Day 1
Stepped off the plane into a mess of people, scrambing out of the gate only to be envelopped by the stifflingly humid Beijing weather. After having nothing to declare, and claiming that I was free of any signs of the Avian flu ("check box: do you have Avian flu? Be honest"), I exchanged my money and was greeted by the driver from the hostel I'm staying at.
We walked toward the parking structure, across 5 traffic lanes -- none of the cars stopped for us, nor did anyone walking seem to have any intention of stopping for traffic. I soon learned that this was not post-flight haze or disillusionment. We entered the expressway where Paul, the driver, cut people off with only inches to spare. I like that the lanes here are merely suggestions of the speed you should drive, i.e. "between 100-120 km/h", "between 60-80 km/hr".
Once we entered the city proper, Paul switched into kamikaze mode, swerving across the (suggested) double yellow line and into opposing traffic in order to pass other cars. He also ran red lights, cut across lanes to make immediate turns - Within 20 minutes, he broke every traffic law I'd been aware of (in the U.S., at least). Very impressive. And very fun!!
At the hostel, I paid upfront for my week-long stay in Beijing. The hostel is situated on an unpaved street (although I should clarify: its an old road being widened for traffic) and I'm told that the hutongs (alleyways) where I'm staying are an endangered attraction here in Beijing with the upcoming Olympics in 2008 and the city's rush to 'build-up'. There are apartments that rival L.A. skyscrappers here, to give you a clearer idea.
Settled in, I decided to find a market for shower sandals, soap shampoo and snacks. Walking through the hutongs, I was warned that it would be very easy to get lost. At the market, slabs of meat were draped with yellowed cheesecloths, yet the smell of fetid meat flesh did not permeate shop. I also saw shrimps being sold on the street from a styrofoam bin; some of which were dropped then placed back into the box for sale. I bought everything I needed for 24RMB, about .. US$3.50. I also found my way into a small cafe where I noticed there were pictures of food items :) I chose an rice roll with a powdery brown substance inside. I'm not sure what I ate, it was slightly sweet and somewhat salty, the rice was sticky and the grains were large; if there is such a thing as sushi-style arborio, that was it.
Oh and I also saw acrobats last night for 80RMB at the local theatre! With children that looked to be about 5 years old, it was difficult to watch .. seemed as if I was paying into an industry of child exploitation. Of course, it was entertaining and awe-inspiring (with numerous backbends and handstands held for minutes at a time. I was very jealous)
Find photos of my journey @ http://charmo.shutterfly.com
We walked toward the parking structure, across 5 traffic lanes -- none of the cars stopped for us, nor did anyone walking seem to have any intention of stopping for traffic. I soon learned that this was not post-flight haze or disillusionment. We entered the expressway where Paul, the driver, cut people off with only inches to spare. I like that the lanes here are merely suggestions of the speed you should drive, i.e. "between 100-120 km/h", "between 60-80 km/hr".
Once we entered the city proper, Paul switched into kamikaze mode, swerving across the (suggested) double yellow line and into opposing traffic in order to pass other cars. He also ran red lights, cut across lanes to make immediate turns - Within 20 minutes, he broke every traffic law I'd been aware of (in the U.S., at least). Very impressive. And very fun!!
At the hostel, I paid upfront for my week-long stay in Beijing. The hostel is situated on an unpaved street (although I should clarify: its an old road being widened for traffic) and I'm told that the hutongs (alleyways) where I'm staying are an endangered attraction here in Beijing with the upcoming Olympics in 2008 and the city's rush to 'build-up'. There are apartments that rival L.A. skyscrappers here, to give you a clearer idea.
Settled in, I decided to find a market for shower sandals, soap shampoo and snacks. Walking through the hutongs, I was warned that it would be very easy to get lost. At the market, slabs of meat were draped with yellowed cheesecloths, yet the smell of fetid meat flesh did not permeate shop. I also saw shrimps being sold on the street from a styrofoam bin; some of which were dropped then placed back into the box for sale. I bought everything I needed for 24RMB, about .. US$3.50. I also found my way into a small cafe where I noticed there were pictures of food items :) I chose an rice roll with a powdery brown substance inside. I'm not sure what I ate, it was slightly sweet and somewhat salty, the rice was sticky and the grains were large; if there is such a thing as sushi-style arborio, that was it.
Oh and I also saw acrobats last night for 80RMB at the local theatre! With children that looked to be about 5 years old, it was difficult to watch .. seemed as if I was paying into an industry of child exploitation. Of course, it was entertaining and awe-inspiring (with numerous backbends and handstands held for minutes at a time. I was very jealous)
Find photos of my journey @ http://charmo.shutterfly.com
posted by charm at 4:00 PM
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