Exploring Beijing

The END

2008-01-28T16:41:00.000+08:00

This is my last blog.

On Friday February 1, I’m flying back to Cincinnati, back home. I’ve posted close to 70 articles on this blog over the last 6 months with the purpose of sharing some of my experiences with friends and family. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing about my adventures.

I’ve got to know some great people, tried a few new things, traveled a bit across China, learned a lot (also about myself) and feel re-energized. My stay in Beijing felt like a sabbatical as I had plenty of time to think, to reflect, to study, to observe and to write.

I want to thank all of you for staying in touch with me, for posting your comments, for visiting me, calling me and sending me plenty of emails. I certainly want to express my gratitude to my supervisors at work for giving me the opportunity to take this assignment. My largest debt of gratitude is to my wife Greet and sons Andreas and Simon. I owe a great deal to my family for enduring my absence. You guys rock!

I once read that:”The true worth of your travels lies not in where you come to be at the journeys end, but in who you come to be along the way.” For sure, the whole experience has influenced me in several ways but only time will tell what will be long-lasting. For now I’ll keep going with the flow and cherish the many happy moments I encountered in Beijing and during my travels in China.

THANKS.
Paul

Farewell to my bike

2008-01-27T17:20:00.000+08:00

Today I drove my bike for the last time. I took it to a Starbucks and left it there unlocked. I hope that one needed person in Beijing will pick it up and keep the wheels spinning. Only 5 more days left in Beijing and today seemed like the right day to depart from my iron horse. It has served me well.

Happy Chinese New Year

2008-01-27T09:40:00.000+08:00

Feb 7, 2008 is the start of the new year in China and the start of the Year of the Rat. Chinese New Year is without a doubt the biggest holiday in China and a major one in East Asia. Hundreds of millions of people are traveling within China as they are visiting their family. They travel by train, bus, car, plane, boat, etc... you can imagine the chaos when such a large mass of people is on the move. In my travels last week I could already sense a larger crowd in the airports. Not for the faint of heart. Many companies and factories close for one to two weeks and doing business as normal is practically impossible. With the celebrations also comes a whole array of decorations. Every respectable store, restaurant, hotel, company lobby, etc,.. is covered with red decorations. I took a picture of a store selling these decorations in an attempt to capture the magic that surrounds the holiday.

CCTV

2008-01-26T14:38:00.000+08:00

One of the most striking buildings in Beijing is the new headquarters of the China Central Television. It is also one of those buildings I have tracked and watched as it evolved over the last 6 months. Its Esher-like construction is truly fascinating, just like so many things in Beijing.

Ice fun

2008-01-20T16:09:00.000+08:00

Today I took a long walk through several of Beijing’s parks. With the recent temperature drops, the parks are opening up for ice skating. Some lakes in Beijing have stagnant water and with the windy conditions the ice is getting over 15 cm thick, safe for people to walk on the ice. Bei Hai Park was a summer playground and imperial garden for many emperors for more than 1000 years. It is located next to the Forbidden City and opened in 1925 to the public. In Bei Hai Park ice skating is not allowed but you can still hit the ice on a bingche, a chair mounted on ice-skates. The coolest thing I saw however were these ice bikes. From Bei Hai I walked to the adjacent Hou Hai park were ice skating was allowed and the lake was crowed with people having fun. Take a look at the attached pictures. One guy was clearing a stretch of ice for what might have been a swim. However, I got cold waiting for him to take a dip and decided to move on and get myself a cup of hot tea. Stay warm.

Snow in Beijing

2008-01-19T12:29:00.000+08:00

This week I experienced my first snow day in Beijing. The snowfall was very light but still enough to blanket the city and to create some havoc on the roads. It was actually pretty to see the face of Beijing changing, especially from behind a window. It is still freezing cold outside. The max temp during the day is only -3 degrees Celsius. I admire those many cyclists trying to stay upright despite the slippery roads. It was hard for me to walk without slipping; I can only imagine how they struggle on their bikes. Snow fall is rare in Beijing as the air is very dry and there is rarely enough moisture in the air to have any form of precipitation. When it happens it creates a little bit of magic. A grey and dusty city turns beautifully white. I also loved watching the shop keepers and store owners broom their walkways. I’m used to see people shovel snow not broom it. Everywhere people were out there with these witch-brooms, it reminded me of Harry Potter. I should have taken a picture. Maybe more snow will fall in the coming weeks and I get a second opportunity. It will have to happen soon as I have only two weeks left and I'm traveling all of next week to Hangzhou-Huangshan-Jiangyin-Shanghai.

The facelift of Beijing

2008-01-14T08:20:00.000+08:00

The speed of change keeps amazing me. It seems that over the last couple weeks, there is a remarkable acceleration in construction, remodeling, etc all over the city. The city is for sure gearing up for the Olympics and will do whatever it takes to present itself as a worldclass metropolis to the rest of the world. During the weekend, when I was taking a stroll through my neighborhood, I discovered that several small and old buildings have been demolished and are making room for new high rises. Also several DVD stores have been closed which can be seen as a sign that the government is serious about piracy. Sadly, also my favorite bakery is closed for remodeling. My district, the Chaoyang district, is home of the Olympic Green and it has plans to paint 523 buildings along the major roads that will lead to the Olympic venues. The area to be painted is roughly the size of 38,000 soccer fields. The housing complex across my office already had its new layer of paint in November. Painters seem to have a dangerous job, I took several pictures of these guys rappelling down a rope.

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year

2007-12-20T07:53:00.000+08:00

I’m traveling home (= Cincinnati) tomorrow for the holidays and will return to Beijing on January 5th 2008. So my blog will go quiet for the next few weeks. To all my readers, I wish you the best of luck for 2008. I want to thank all of you for your encouraging and supportive messages. I have experienced some truly unique travel moments over the last 5 months but it is the friendships and the connections that I’m creating also through this blog and e-mails that I will cherish the most. I wish you all a prosperous, healthy and peaceful 2008. I’m attaching some pictures of an early Xmas celebration I was able to join in the Sichuan province last week. Looking forward to keep the blog alive next year.

Having a little bit of fun

2007-12-16T11:54:00.000+08:00

fearsome warrior ?

Don't be fooled... toasting is a serious thing... it's all about showing respect ...a dinner or lunch can easily be interrupted a dozen times for a toast...as you see you even toast to the waitresses

I've asked if they had handcuffs... but they didn't

We all know that business travels can be stressful (delayed flights, long hours in the factories, lack of sleep, late dinners, etc), so whenever there is a chance to joke around, I’m game. I’ve found it also a perfect ice breaker and an excellent way to get to know the people. In the spirit of “going with the flow”, I’ve done my fair share of karaoke, toasting, costume dressing, playing arrested, etc… Enjoy some pictures.

What's on the menu?

2007-12-15T12:59:00.000+08:00

Pig Tongue

Snake

There is no such thing as Chinese food. With a country as vast as China and with over a billion people, there are so many food varieties as you can imagine. There is however one truth: everything can be eaten. Over the last week, I’ve added to my check list of new-foods-eaten: snake, fried scorpions and pig tongue. Snake was not too bad, it tasted like eel. Fried scorpions were like eating unpeeled shrimp. The pig tongue? My Chinese host said it would help me speak better Chinese. I had to swallow it with a good dose of green tea. You get the picture.

Fengdu: ghost town

2007-12-15T12:50:00.000+08:00

While traveling in the Sichuan province, I was invited to go and visit the ghost town of Fengdu. On the bank of the Yangtze River and on the Minshan Mountain, you will find series of temples that were build in the Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD). The place is a representation of Chinese hell mythology. It depicts through statues, paintings and gates, the journey the dead need to take. Incorporating ideas from Taoism and Buddhism as well as traditional Chinese folk religion, Fengdu is a kind of purgatory place. Here you will be judged for your earthly (mis)deeds. At each gate or temple, you’ll have to reflect on what you have done and either a reward or punishment is waiting the dead. The Chinese folk version of the final judgment! Being on this spiritual mountain, I did follow the local customs and made some prayers and offerings according to some Taoism and Buddhist traditions.

under the weather

2007-12-09T12:06:00.000+08:00

I was planning to keep it easy this weekend and stay in my apartment for most of the weekend. I wanted to catch up on some reading, writing, laundry, etc. I spend so little time at “home” that I sometimes feel like a stranger in my own place. Unfortunately, I had no choice as flu-like symptoms are getting the best of me. Somehow my body is telling me to take it easy and slow down. So I’m breaking new sleeping records as I slept most of Saturday. I didn’t know one could sleep so many hours. I’m drinking plenty of fluids (green tea), stuff myself with vitamin C so that by Monday morning, I’m hoping to feel much better. So far no fever yet. I do have a full week of traveling coming up with trips to Guangzhou, Shanghai and Chongqing next week. The weather in Beijing is getting colder and greyer. The winter here seems to be a little different than in North America or Europe. In addition to frigid temperatures, the air is dry and dusty. The coldest month in Beijing is January with average of minus 6-7 degrees Celsius or about 20 degrees Fahrenheit. People and especially cyclists are layering up to stay warm. In the gym I started to notice that most Chinese men are starting to wear long underwear, no luxury if the freezing wind is blowing in your face. I hibernated my bike in late October and solely rely on taxis (or walking) for transportation. When I’m not traveling across the country, I’m still going to the spinning classes 3-4 times a week. I can call myself a regular now and started to get to know a few people. There is Ned, a chubby student from New Jersey that is here to learn Chinese and lately shows up a few times a week ; there is Chil, a designer working for Lenovo from New Zealand but with Chinese parents and a few Korean girls from California here to learn Chinese as well. Most of the times, I’m still the only white guy in the room and by far the oldest. Although with grey hair and 40 years of age, I can still kick it and teach those young students a few things. Chris will know what I’m talking about. Last week, I approached one of the teachers and asked him to e-mail me one of the songs I got to like but I’m not sure if he understood what I wanted. Although I asked Ned to translate, even Ned was not sure if his Chinese was adequate to convey the request. It was a slow song in a Tibetan-like language, perfect to wind down at the end of the class. I gave him my business card but I’m still waiting to receive that e-mail. I might have to try again. Right now, I'm going to sleep a little more. To be continued.

