A Tale of Two Cities.

I've been in Fuxin for a couple of days now, and settling in well.  After a couple of trips to the local supermarket, we have a stocked fridge, and I've bought enough accessories to make at least my room warm.  The rest of the dorm is still freezing, but, oh well.

Here are a few snaps of my abode for the next 2 months:

And the dreaded coldzone that's our kitchen:

Fuxin itself is a strange place.  On one hand, it is a big city, by western standards (over one million), but not by Chinese standards though.  We are staying on the outskirts of the city, which are, to be blunt, very dirty.  Sidewalks are dirt tracks in most places,rubbish is left in the streets, and feral dogs roam free.  But, take a cab 10 minutes downtown, and the centre of Fuxin looks like St. Louis or another fairly big western city.  Malls, restaurants, Apple stores, and other chain stores.  The big difference is the number of people is highly concentrated, so it feels more like Chicago or New York in that sense, rather than St. Louis or Kansas City.  We visited a "Western-Style" restaurant the other day and I took some amusing photos:

For a second, I thought this one said inseminate:

Just in case there is a steak emergency, and you just need to know all there is about steak.  The restaurant has these handy handouts:

Finally, I'll leave you with a couple of pictures of where we are in Fuxin.  I forgot to take pictures of downtown to show a contrast between the two:

Tune in to the same Bat channel, at the same Bat time, for more action and adventure!

Freezing in Fuxin.

Thought it might be nice to bring some life to the photos I've posted so far, by showing a few videos.  But first things first, I'm sitting here on my second night in Fuxin, feeling a little more settled in.  My first night was a bit brutal.  After a seven hour drive, we arrived in Fuxin in the early evening.  There was little time to look around, so we went straight to the dorms where we will be living for the next two months.  Things were clean and we had full amenities, but the heater in my room was broken (or chose not to work).  With the temperature being well below zero, this made my first night a bit cold.

I slept, huddled against the most feeble radiator ever, dressed in several layers of clothes, two pairs of long-johns, gloves, a hooded top, and hat.  Needless to say, I was still cold.  Our host took us to a supermarket today, where I bought an electric blanket and a space heater; only to find our host had had my heating unit fixed when I got back, oh well, I'm going to be toasty tonight.

We also managed to annoy a local on our fist day.  Whilst having lunch at the mall, amongst the stares, we had a old lady bring several plates of food to our table.  This was despite the fact we were eating our own food.  No amount of "no thanks" deterred her from bring more plates of food.  We were unable to figure out if she was being incredibly kind, offering food to guests in her country, or demanding our table.  She left the food, and on our departure, become increasing upset at us.  I can only assume she was annoyed at us snubbing her gesture.  But, as bewildered foreigners, we were too confused, and a little weary to eat food offered to us by a stranger.  Oh well, we did offer plenty of "apologies and thanks" before we made our getaway.  One day down, only another 80 days or so left to offend the whole of Fuxin.

Now for those videos:

Here is a video of a man we saw at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.  Apparently, the vast open spaces of these tourist attractions are used by locals as basically, public parks.  Thus, you find lots of people doing common recreational activities, but more importantly, you found lots of people doing nutty and bizarre things!

The contrast of this smoking bad-ass, twirling around on roller skates for example:

 Here is a good panoramic view of Tiananman Square:

And finally, some rather beautiful public singing, also at the Temple of Heaven:

Until next time.

Tonight we dine in . . . Donghuamen Night Market!

I suppose I've been a little too wordy on previous posts.  So, for this one I'll let the pictures do the talking.  On our last night in Beijing we took a trip to Donghuamen Night Market, the following madness was on display:

Bon Appetit!

Negotiating the Negotiation.

There are many things I could talk about in regards to Beijing, but one thing stands out in particular.  Social rules here seem to exist within a fluid world.  Imagine social mores as a tectonic plate, solid, yet susceptible to the shifting, liquid world below them.  Social encounters are loosely formed within expectations of social norms, but they are far from limited to these narrow boundaries.  There are variable paths that every interaction may or may not pass down.  Situations change shape, change direction, and outcomes change right in front of your eyes.  Roads may be designed for cars for example, but here in Beijing that doesn't mean you can't take your dog for a walk down the highway.  Being stopped for a traffic violation doesn't have the predetermined outcome here in China that is expected in the west.  It becomes a dialogue, a chance to prove your case.  There exists a stretchable circumference that gives and takes.

