktosleep #sigh

Oh! Food! Hot pot! #iamhungry #wearenotstopping :(

I wonder if they have a "Red Lantern" district... would it be inappropriate to ask our tour guide? #pervertsinBeijing #badtourists

@fuh23 is right... I am fake Chinese #pssshhh #whatareyousaying

Look! There's white people. #itsagame #itsfun #dontbesosensitive

All of these buildings and rooms look the same. It's like a maze. #ForbiddenCity #greathidenseekplace

There is minimal grass here. No wonder 9man plays on concrete. #vballreference #paranoidChineseppl #forbiddencity

I.can't.walk.anymore. #forbiddencity #tianamensquare #summerpalace

Summer Palace is way nicer... no wonder the women rule this palace. #grassandtreesarepretty #icouldlivehere #iamnotroyaltysoicant

Girl: Excuse me miss? Your food is ready. Excuse me? Hello? Me: d'oh that's me ok... #IjustlookChinese

@fuh23 & I are always hungry right about US lunch time... which ends up being 11pm or so. #weirdoAmericans

Beyonce is hot. If I had her trunk I would shake it too. #sweetdream #JayZisaluckyguy

December 3, 2009 -------------

My butt is sore from all the trekking. Oh Great Wall ... please be kind #miniChineseroadtrip

The Chinese do amazing things with rocks. #thatswhatshesaid

Two women carrying a cage full of dead pidgeons. #eeeeek #ijustate :(

@fuh23 just asked me if I was going to twit blog this whole thing. #hetries #itscute

Who knew pee pee boys would be a selling point? #drtea #reallycuteinstructor #ilovetea

42F and an hour ride on a rickshaw? #someoneisonsomemajoropium

Silk worms... #theChineseareslick #wolfinsheepsclothing #yesiamChinese

Whoa! Africans in the house #entourage #firstsighting #Chinaisnotdiverse

December 4, 2009 -------------

500 Days of Summer! Duck lunch... so fancy! #iloveDragonAir @standrewchang

I believe ... the end of one "sad chapter" brings the beginning of a happier one. #500daysofsummer #flyingmakesmesentimental

Destiny is for people who believe in fairy tales. And those who don't... maybe they're in denial. #ignoranceisbliss #randomness

Everything happens for a reason. It's up to each to figure out why. #randomness

Lady mines her cave while keeping her treasures between her fingers then throws them on the floor #ineedrubbergloves #masksareineffectual

Pee pee boy! Don't jump! The trip has only just begun :) #peepeeboywillbeworldtraveled

to be continued...