To eat or not to eat

2007-12-04T10:30:00.000+08:00

With Nele being a food engineer, we certainly were not going to miss checking out some colorful food stalls. Yes, you are seeing it correctly. Those are scorpions, centipedes, cockroaches, silkworms, etc…ready to be grilled on a stick, on the spot, on the go. We politely declined to taste those. I know, I know, I have been going with the flow the last 4 months and done amazing things but I do have my limits. The visual experience was enough this time. LOL

Discovering Beijing along side my little sis

2007-12-04T10:11:00.000+08:00

Did I tell you already that I’m having a great time in Beijing? You probably figured that one out already by just reading my blog. However, everything you've read pales against the great time I had with my sister Nele this weekend in Beijing. You see, my little sis works for a food company and needed to audit some food factories nearby Beijing. Yes, Beijing of all places. I'm a lucky man, I know. Needless to say that I was thrilled to learn that she would spend a weekend with me. So we toured the classics such as the Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, etc… but it was also totally awesome to just sit down and cherish a drink with little sis in a local Thai restaurant. Actually, little sis, is not really little. At 1.82 m and with blond hair, I had no issues spotting her in the crowd. Being tall myself (1.90 m), we were both literately sticking out the crowds. Imagine the view of the two of us together, so funny. However, with the winter approaching fast, the crowds of local and international tourists are thinning fast. It is also getting cold already in Beijing with temperatures below freezing at night. Sometimes felt we had the place (such as the Great Wall) for ourselves. I've been to the Wall serveral times now but it is never getting old. Each time, was during a different season, with different people, making each trip unique. We also had an incredible blue sky on Sunday, so we took picture after picture. Enjoy some below. I will cherish these moments forever.

Tibetan Night

2007-11-19T13:18:00.000+08:00

When we arrived at our hotel is Wolong, we were greeted by two ladies dressed in a traditional Tibetan-looking costume. We all got a silk scarf and a little glass with liquor for a toast. That evening we also participated in roasting a whole sheep, made a fool of ourselves during karaoke, learned a few Tibetan folk dances, and tasted some more local strong drinks. Not a bad way to relax during the weekend.

Road to Wolong

2007-11-19T09:05:00.000+08:00

After three months of cities, factories and airports, it was a dramatic change of scenery when we headed into the mountains towards Wolong to see the pandas. The air is fresh, the water is clean. China has beautiful national parks in the Sichuan province and worth a trip. The roads are still under construction and after a rainy day, quite muddy and slippery so it becomes a little bit of an adventure but at the end it was all worth it.

China Road

2007-11-19T08:56:00.000+08:00

Last week, I went back to The Bookworm for another book talk. This time I listened to a lecture by Rob Gifford who wrote China Road, a book based upon his radio series for NPR that took him on a 4800 km hitchhiking trip across the country. He started in Shanghai and went all the way to China’s border with Kazakhstan. Along the way he interviewed and documented his encounters with Chinese farmers, Taoist monks, Uigyhr separatists, etc,… Rob mentioned that writing the book was not too difficult because there is so much happening in China that Woody Allen’s saying; “showing up is 80% of the work” rang true. I feel the same about my blog sometimes: no shortage of ideas to write about and even if I leave out any stories about all my adventures in the office. Rob started his trip as an optimist but claimed to have returned as a pessimist because of the fact that in rural China you are getting confronted with the 800 million people who still live in poverty, with the rampant corruption, with the huge environmental problems, with the widening gap between the poor and wealthy, etc,.. Did you know that there are more millionaires in China than in the US? However, he also acknowledges that over the last few decades the government had lifted 400 million people out of poverty and into the middle class. When asked to compare China with India, he agreed that he still would rather be farmer in China than in India. We all know that China is facing some huge challenges but I tend to believe that China will pull this off. The people (total Chinese population is more than 1.2 billion) are very optimistic, very entrepreneurial, very motivated, very hungry for knowledge, very driven to pursue a better life, very hard working, etc… many things I wished to see more at home in the US or Europe. We could learn from them as much as they are learning from us, but we better do it fast.

How to hug a panda?

2007-11-17T17:44:00.000+08:00

From the city of Chengdu, a three hour bumpy car ride into the Qionglai Mountains (Sichuan Province) will bring you to the Wolong natural reserve. In collaboration with the WWF, Wolong houses the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda. The Center has over 100 pandas (= more than 70% of the world’s captive ones) and is the world largest semi-wild breeding farm. Less than 2000 pandas are believed to be living in the wild. This time of the year, the park is almost deserted and as such the local workers and volunteers have plenty of time for you. I had the incredible and once in-a life-time opportunity to go behind the scenes and touch, hug, wrestle, almost kiss the pandas. You have to see the pictures to believe it. At one time, a panda hugged me from behind (meaning he wrapped his right arm around me and his left paw on my left shoulder), I didn’t see him or her coming and I needed the help of a keeper to get free. The panda just wanted to play but I wasn’t so sure. The panda are so huggable but at the end they are still bears. Surprisingly their fur is not as soft as I expected but boy do they look cute. I’m a little in shock and still cannot believe it myself that I actually hugged a panda. This is by far the highlight of all my adventures in China. I took over 250 pictures, just couldn’t stop taking them but then the feeling of touching a panda cannot be captured in a picture or words. I wished many of you were there with me to experience it, especially my son Andreas who has a life long obsession with pandas.

a day in the park (ctd)

2007-11-11T13:45:00.001+08:00

This couple was dancing so elegantly, so romantic. I hesitated to take pictures as I didn't want to be intrusive but then they had only eyes for each other.

These men could play, lot's of instruments I had never seen before.

Later in the afternoon, I walked upon the sax player. My feet were hurting form the walking, so I decided to sit on a bench and he started playing the most beautiful tunes I had ever heard. This one is for my son Andreas who also plays the sax now.

A day in the park

2007-11-11T13:35:00.000+08:00

reading the newspaper in the park

card games: one group after another

the game of Mahjong

group singing and top class

To get to know the Chinese people, there is no better way than to take a walk in a public park on a sunny weekend. Parks are the place where the locals gather to relax and socialize and where you will see:

Kites: a major hobby for all ages and made of beautiful designs such as dragons, lions, fishes, eagles, Buddha’s…
Board games such as mahjong (like gin rummy) and card games
Ballroom street dancing: somebody brings along a boom box and people start to dance the waltz, the foxtrot, the polka,…mostly older people are dancing but the group forms spontaneously and can be easily in the hundreds.
Singing: again somebody start to play an instrument and signs and before you know hundreds are singing along and easily you can find a similar group a few hundred feet away doing the same.
If you walk to the outskirts of the park, you will find smaller groups playing music or practicing martial arts or Tai chi.
People are also bringing their caged songbirds to the park and hang them in the trees so the birds sing at the background while the owner has a casual conversation with his buddies.

Just the type of experience you might miss when you are a typical tourist on a whirlwind 2-day tour through the city but which are a such an intrinsic part of Chinese life and it is those memories that I will cherish forever.

Temple of Heaven

2007-11-11T13:31:00.000+08:00

The Temple of Heaven refers to a large park complex that houses several buildings: a large, marble sacrificial altar, the famous three story hall of Prayer, the smaller Imperial Vault of Heaven and several smaller ancillary buildings. It is at the Temple of Heaven that the Emperor (= the Son of Heaven) would make sacrifices, communicate with the gods and pray for a good harvest. Common people were not allowed to enter the Temple during the Ming and Qing dynasties but nowadays it is a major tourist attraction. The park surrounding the buildings is crowded with local Chinese people who come to relax, to play cards, to play music, to dance, to sing, to walk, to exercise, …Of the Top 10 places to visit in Beijing (according to one of my tour guides) only two are left on my to-do-list: Bei Hai Park and the Ming Tombs. Although many local friends have told me that the latter is not too impressive. Here is the full list in no particular order: Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Tian’an Men Square, Lama Temple, Bei Hai Park, Hou Hai Park, Summer Palace, 798 Art District, Ming Tombs, Great Wall of China

For sure, at the end of my stay in Beijing, I’ll have my own personal top 10 ready.