Unrelated tourist photo:

Traffic is a great example of this.  Under these fluid rules, traffic in Beijing is akin to a dance.  There is no right of way--simply way.  Cars buffer one another, squeezing past, changing lanes, making new roads and taking new directions.  A rush hour highway is not an ordered series of lanes with cars flowing down them like blood in our veins; it is a river of separate currents, all heading in the same direction, but not limited to any one path.  The white lane markers are merely a mutually agreed upon starting point, and in no way limited one's set course.  At first, like most things in China so far, riding in traffic can be intimidating, chaotic, but over time it becomes natural, comforting, and feels more flexible.

Obligatory photo op:

So far I prefer this form of social negotiation.  It gives every situation a new quality.  Everyday encounters are no longer limited to a singular path, no longer guided by their preordained outcome.  Visiting a restaurant is no longer a run-of-the-mill scenario.  Maybe you can bargain a better price.  Like the seat by the window?  It could be yours if you offer the right argument.  In essence, the situations life throws at you resemble negotiations rather than set social norms or expectations.  They hold many shifting outcomes, just like the writhing legs of an Octopus, each one is available to you, all depending on how well you negotiate the encounter.  They shift and squirm, cross-over one another, and never remain constant.  To me, life seems much more exciting this way.

After that rather dry observation, I offer you semi-naked, painted Chinese women, from a restaurant we visited.  Enjoy!

Fear and Loathing in Beijing.

Checklist for first 24 hours in Beijing:
1.Arrive in China at some ungodly hour.
2.Endure the white-knuckle ride that is driving in China
3.Become a celebrity.
4.See some of the world's most amazing sights.
5.Fend off souvenir sellers using my basic Chinese.
6.Stay awake for 24+ hours and get drunk on rice wine.

Well, what can I say about Beijing?  It has been a whirlwind of culture shocks, fantastic food, friendly locals, and surreal moments..  We arrived at 5:30 am, a fact that only increased the bizarreness of our first day.  After meeting our host, we were dropped into the most chaotic, dangerous, and insane experience--driving in Beijing.  From what I gathered, besides fear, the first rule of driving in Beijing is: there are no rules!

After miraculously making it to our hotel, we checked in, ate a quick breakfast, and then tried to rest for a couple of hours.  Sadly, sleep never came, and we ventured out into Beijing strung out and wide-eyed.  The views of Beijing around Tiananmen Square are simply breathtaking.

It was on the streets of Beijing where I found my celebrity status.  Apparently, being a westerner with a beard, in Beijing, is a novelty.  Double the amount of beard, and double the amount of westerner, and the novelty factor goes into overload.  Here is one of many moments where we were stopped and asked if someone could take their picture with us.  My fans were always polite and friendly, and to be honest, I was more than happy to play-up my new found celebrity:

The rest of the day was spent seeing sight after sight.  Each followed by an onslaught of souvenir sellers.  Tip of the day: if you ever come to Beijing remember the following: búyào xiè xiè is your friend.

Finally, after 24+ hours, my bed was in sight, but not until our host had taken us for one last meal, accompanied by a little night cap of rice wine.  Well, one nightcap led to another, but several toasts later, I managed to stumble home and into a jet-lag, rice wine induced coma, and oh, what a glorious coma it was.

 There's is so much more I could say about my first experiences in China and Beijing.  Like how the Chinese are the friendliest people I've ever met, or how Beijing seems to be smothered in a perpetual smog, but these can wait for another day.

For now, I'll leave you with the knowledge and peace of mind that my toilet has been completely sterilized!

Fly Me to the Moon.

In about 72 hours I'll be sitting on a plane on its way to Beijing.  I've always loved to fly.  And by flying, I mean the whole thing.  Arriving at the airport, checking your bags, finding your gate, the large chunks of time spent waiting, simply all of it, every exhilarating minute.  But it's the actual flight that I really look forward to.  The vibration of the plane as it rolls down the tarmac, the invisible force that pulls me back into my seat as those giant engines propel me into the atmosphere.

I feel a bizarre sense of serenity as I glide around the curvature of the earth, like a bird moving over the surface of a lake.  I think it's the sense of being detached from the earth.  Of existing within its orbit, but separate, removed somehow.  With it comes a lack of responsibility.  I no longer share a common goal or a mutual dream with any of the teeming millions below me.  My life is on hold.  My arrival is not certain; I can only assume the continuation of my life will happen at this journey's end.  But, it is that small awareness of not really knowing, which allows me to disconnect from that blue planet below me.

I exist, but on my own terms.  I stretch out across the vast horizon.  Part of me is warmed by the rising sun, another, frigid from the thin blackness that surrounds the earth.  The longing to be on solid ground stirs in me.  I remember my loved ones, the purpose of my trip, the work ahead of me-- my responsibilities creeping back.  But I push them aside, even if it is only for a matter of hours.  I want to remain weightless, circling the globe, my momentum spinning the earth, instead of the other way round.