Turning on the heat

2007-11-04T14:10:00.000+08:00

The weather is quickly turning cold here in Beijing. Last week we had several mornings with temperatures below freezing point. I’m one of the lucky ones as my apartment complex turned on the heat on November 1. For the rest of Beijing, heating officially starts on November 15. Some of my colleagues are toughening it out at home for another two weeks. For many of us, it would be hard to imagine that you cannot simply turn on the heat at your home. It makes me appreciate the little things even more. The government supplies the heat to most of the residential areas and if the temperature of your room is below 16 degrees, you can call the Beijing Heating Group to complain. In Beijing most of the heating is coal-fired but the city is trying to double the use of natural gas by 2010 in a switch to a more eco-friendly energy system. The cold weather also puts people indoors for exercising. The gym I’m frequenting for spinning class is then also packed with people. However, I can still see people practicing their tai chi in the public parks or in front of their appartment complex. Some groups are very large, over 100 people, lead by a master. Tai chi is a form a slow motion martial arts. It aims at promoting health and longevity while focusing on the internal power. To me it seems to be a combination of yoga meditation and stretching exercises. One day I’ll give it a try as it is also being taught in my gym, just to experience it. Occasionally I see a man in a park walk backwards but even in a gym on a treadmill I have seen it done. I stopped wondering why people do it that way. They move as they see fit and I discovered another reason why this city and its culture are so fascinating.

Half way: trick or treat?

2007-11-01T18:16:00.000+08:00

Today marks the mid point of my stay in Beijing. My assignment is supposed to last 6 months and the first three months have passed so fast that it is hard to believe. Beijing and China is undergoing such a rapid transformation that everything seems to moves a little faster here, even time. There is an eclectic energy in the air that is very addictive: a country full of movers and shakers, full of opportunities and challenges, full of surprises, full of great people eager to learn and to explore, full of contrasts, full of opposites, full of dreamers, full of hopes… you get the picture. I had the opportunity to travel a little and see some amazing places but at the end the most memorable experiences will be the ones where I connected (successfully or otherwise) with the local people. I took as much pictures as I could but still the experiences are best shared in stories. So expect some more stories to be posted on this blog for the remaining three months. My treat.

Shi Cha Hai park

2007-10-30T09:11:00.001+08:00

Sunday afternoon, I took a stroll through one of Beijing's parks that has not been discovered yet by too many tourists. It certainly did remind me of my hometown Bruges: stone bridges, weeping willow trees, ponds with ducks, etc... It had rained the night before and there was a strong (chilly) wind creating one of those rare days of clean air. A perfect day to walk and observe and to take pictures. I dipped my hand in the water and it was freezing cold. There is a reason the guy in the picture reading a book was warmly dressed, but that didn't scare a dozen people to take a dip into the lake. I could only think about a hot chocolate drink when I watched a few cross the lake.

Tandem

2007-10-30T08:43:00.001+08:00

This one is for Linda and Chris ! Single speed but you have to love the back support and colors.

A weekend in Beijing with Mike: priceless!

2007-10-29T14:37:00.000+08:00

This weekend I had the pleasure to host Mike (my boss) in Beijing and a blast we had. Mike is not only the biggest “Gator” fan I know but also a man who approaches life with abundant energy and joy. Just the right type of guy you want to have as a travel buddy. For those non-Americans reading the blog, the Gators is the nickname for the University of Florida Football and Basketball teams. During Mike’s short visit, we did of course the top three tourist attractions: 1) hiking the Great Wall, 2) strolling the Tian’an Men Square and the Forbidden City, 3) bargain shopping in the Silk Market.
At the Wall, Mike wanted to take a few pictures for the local Cincinnati Gator website as the fan club collects pictures from all over the world. So he came dressed in the blue-orange uniform: Gator’s sweater and Gator’s cap. Believe it or not but of the handful Americans we met at the Wall, wasn’t there another Gator? Is there truly a Gator nation as Mike tried to explain me? Take a look at the picture with Mike and the Gator girl: what better proof!
However the most fun at the Great Wall was observing Mike haggling the price down for the “Red Book of Chairman Mao”. Comrade Mike is now fully engaged in the struggle of the working class. Watching Mike, I was laughing so hard my cheeks were hurting. He is a master negotiator and the practice he had in the Bazaars of Istanbul was showing. Looking back the shopping experience we had at the Great Wall came in handy the next day. On Sunday morning we stormed the Silk Market in Beijing for some last minute shopping before Mike took a flight back home. Wow, talking about a haggling game. The vendors (mostly girls) are literally grabbing you and dragging you in their stores. On principle, we tried to get away with a price that was 10 percent the original asking price but we had to endure a slur of insults (I hate you, you are making me cry, you are not nice, I don’t like you,…) and even bloody scratches. One of the girls was hitting us and screaming for a better price (I remember you, why don’t you remember me?). We played along and our performance was pure Commedia Dell’Arte. Mike is first generation Italian- American, you can imagine the drama. Shopping at the Silk Market is pure entertainment and pure survival. After 90 minutes of chaos, we were more than ready to conclude the day with an espresso and cappuccino. Priceless.

Terracotta Army and Qin's Mausoleum

2007-10-21T18:30:00.000+08:00

stairs to the top of the mausoleum

Work brought me to Xi’an, capital of the Shaanxi province for the next coming days. An hour drive outside the city is the UNESCO world heritage site of the Terracotta Army and the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. Words cannot describe the once in a lifetime experience, so I’m not even going to try. Enjoy some pictures. Personally I enjoyed the mausoleum more as it was less crowded and also offered some more mystique. They still have not opened the tomb of the emperor, buried inside the hill. Walking up the hill and releasing that an incredible treasure is buried under your feet is just surreal. There was also a little theater group doing some martial arts dances at the entrance of the mausoleum which made it all more memorable.

Hermits and Zen Masters

2007-10-21T18:05:00.000+08:00

Last Tuesday (Oct 16), I attended a lecturer by the anthropologist Bill Porter in the bookstore, called The Bookworm. Bill took the audience (150 people) through a slide show about Taoist and Buddhist monks and nuns living in huts and caves deep in the mountains of central China. Bill is an American who lived in a Taiwanese monastery for three years in the 1970’s where he got introduced to the Zen Teachings. In the 1980’s when China opened up to traveling, Bill began to search for hermits who might have survived under years of communism and interviewed more than 20 male and female hermits. His presentation was loaded with humor and along the way I learned a few things about this amazing hermit tradition. The most fun was the Q&A session, where Bill clarified a few fantasies that we might have about these monks and nuns: they don’t seem to have found the “Answer”, some use special herbs (read drugs) to clear their mind, they do seek company, etc. The biggest insight came from the fact that their simple live allows them to totally clear up and free their minds and with that can come a crystal clear focus. They seem to have found the pleasure of simplicity but nothing more or less. I’m trying to see if I could get Bill to give the same lecturer in our office. His message: “keep it simple” is worth sharing.

St. Joseph's church

2007-10-15T07:54:00.000+08:00

While looking for the Foreign Language Bookstore on Wangfujing, the major shopping street in Beijing, I stumbled upon a charming catholic church. Needless to say, I was very surprised to see a church in the vicinity of the Tian’an Men Square and the Forbidden City. The church is only a short walk away from the “heart” of the communist government. The church offers an almost surreal contrast with the hyper commerce that is happening on Wangfujing, aka the Champs Elysees of Beijing. I had just taken a picture of this cool Nike ad mural on my left, while on my right appeared the triple-domed St.Joseph’s Church. Talking about the combination of the old and new in one spot. The church was built in 1655 and rebuilt a few times after being destroyed by earthquakes, fire and during the Boxer Rebellion. It serves mass in the early morning hours, all in Chinese but one service on Sunday morning at 6.30 am is in Latin. The church was closed but I’ll put attending a Latin mass on my-to-experience-list. To be continued.

A little taste of nightlife in Beijing

2007-10-14T09:37:00.000+08:00

On Friday evening and after a late dinner with a group from the office, I ended up in a local bar called The Tree. The place is quite popular because of its large list of imported Belgian Beers, including Hoegaarden and De Konick on tap. And they are served in their proper glasses! They also have a wood-fired oven in the middle of the pub and their thin-crust pizza is voted the Best Pizza in town. They also claim to have an authentic Belgian bar décor but that seems a stretch to me. The Tree is located on the famous Sanlitun street (cfr Bourbon Street in New Orleans): a major attraction for tourists, expats and locals. The whole neighborhood is very crowded at night so people flow out of the bars and onto the streets which created a drinking scene that reminded me of the time I was a student but this time I felt awkwardly out of place: the music was too loud, too much cigarette smoke in the bars, too young audience. I’m feeling the generation gap but at least I can say that I had my beer in The Tree and can move on to the next experience which came less than 24 hours later.
On Sunday morning, I woke up at 2 am and took a taxi to the sports bar the Pavilion to watch the Rugby semi-finals between France and England. The game started at 3 am and I wanted to see the game live and apparently I was not the only one. The place was packed with close to a 1000 fans from both countries with a bit more Frenchies than Brits. I counted at least 5 mega screens and two were placed outside in the garden. Being that early in the morning (or late at night) I was surprised to see quite a few kids (age 12-16) being there with their parents but then again these are the semi-finals between two rugby crazy countries. Before the game started both countries played their national anthem and that immediately fired up the place. You don’t have to teach the Brits the words to God Save the Queen, neither the French their La Marseillaise. Always a revelation for a Belgian. As most of my countrymen, I’m clueless about the Belgian national anthem. Anyhow, I met a few of my French colleagues so I went along with them and cheered for the French team who was also regarded the underdog. We were standing next to a group of English fans and that created a great amount of ambience, all in a very jovial atmosphere. The game was very close all the way to the end. England won so my French buddies were disappointed and we ended the night after saying goodbye to the English group next to us. By 5.30 am, for the second time that night, I was in bed again but with another great experience under my belt.

The perfect smile

2007-10-12T08:45:00.000+08:00

The China Daily newspaper reported in today’s edition on how visitors to the Olympics will be guaranteed to receive a perfect smile. Apparently police officers as well as hostesses are receiving training on how to produce the perfect smile. The girls, who are aspiring flight attendances are being taught how to smile from ear to ear by biting down on horizontally-placed chopsticks. They have to do this for up to two hours so that their facial muscles get used to this position. Police officers are watching themselves in the mirror and are told only to show 4 upper and 4 lower front teeth. Showing only eight teeth is supposed to make them appear friendly without looking “goofy”. Stories like that are plentiful here in China and I’m not sure if I should smile or feel sad about it. I do see a lot of happy people here in Beijing, with an explosive economy; there are certainly a lot of opportunities for personal growth. The Arts and Culture scene is also blooming in Beijing. China is moving fast from a Made in China to a Design in China society and no better place to see it all happening than in Beijing. I’m all smiles.

Beijing Weather Modification Office

2007-10-08T08:23:00.000+08:00

Yes, believe it or not, but there is such a government agency as the Beijing Weather Modification Office. Their job is to test the Artificial Rain Dispersal Process. In laymen terms, it is their job to make it rain. They do that by firing rocket shells, containing cigarette-size sticks of silver iodide into the clouds over the city. This helps to alleviate drought and remove dust from the air. The Olympics will rely on this office to induce rainfall before the clouds reach the Olympic venues. They have been testing all year long, so whenever it rains in Beijing, I have to wonder if the office is playing God again.
On my way to the office this morning, I noticed a building that had the following name: "China Tibetology Research Center". Would there be a Belgiumology Center in Beijing?

Worl Cup Rugby and The Bookworm

2007-10-07T12:30:00.000+08:00

It is a gorgeous and sunny day in Beijing but somehow I’m reluctant to leave my apartment.
On one hand the 2007 world cup rugby has me glued to the TV. In case you are not following the latest events, there has been some great drama over the last few days: underdogs such as France and England are beating the big favorites New Zealand and Australia. Both France and England are now to meet in the semi-finals. When I was in Japan last week, taking the train from Kobe to Kyoto, I bumped into an Australian guy who explained me in obsessive detail the rules of the game. Once you understand the basic rules, the game has so much more to offer than the brute force you see as a beginner and I love the upsets we are seeing now. Don't worry, I'm not turning into a rugby fanatic. Yet.
On the other hand, I can also not stop turning the pages of a new book. It was a rainy day yesterday, so I decided to go and visit a bookstore called the Bookworm that is getting some attraction here in Beijing (see picture). From their website I learned that: “The Bookworm was begun in 2004 by Alexandra Pearson, an Englishwoman resident in Beijing for the last 15 years. A small community library at its inception, The Bookworm is now the English language literary hub of all things book-related in China’s capital.” From my perspective, The Bookworm is more a coffee shop/ restaurant than a true book store. I was somewhat expecting a place like B&N or the FNAC, but the Bookworm is a much smaller place and the book I wanted -Road to Heaven by Bill Porter- was out of stock. Still it is the best place in town to find English books and it was crowded with foreigners typing away on their laptops. The store also has literary evenings where writers come and talk about their books and Bill Porter will be there on October 13. I’ve put that on my agenda and more about that in a future blog. So I met the owner Alexandra and asked her to recommend me a book about China that is her favorite and she gave me “the man who stayed behind” by Rittenberg. Here is an review from amazon.com: Rittenberg, the only American citizen to join Mao Zedong's Chinese Communist Party, befriended Zhou Enlai, debated with Mao and was influential in the '60s Cultural Revolution. Born in South Carolina, this former U.S. labor organizer had his faith in Mao's "sacred revolutionary organization" tested by 16 years in Chinese prisons. His first jail term (1949-1955), after he was wrongly accused of spying, only strengthened Rittenberg's resolve to prove himself a loyal communist. Released, he took a job scrutinizing co-workers' dossiers, sending suspected counter-revolutionaries to labor camps. His next 10 years (1968-1977) in solitary confinement broke his faith in communism. Time is up, I need to get back to the book.

National Grand Theater

2007-10-06T12:23:00.000+08:00

A stroll away from the Tian’anmen square and the Forbidden City, you will find the newest landmark of Beijing. Surrounded by an artificial lake, an egg-shaped building made of titanium and glass is housing an opera hall, a concert hall and a theater. To get inside the “tear drop or egg” you have to take an entrance that will have you walk under the lake. It was designed by a French architect Paul Andreu and I found it to be very eye-catching and beautiful. There is some controversy about the building because some people think its style is out of sync with the 500 year old buildings of the Forbidden City. However, just like the glass pyramid in front of the Louvre, there is beauty in combining both the old and the new. Next for me is to get a ticket to attend a performance once they open the theater for the public in December.

Kyoto, Japan

2007-10-01T10:33:00.000+08:00

Traveling in Japan with train and bus is always a little bite of an adventure: you need to make on the fly decisions or you’ll miss your connections. Public transportation is incredibly on time and fast. You get sucked in a stream of people, while trying to find your way to your train or bus platform. Buying the right ticket from a vending machine can be a challenge as well but at the end, it is all worth it.
Although it rained all day during my visit to Kyoto, I still had a blast touring its gorgeous Zen gardens , temples and shrines. If you want to find man-made heavens on earth, I’ll suggest you visit some of the pristine Zen gardens in Kyoto: a mystical and magical experience. The pictures don’t do justice to its unique beauty. You might want to add a visit to Kyoto to your list of 100 things to do before you die. It is/was on my list as #44.

Tian’an Men Decorations

2007-10-01T09:50:00.000+08:00

On Saturday morning, before heading to Japan, I paid a quick visit to the Tian’an Men square to admire the flower displays that were decorating the square for the October 1 celebration. The Tian’an Men square is arguably the biggest square in the world and I’m always perplexed by its gigantic dimensions. Among the flower displays were miniature versions of the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven and even the Acropolis (obvious an Olympic reference). When you stand in the middle of the square, you can sense the power of the communist party: Mao is looking down at you from the entrance of the Forbidden City, party officials are racing by in their black sedans, military gards are posted next to the national flag, old communist buildings are surrounding the square. China is changing fast but it seems that in the center of Beijing, time stands still.

why I love rain

2007-09-28T11:16:00.000+08:00

Yesterday was a great day, actually it was better than great, it was a b-e-a-utiful day in Beijing. It was sunny with a little breeze, temperatures in the mid 70’s F and people were all smiles on the street. There was something special in the air. You could smell it, you could taste it, this was a special day. Why? We had rain the day before! Yes, simple as it sounds, we had rain but that made all the difference. It cleared up the skies and not just a little bit. Take a look at the attached picture taken from my office on the 8th floor and looking down at the Tsinghua University campus. I could finally see the second and thirth mountain ridge in the distance. Never saw them before. Heck, I can rarley see any mountain at all. Actually, it was so special that people who have been in the building for close to a year, had to admit it to me, that is was also their first time that they saw the second and third mountain ridges. And the amazing thing is, those mountains are not that far, maybe 30 min driving the most. When I come back from Japan next week, I’ll post another picture that will show you how the view is on a regular day.
Clear skies and comfortable temperatures: a rare occasion that not only seems to transform the city but also its people. No surprise, I ended up at a coffee shop, sitting outside and watching people smile. I love the smell of fresh air and not having to taste the dust. And that’s how the cookie crumbles.

jetlag

2007-09-26T17:01:00.000+08:00

Folks,

Any remedies to fight the allmighty jetlag? I've tried it all: drinking lot's of water to stay hydrated, taking showers or swimming laps, exercise upon arrival, avoiding alcohol on the plane and any form of caffeine, seek the sunlight, etc. I woke up at 2.30 am this morning, started walking around, watched some TV, surfed the internet, did some reading but still couldn't catch any sleep anymore. So I went to the gym and ran for 45 min. It is a strange feeling to exercise at 4.30 am in an empty gym. I'm ready to try anything, or almost anything.

moon cakes

2007-09-25T15:06:00.000+08:00

The good thing about those long intercontinental flights (18.5 hours total flight time in my case) is that they give you plenty of time to catch up on some reading. In one of the magazines that I brought with me, I stumbled upon an article about effective blog writing and in there it stated that one should post 3 to 4 articles a week to keep the readers interested. So I started to think about a suitable topic to write upon arrival. Little did I know that the answer was waiting for me on my kitchen table. When I walked into my apartment yesterday, I noticed the red box right away: a box with the famous moon cakes. It was left by the management of my apartment complex with a little note. Those cakes are not really my favorite as an acquired tasted is required to appreciate them. Although I can stomach the red bean pastry ones (they are sweet!) but I prefer to stay away from the single egg yolk lotus ones. The most interesting part of moon cakes to me is the packaging: they always are presented in real nice boxes with great decorations. In the supermarkets they have beautiful displays with all kinds of moon cake boxes: a favorite present to give this time of year. Here is an excerpt from the note that was left to me: “The moon cake or Mid-Autumn Festival falls on 25 September this year, or every year on the 15th day of the eight month of the lunar calendar. According to Chinese tradition, the moon’s fullness and brightness on this occasion is symbolic of an ideal time to celebrate the abundance of the summer harvest.” Today is also a national holiday so the office is closed and it gives me some time to recover from jetlag and fill up the fridge, not with moon cakes however, they are gone already, but the box I kept.

break until Sept 24

2007-09-11T20:15:00.001+08:00

Folks, as I'm going back home, I'll take a short break from this blog but expect to see me back on-line after September 24. In the meantime, enjoy some more pictures. Also, a big thanks for all of you who posted some comments, I truly enjoyed the reactions and hope to keep it going in the next round.

DVD versus card game

2007-09-08T23:04:00.000+08:00

Today, I succumbed to the lure of “cheap” DVD’s. I visited one of the many DVD stores that you can find everywhere in the city and walked out with a whole bunch of recent movies, some of them currently in theaters in the States. They are selling for less than $2 (a little more than 1 Euro) and of very good quality. They are cheap for a reason of course. Hint, hint.
The basement store (hidden under a furniture store and of course no windows) was recommended to me by a local friend and packed with foreigners. After some hectic shopping, I’ve found some relief in a little park across the store. There I took the attached picture of people playing cards. As I was walking around with a bag full of DVD’s, watching these people having fun with a simple game of cards, I was wondering if they are not better off than me. Them , sitting with friends in the park and enjoying a nice game versus me, sitting in a sofa by myself watching a movie. You get the picture.

Chinese Zodiac: Fire Goat

2007-09-08T22:27:00.000+08:00

As I started to become interested in Chinese symbols and characters, I also decided to get to know my Zodiac sign a little better. I was born in the year of the Goat and my fixed element is fire. Here is what I found on the web:
"The Goat ( 羊 ) (also known as Sheep or Ram) is the eighth sign of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar. The Chinese word for Sheep and Goat is the same, "Yang." That is why the confusion on the name.
People born in the Year of Sheep are elegant and highly accomplished in the arts. They seem to be, at first glance, better off than those born in the zodiac's other years. But Sheep year people are often shy, pessimistic, and puzzled about life. They are usually deeply religious, yet timid by nature. Sometimes clumsy in speech, they are always passionate about what they do and what they believe in. Sheep people never have to worry about having the best in life for their abilities make money for them, and they are able to enjoy the creature comforts that they like. Sheep people are wise, gentle, and compassionate.
In Chinese tradition, fire is one of five elements. It is associated with the planet Mars, summer, the south and the color red. It is also believed to govern the heart. Fire is associated with the qualities of dynamism, strength and persistence; however, it is also connected to restlessness."

I leave it up to you the readers to figure out if the description is in anyway close to the real me. If you are interested in finding out more about your sign, here is a really good website:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Zodiac#The_Four_Animal_Trines

Taxi anxiety

2007-09-06T14:47:00.000+08:00

A small but weird thing happened to me this evening when I stepped out of the taxi. Before I tell you the whole story, I need to give you some background on my experiences with taxis in Beijing so far. None of the taxis drivers speak any English at all. So to get to my office in the morning or to my apartment in the evenings, I use these little cards (just like business cards) that have the address on one side and a map on the other. Every time I wave a taxi down, I step in the car and show the driver the card. Most of them mumble something in Chinese, some of the take out a magnification glass to read the card, others get a bigger map, whatever they can do to show me I’m asking a lot of them they will do, etc …It also takes awhile before they figure out where I want to go. In several occasions they tell me straight away to get out of the car and find myself another taxi. At least, that is the message I get from their hand signals as I have no clue what they are bitching about. My record today is three taxis. Meaning, the first two kicked me out right away and only the third one accepted me. Outside my apartment there are always some taxi drivers sleeping in their cars overnight and I always feel sorry if I have to wake up one of them at 6.30 am. One morning, there were three taxis outside the apartment but all three drivers were playing a card game and none of them wanted to stop their game , so I got myself the by now familiar hand signal: “go away and get lost”. Some cars have no working airco so by the time I arrive at my destination, I’m soaking wet. Other times I have to deal with farting or spitting or any other bodily noises. Most have a driving style that, how should I say it, well that is bluntly speaking borderline criminal: reckless beyond belief, rudeness that would pale many Europeans and with total disrespect for any human or living being not in a car bigger than theirs. However, don’t get the wrong picture, most days I enjoy the ride as it gives me some time to observe what is happening on the streets of Beijing. I sometimes read the newspaper in the morning and just chill in the evening by doing some “people watching”, which is always a great way to wind down. On rare occasions, I ran into a driver I had before and those turned out to be the best rides because he knows where I need to go and everything goes smoothly. He smiles, I smile: we are all in harmony.
Anyhow, I’m getting on a side track, back to my story. So I took a taxi from the office back home and had some issues explaining the driver where he had to take me. However, I signaled him to get going and that I would explain to him how to drive. You see, I learned the Chinese words for left, right and straight. Those are the only ones you need to know if you are familiar with the roads and they will get you home. The driver kept going and starts speaking Chinese to me non-stop. I tell him in English that I don’t understand him but the more I tell him that, the more energized he gets to continue to me in Chinese. So after awhile I just let him do. By the time, we get to my apartment, I thank him in Chinese, pay him the fee and as I walked out he says in perfect English with a slight New York accent: “It was great talking to you and if you want, I can pick you up tomorrow morning ”. I was just so surprised and stomped by his comment that I simply said “sure” and he took off. I actually forgot to tell him the time but the question remains: will he be there, waiting for me and where was that English coming from? For sure, I wouldn’t mind asking him a few questions if I see him again……in English.

A typical work day

2007-09-04T08:01:00.000+08:00

After having received several e-mails from readers questioning if I work at all or if it is all play (?), I felt the need to clarify a few things. What better way than to describe a typical work day in the office!
First, I wake up every day between 5.30 and 6 am and catch a taxi at 6.45 am to arrive at the office 30 minutes later. I’m normally the first to arrive on our floor and so I have to turn on the lights. The office is located on the campus of the Tsinghua University (the MIT of China) and the neighborhood is quite vibrant with all the students. Looking out of the window I can almost see Google’s HQ, also Microsoft is nearby. I always go outside for lunch and try one of the many ethnic restaurants (Korean, Japanese, Chinese, French,..) close to the office. I was strongly encouraged by my colleagues not to try the company canteen and I religiously stick to their advice. Besides it is nice to be able to stretch the legs mid-day. I stay in the office until 18.30 pm and then rush to the gym across the street to attend a spinning class from 19-20 pm. Some days I’m late and I take the next class that starts at 20 pm. After a quick shower I go back to the office to call the US where the work day just started and catch up with my US colleagues and family. I try to take a taxi back to my apartment around 21 pm to arrive home anywhere between 21.30 - 22 pm depending on the traffic situation. After a quick bite, I either write my blog and/or watch some TV, do some reading. By 23 pm, I crash in my bed and try to catch 7 hours of sleep. The next day, it starts all over again. Not a perfect balance between work and life but being without family in Beijing, I can allow myself to be off balance a little. Because of confidentiality reasons, I do not write about work and leave all stories about office adventures out of this blog but trust me, it is quite a fun journey and I love every minute of it. You probably had figured that out already yourself.

One month milestone

2007-09-02T11:49:00.000+08:00

After one month in China, I’m really getting good at using chopsticks and cycling around. Sometimes my Chinese friends challenge me in picking up peanuts with my chopsticks. I always get a few nods of approval if I show them that I can even pick up two at a time. The first picture shows me eating some of the best dumplings I ever had: the skin was extremely thin and the meat real juicy. It was in a restaurant in Shanghai (I forgot the name) that even made in the food section of the NY Times because of its dumplings. In the second picture, I felt sorry for the driver and told him to take a break and let me cycle for awhile. Only reluctantly did he agree as he was afraid the police would ticket him for letting me drive him around without a license.

Zhou Zhuang: China’s version of Bruges

2007-09-01T10:47:00.000+08:00

One hour by car and West of Shanghai, you will find the 900 years old water village of Zhou Zhuang, an UNESCO World Heritage site. The town has interconnected waterways and over 60 carved-brick bridges or archways. It did remind me of my hometown Bruges: tourists can take gondola-like boat rides across the old town with its narrow canals and cobblestone streets are lined up with souvenir shops. Here you will still find some of the old Chinese houses build in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. One can walk into some 700 year old private houses with 5-7 halls with beautiful courtyards. I had the chance to spend a few hours strolling the streets and taste a few of the local beers. A great way to wind down the work week.

Fish Tanks

2007-08-31T08:33:00.000+08:00

After a 3 hour flight from Beijing to Shenzhen, we had a 2 hour drive to reach the city of Zhongsan. Along the ride, we saw nothing else but factories and apartments housing the workers: a concrete jungle of manufacturing. One industrial zone after another, it reminded me of the military cemeteries we have in Flanders, where one will see row after row of crosses. Here the picture becomes rows after rows of factories. The whole area is just buzzing of activity and you realize where all the jobs went that were lost in the manufacturing industry in both the US and the Europe.
The first thing I noticed when arriving in Zhongsan was the clear blue sky, something I had not seen in the last 4 weeks, since my arrival in Beijing. Zhongsan is just a few kilometers from the sea and a clear breeze keeps the city air clean on most days. With the ocean so nearby, no wonder we had a great choice of fish and seafood for lunch the first day. As is the habit in China you walk to a fish tank in the restaurant (see picture) and show them which fish you want to have for dinner. They’ll catch the fish right in front of your eyes and slice it up right away. This time I stayed away from jelly fish and sea cucumbers, which acquire a special taste to appreciate and something I prefer to just try once in my life.
I’ve been now in China for one month and it feels like I’m still in my honeymoon phase: everyday I experience something new or at least I look at things from a new perspective. I’m currently in Shanghai for the next two days and can hardly wait to get to know the city a little better. More to come later.

Lama Temple

2007-08-26T17:53:00.001+08:00

When I woke up this morning, there was a drizzle outside and grey skies were hanging over the city. I figured this might be a good day to do some sight-seeing as most tourists and locals probably would prefer the indoor convenience of shopping malls. So I decided to head out and take a cab to the most famous Buddhist temple outside of Tibet. The Lama temple makes the list of the top 10 places to see in Beijing, so it was time to get it off my to-do-list. I had an English map with me that showed the location of the Lama temple but still the first two cab drivers I walked up to had no clue what I wanted to do. I started to feel a little desperate, even frustrated with my incapability to communicate, but decided to try one more time. The third one seemed to repeat Yonghe Gong every time I mentioned Lama Temple and I almost decided to walk inside the lobby of the apartment to ask the reception to translate for me, when it suddenly hit me; Yonghe Gong was the metro station next to the temple. So from now on, I’ll mention the name of the metro station to the cab driver to get me somewhere and walk the remaining blocks if needed.
When I arrived at the temple, I realized that lot's of people had a similar idea and the placed was quite busy with tourists and worshippers. The temple was build circa 1723 and consists of 5 main halls, each taller than the last one. Worshippers are praying with incense sticks in the hand in front of each hall, which gives the whole place its unique smell. There was a dad who seemed to be teaching his 3 year old son how to pray, it was really cute and I kept bumping into these two during the next hour or so. Needless to say they appear in many of my pictures. The highlight of the temple is a 25 meter (80 ft) high statue of a Buddha like figure. It was a present given by then Daila Lama to the emperor in 1750. It appears in the Guinness Book of Records as it is carved from a single piece of sandalwood. While the Dalai Lama lives in exile, the second head, the Panchen Lama resides in Beijing. Although the place currently hosts around a 100 monks, I didn’t see any of them. The Panchen Lama is a matter of controversy because China supports one while Tibet recognizes another.

Bird's Nest

2007-08-25T15:58:00.000+08:00

Every day on my way to the office, I drive past the National Olympic Stadium (still under construction). The stadium will host the athletics (track and field), soccer games, opening and closing ceremonies and can seat 91000 spectators. It is a jewel of architecture, really amazing and resembles a bird nest (see picture taken from my taxi). Here is a description taken from the internet: “The main body of the stadium is composed of 24 columns of trusses, which surround the bowl-shaped stands in the stadium. The structural elements support each other and converge into a grid formation, just like a bird's nest with interlocking branches and twigs.” As an ex-birdwatcher, I have a soft spot for the stadium although birds are few and rare in Beijing. The best places to see birds would be in cages in the pet markets. From my 18th floor window, I sometimes see a lost pigeon or a sparrow. Even in the parks, despite the available habitat, there is little wildlife to observe. This brings me to Beijing’s famous dish: Peking duck. During my first week in Beijing, we had a company dinner where Peking duck was. Tradition demands that the whole duck must be sliced into 120 pieces and the best part is the thin, crispy skin. There is actually very little meat and mostly skin, not my favorite dish but still a great experience. The Quanjude restaurant also keeps count of the numbers of ducks served since the restaurant opened in 1864. So at the end of the dinner I got a commemoration card for my roasted duck with the number 36665. It seems that they almost served a roasted duck each day since the opening of the restaurant some 140 plus years ago.

Chinese Torture

2007-08-23T07:53:00.000+08:00

Last evening I took two spinning classes and both made me realize how much I’m going to miss the classes at Queen City. When I walked in the 6 pm class, the first thing I noticed was the teacher: a Rambo-looking guy who is build more like a body-builder than a cyclist. He gave me that alpha-male, testosterone-loaded look and had a haircut that would make any US marine proud. I tried to shrug it off but he kept eyeing me during the warm-up and started to freak me out. The class started soon and from the first song he tried to challenge me to stay with him. We started in the second position out of the saddle and stayed there for the rest of the 45 min class (yes, the whole time). People were dropping back in the saddle left and right of me, some were staying with us for the first 20 min, some for the first 30 min but after the first half hour, there was only Rambo and me. By now I started calling myself mentally Eddy (yes, the Eddy like in Eddy Merckx) and there was no way I would surrender to Rambo. Message to all the spinning teachers reading this blog: please, please don’t teach a class for 45 min in second position and out of the saddle. I call that now Chinese torture. Still fired up from the first class, I decided to hang around and take the 7 pm class as well. A different experience all together. The teacher dimmed all the ceiling lights and turned on those disco-type of lights (flashing balls and so) and blasted beat music through the speakers. On top of that he screamed his lungs out. My ears are still hurting from the deafening noise. Before I realized what happened he had turned the place in an instant rave. Maybe very hip and underground but for me it turned into another very long 45 min and another form of Chinese torture. Anyhow, I'm going back tonight for some more. Real cyclists love some pain, don’t they?
Maybe I need to seriously consider teaching some classes myself (in English of course).

Soccer Rules!

2007-08-22T08:21:00.000+08:00

I’m becoming an expert on the English Premier League. For my American friends this is the ultimate soccer league. At least, so it seems. It never stops to amaze me how popular the Premier League is all over Asia. You turn on the TV in any Asian country and there is always a game on. You open the sports pages of any Asian (English written) newspaper and there are at least two pages on the Premier League and sometimes that is 75% or more of the sports news. I have only two sports channels on my TV: one is ESPN (Asian version I assume) that seems to always show soccer and sometimes baseball, the other one is Star Sports and shows local favorites such as ruby, ping pong, badminton and the eXtreme sports (skateboarding, MBX, motocross,..). As I write this review, I keep one eye on the tube where they are now showing a ruby game between South Africa and New Zealand. It makes me realize that I’m really at the other side of the world. I have not seen any American football game yet although the pre-season is in full swing (?). I’m planning at going to the Hardrock Café this weekend (just 10 min form my apartment) to get a healthy dose of “Americana”, including burgers and fries with a cold Budweiser. I need to stay connected with the motherland, don’t I? Oh, yes, for the Belgian contingency reading this blog, I got some Belgian chocolates while in Hong Kong. Just to make sure we keep the patriotic emotions in balance.

Be on Your Guard

2007-08-21T17:14:00.000+08:00

Guards are plentiful in Beijing. Not only every government building, but it seems that every store, restaurant, hotel, apartment complex, office, etc.. have one or a few guards at the entrance. It took me awhile to get used to seeing them everywhere but I still haven’t figured out why they are there? There is very little crime or public disorder. Everybody feels safe and the punishments are so severe you would think once, twice and thrice before doing something stupid. Some of the guards carry an armband (colored red of course) that says in Chinese and sometimes in English: “public order control volunteer “. The funny thing is that they are paid, there is no volunteering. Even my Chinese friends (read comrades) don’t know the answer on why they are there? Actually they have never asked themselves the question in the first place. Probably part of a Big Brother program. The only problem I have had is when I wanted to ride my bike through a gate to take a picture of a nice apartment building and the guard came rushing towards me, waving me to turn around and leave. I was probably the only excitement he had in the whole day, especially when I tried to convince him to allow me to take a picture of him. Needless to say, I failed. However, I took a picture of the guys across the street (really, you find them everywhere) when they looked the other way. You should have seen the face of my not so-friendly guard. I jumped back on my bike and gave him a big friendly (somewhat smug) smile. I know these guys are just doing their job but in my eyes this was a small (and yes meaningless) victory against mindless uniforms, one of those small pleasures in life.
By the way, I was reading in the newspaper today that there will be 100,000 security guards from across the country on duty during the Olympic games and about 30,000 police will keep a tight watch over the city. There are also currently an estimated 263,000 surveillance cameras covering the city. For those thinking about coming to the games, you and 2.3 million of other expected visitors will be well-guarded. Oh, and please don’t spit, there is a 50 RMB ($7) fine for those caught spitting.

Hong Kong: Asia's Manhattan

2007-08-19T21:05:00.000+08:00

I’m currently in Hong Kong for a visit to the consulate to pick up my Z visa. I’m not sure if I understand the whole process that will ultimately lead to receiving a Chinese work permit and Beijing residence license but heck if they tell me to meet Bobo (yes, that is the name) at 8.30 am on Monday in Hong Kong, I go along. As I said before, it is sometimes easier to just go with the flow and explore every day as another opportunity to gain a new experience.
On top of that, Hong Kong is one of my favorite places, sometimes referred to as the Manhattan of Asia. When in the city, I’m always staying at the Renaissance Harbor View hotel which , as the name alludes, gives you at great view of the bay area and the Kowloon skyline. Especially at night the view from my room (this time on the 21st floor) is spectacular. It also gives me the chance to catch up on the news with some uncensored English newspapers and relax a little at the outdoor pool. Hong Kong for me will always be connected with relaxation because in the past I would come here in the weekends after a hard weeks’ work across the border in Shenzhen or Guangzhou. The place helped me re-charge my batteries, take in some fresh air and enjoy some great food.
A sense of home, far away from home.

Spinning Class

2007-08-18T13:28:00.001+08:00

Yesterday I took my first spinning class at a fitness center just 5 minutes walking from the office. The class was taught in Chinese but that was no problem as I just could copy what others were doing. Of course I had no clue what was coming or how long we were supposed to climb or sprint but those are minor details. I’m getting pretty good in body language anyhow. The music was a mixture of Chinese pop/techno with popular English rock songs. I did recognize some of the songs so that helped figuring out the duration of the climb or so. The bikes are great (Lemond Revmasters , see pic) and we have the instructor on a podium with a microphone, so I could eye him form the back of the room. The guy talked constantly and had us do a lot of jumps but overall I had a great 45 min work-out and for sure will become a regular. Classes are only taught in the evenings from 7-8 pm but that fits perfectly my schedule. There are 31 bikes and only three were left over, those were the ones around me. I guess being the only foreigner in the room scared some people but I got quite a few compliments from the other students at the end of the class because several came to me and said something (don’t know what) and showed me their thumbs up and big smiles. I guess I made some new friends (?). I was also the only one with proper cycling shoes and cycling short so I made quite an entrance. Even the teacher has regular running shoes that he had to strap in but he had at least a fancy spinning jersey. And in case you wonder, nobody had a heart rate monitor. At the end of the class a cleaning crew came in right away and cleaned every bike with disinfectant and dried them with towels. The room is hot without fans and that gives the work-out a nice extra dimension. I’m sure you get the picture. Unfortunately they close the room after the class so you cannot stay longer. They also open the room only 15 min before the class starts. The fitness center is pretty big and they seem to have more than 20 fitness instructors and personal trainers at the place ( pictures are hanging in the entrance hall) but only William could speak some English. Yes, all personnel have an English name. I asked William if he would be interested in me teaching a spinning class in English, especially in the morning. He looked at me with a puzzled face so I’m not sure if he understood what I was saying. I’ll have to bring one of my local colleagues from the office with me one evening and ask them to translate for me. I could probably fill half the spinning room with people from the office but again I need first to get the message through to William. As you can imagine, the lack of communication can lead to hilarious moments. William tried to say something about Lance (Armstrong?) but again I was lost, so I blurted out “Eddy Merckx ?” and he gave me a big smile and a high five. I was left wondering if he actually knew Eddy ? He also said that I need to ask for him every time I visit the fitness center and he will help me out. I told him that he was my man and I would certainly do that, which led to another high five and big smile. Not sure if we understood each other but does it really matter? I'm having tonnes of fun here :)

Fu Bao Lu: what's in a name?

2007-08-16T15:06:00.000+08:00

Today I got new business cards with on one side all my coordinates in English and on the other side all in Chinese. Even my name had to be translated in Chinese characters (see pic) and so the folks here decided to call me Fu Bao Lu.

Here is the explanation given to me : "Your surname in Chinese is FU, the basic meaning of the character is rich and wealthy;the given name has been translated to Bao Lu, we used the characters to reflect the prounuciation of your English name, meanwhile they also meant wealthy plus happiness. So we gave you this name to wish you to be a happy person and with a wealthy life."

I ain't complaining

Fu Bao Lu

hutongs

2007-08-15T21:38:00.000+08:00

The last couple days I had the opportunity to be involved in some in-home consumer research, giving me the opportunity to see how the average Chinese consumer lives. The most interesting moments happened when we visited people living in the hutongs and observed them doing some chores in their homes. Hutongs can best be described as a maze of very tiny alleys, with common courtyards and sometimes also common bathrooms. These neighborhoods are taking you back in time but despite the blatant poverty there is a real sense of community. Without wanting to overly romanticize the hutong life, it is a great place to stroll around and see nothing and everything. Unfortunately a lot of these neighborhoods are smack in the middle of Beijing (high value real estate) and therefore are being demolished by the government and replaced with apartments. With the hutongs being destroyed, Beijing is losing some of its soul; hopefully the government will keep some this authentic architecture alive.

798 Art District

2007-08-12T17:59:00.000+08:00

Today I submersed myself in one of Beijing’s hippest district: 798 Art District located in the Dashanzi area, northeast of central Beijing. The number 798 refers to a defunct military factory aka factory 798. This kilometer-square block is actually an old factory district where a few years ago contemporary artists moved in. The 798 area has these stunning Bauhaus factory spaces (developed in the 1950’s by East Germans) that are being turned into art galleries, design studios and cafes. It has an urban lifestyle character similar to Soho in New York or Centre Pompidou in Paris. Several factories are still in operation, so the galleries have surreal surroundings. There are plenty of empty warehouses that are being opened as galleries and graffiti artists have plenty of walls to play with. In one of the small cafes I got to talk to the owner, a Canadian living in Taiwan for the last 15 years, and got my first introduction into the “art bubble” as the prices for the “Chinese” contemporary art are soaring. Investing in art is not really my calling but had fun talking to the guy, who calls himself an art nerd. At the end the paintings, photos and statues were ok (contemporary but not too shocking) but it was the architecture of the place and the way they remodeled the industrial complexes to house the galleries that was breath-taking.

being pragmatic the Chinese way

2007-08-11T15:42:00.000+08:00

I've found this interview with professor Marshall Meyer (Wharton, management) on the internet and thought it to be a good stroy to illustrate how things work here in Beijing.

Meyer: I'll tell you a little story. In November of last year they had the China-Africa summit. I happened to be there at the time because it was the time of the Wharton 125th Anniversary tour in Beijing. And the air was remarkably clear. At the end of January, the last minute, my phone rings and a senior official in the central government said, "Come over and see me."
I did, and we talked about this and that for half an hour. But I did ask him -- I said, "The air was terrific during the China-Africa summit. What did you do"? And he said, "Oh it was simple -- we seized the car keys." And I said, "What car keys"? And he said, "The keys to all government cars." And I said, "There can't be that many cars." He laughed and he said, "That was a half million cars that we took off the road."
As I said, they are good at execution. They will shut down the worst polluters and they will take many, many cars off the road. And I would bet... if I could make this bet in Las Vegas, I would. I would bet that there will be blue skies for the Olympics in Beijing.

Have no fear

2007-08-11T15:35:00.000+08:00

I’ve put my bike to the test today and rode from my apartment to the Forbidden City and the famous Tian’an Men Square (see picture). On the map it looked like a short ride but still it took me over one hour one way. With the temperatures in the low 90’s F (= 32 C) it was quite a work-out. There are bike lanes everywhere and the widest I have ever seen in a city.

Along the way I also learned a thing or two about cycling in Beijing:

1) keep your hands always on the breaks, you will need them at every corner or turn, they are there for a reason
2) cars are bigger than you, so let them take the road: especially taxis have totally no respect for cyclists, they treat you like a mosquito as they always seem to be trying to squash you
3) there is strength in numbers: stay with a pack
4) whatever the locals do, do the same, even as the traffic light turns red
5) have no fear, whatever happens, keep pushing the pedals, it is normal to hear honks all the time
6) old ladies on the bike will pass you, just get over it, you bought the bike because it was cheap, not for speed

got my bike

2007-08-09T16:14:00.001+08:00

cost $30, lock included, biggest size I could find (still on the small size)

I was the first one to ever bring a bike on the 8th office floor - which created quite a stir with the security guard - but got a lot of compliments of my Chinese colleague about the quality (meaning brakes work) and look of the bike (only a few scratches). I paid 215 RMB (= $ 28) for a brand new bike with a decent lock. I only hope it will last 6 months.

I'm a happy biker and I'm planning already a trip through the city this weekend :)

Paul

don't hold your breath

2007-08-08T18:13:00.000+08:00

With more and more cars hitting the road, car exhaust is a major contributor to the poor air quality. I can hardly imagine what will happen if we approach winter and the cold air mass hugs the ground and the air becomes very dry. No wonder that respiratory illnesses are very common in Beijing. Yesterday we had rain in the morning and the rain droplets filtered out the air. Suddenly the city changes: I can see a few more blocks further from my window and the air smells fresher. The fact that we had a small breeze blowing through the city helped as well. Unfortunately the next day, we were back to normal and the smog was omnipresent. Last night on CNN, there was news reporting on the Olympic Games and when the broadcaster mentioned the issue of air quality on the athletes, the screen blackened for the next 10 seconds. The same happened when CNN was reporting on the issues with food quality in China; another 10 seconds of black screen. It will be interesting to see if major changes (environmental, political, social,…) will happen once we are getting closer to the opening day of the games. More about the Games and its influence on the city in upcoming blogs.

Spinning the wheels

2007-08-07T15:20:00.000+08:00

In a city of million bicycles, in the Middle Kingdom, the biker is King.

One of the first things I observed on the street is that only a few (1 out of 1000) have a proper bike fit. Most Chinese have their saddle way too low. None of them are nice bikes either as they are prime candidates for theft. Actually people who buy brand new bikes make them dirty, bang them up, replace them with old wheels, brush paint, etc,.. they will do everything to make them look old straight away. There are even articles in magazines suggesting how to “dirty” them properly. Go figure! As a Western biker it just hurt to see a total disrespect for shiny bikes or oiled chains. I had a few leads on getting a bike (buying, borrow) but they all felt through. So I’m gonna try another supermarket this weekend: the Makro. For my European friends and family members, yes we do have a Makro here in Beijing as well as the Carrefour and Walmart. Tomorrow at 4 pm I will pay my first visit to a gym that offers spinning classes (in Chinese only). I might not be spinning any wheels soon but will spin my legs this week.

grey skies

2007-08-05T19:02:00.000+08:00

The weather in Beijing reminds me of Belgium: grey skies (see pics). On top of that there is the always present air pollution. The city is very dusty and walking outdoors results quickly in some coughing. No wonder there is a lot of spitting in the city. For the moment, I prefer to do my work-outs in the gym instead of running on the streets. I took a stroll in Chaoyang park today and attached some pics. The park was amazingly quiet with a small crowd for Beijing standards.

In the Time Out Beijing magazine they mentioned that this month a million cars are being taken off the streets in a bid to test the effectiveness of reducing pollution for the Olympics. Officials also say that around 1,600 coal-burning energy plants will be shut and 50,000 taxis and 10,000 old buses will be replaced by the end of the year. Every day 1,200 new cars are added to the roads of Beijing. The city is expected to have 3.5 million cars by this time next year. More about the upcoming Olympics in future blogs as it is a very hot topic in Beijing.

Stay tuned,

Paul

Chaoyang District

2007-08-04T16:51:00.000+08:00

The apartment is located in Eastern Beijing, in the Chaoyang District/Precinct, which is home to a good part of Beijing's diplomatic quarters, with many embassies located in the area. A sizable international community (I was unable to find an estimate) exists in Beijing and many live in the northern, northeastern and eastern sections. These districts are then also catering to the many expats living or working here. In walking distance form my apartment I have every international restaurant you can imagine: Indian, Korean, Turkish, French, Italian, American, German, Thai, etc… and even a few Belgian restaurants a short taxi ride away. There are also quite a few European bakeries in the neighborhood so I can have daily fresh bread. There are a few English-language newspapers or magazines being freely distributed in the apartment lobby such as the “Beijing Today” and the government controlled “China Daily”. Other publications primarily aimed at international visitors and the expatriate community include the English-language periodicals “City Weekend”, “Beijing Tattler”, “Beijing Talk”, “that's Beijing”, etc,.. All are full of information about upcoming cultural and sport events, places to dine and to be seen, travel tips, fashion and design, shopping, etc,…
The population of Beijing is over 16 million people (excluding illegals) and the city is booming of construction work. Looking out my window (see picture) I can see at least a dozen construction cranes. However, Chaoyang park, the largest park in the city, is only a 30 min walk from the apartment and is becoming my “green” refuge.

In China there are 55 different ethnic minorities but the official language is Mandarin and I’ve mastered already 5 words: Nihao (hello), Xiexie (thanks). Shi (yes), Bushi (no) and Ganbei (cheers). It is a start at least.

Paul

the color red

2007-08-04T08:02:00.000+08:00

As I was walking out of the Punjabi restaurant last evening, I saw a construction worker casually smoke a cigarette on the curb. The man was covered in dust, no T-shirt, worn out sandals on his feet and obviously very tired after what must have been a long day of hard work. He also had a red construction hat sitting next to him. The hat had seen its fair share of abuse but still was probably his most priced possession. As I was observing the man and his hat, out of another restaurant walks this young, noisy Chinese man. He was well dressed, even fancy and talking loudly in his cell phone. A few yards from the worker, he takes out his car keys and then I saw it: a blood-red Ferrari. The wealthy man casually opened his shinny red car and drove off still talking to his phone. One man has the red construction hat, the other the red Ferrari. Then I realized that China and the US might have more in common than we think.

sleepless in Beijing

2007-08-03T05:53:00.000+08:00

After a 14 hour flight from Chicago, I arrived without any issues in Beijing around 4 pm on Thursday Aug 2. After dropping off my luggage in my apartment - which by the way pleasantly surprised me in terms of space, comfort, technology,... - I hit the streets to explore the neighborhood. There seems to be plenty of ethnic restaurants around the corner but also within 10 min walk from my place I saw two Starbucks, an Irish pub and Hard Rock cafe. I'll have plenty of choices to dine and wine. I also have a fully equipment kitchen so I jumped into a small supermarket down the street and had a blast trying to figure out what I was buying. Everything was written in Chinese but by looking at pics I could figure out some of the stuff. I assume that a picture of a cow on a carton box means milk? On my way back to the apartment and loaded with bags, I started looking for a bike store as that would come in handy to explore the city. I didn't find one yet but I saw several shacks along the way where people fix flat tires. I tried to ask one of them where I could buy a bike in town but they clearly didn't understand me, still had a blast watching them fix a tire. The doorbel man suggested I go to Carrefour (10 min by taxis) and try my luck their. Hopefully they have a bike frame in my size. Back in the apartment I successfully video-conferenced home (skype is awesome) and unpacked my luggage. I tried to catch a few hours of sleep but kept waking up during the night. Good thing, I carried all those books with me. Time for my morning coffee.
Stay tuned,
Paul

more and more books

2007-07-31T09:26:00.000+08:00

I stumbled into B&N over the weekend and decided to load up on a few more books and as such I walked out the store with:

Between Georgia byt Joshilyn Jackson (Southern family drama)
Empress by Shan Sa (story about the first and only female emperor during the Tang Dynasty)
The Expected One by Kathleen Mc Gowan (DaVinci code like)
Maximum City by Suketu Mehta (writer returns to Bombay and takes it pulse)
Little Chapel on the River by G. Bounds (post 9/11 story told through the eyes of folks in an Irish pub)
A short history of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson (popular science, another re-read)

That should do it for first few months :)

With only two more nights left, I'm getting a littly antsy and anxious to get started but first I need to get packing, clearly my least favorite action in the whole journey.

Stay tuned,

Paul

Packing 101

2007-07-28T20:37:00.000+08:00

What does one pack for such a long period? Sure, one has the usual stuff such as clothing, toiletries, shoes, etc,... but two piles are getting somewhat bigger than usual:
1) medical supplies
After visiting the company's medical center, I walked home with everything from IV bags , syringes, dust masks to Pepto-Bismol. No surprises here, lots of the medicines are for either respiratory illnesses (cough, sore throat, cold/flu) due to the prevalent air pollution or for stomach problems due to the ethnic food concerns. I really don't sweat too much about it and hope that common sense and practices will carry me a long way. The biggest lesson I've learned from all my travels is to go with the flow: delays happen, stomach upsets happen, rain and storms happen. You can get nervous and upset about it but that is just a waste of precious energy. I prefer now to let it happen and adjust accordingly. When you just let the frustration go, it seems something great is coming your way sooner rather than later.
2) books
I've been stockpiling books as I'm unsure what the supply of (uncensored) English books is in China. Although I've traveled to China quite a few times in the past, I don't recall seeing a lot of English bookstores. So I'm taking no chances and here is my initial list:

Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales (the art and science of survival)
The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil (artificial intelligence and beyond)
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (inspiring novel that I keep re-reading)
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts (best novel I've read in years)
The power of a Positive No by William Ury (how to book)
Understanding Global Cultures by Martin Gannon (metaphorical journeys)
Now Discover your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham (how to book)
Breaking the Spell by Daniel Dennett (describes the historical evolution of religion)
Daily Devotional
Several travel guides

That should keep me busy until mid September when I'm planned to be back in Cincy for a quick visit home.

Now back to packing the rest !

Paul

Count down

2007-07-26T06:52:00.000+08:00

Only one week left before I'm heading East for a 6 months assignment in Beijing. To keep family and friends abreast of my adventures, I decided to start a blog. My goal is to have a few posting each weeks and plenty of pictures. I hope you will enjoy reading this blog and I invite you to post your comments.

Let the journey begin,
Paul