Hello from Beijing.
Monday, March 29, 2004
We have guests! Our first visitors, Rick and Alissa (of California fame), are here for 9 days. What else could
we do but whisk them off to Shanghai? The kids there took us out for a mighty good time: eating, bowling, go-karting, sightseeing, more eating.
And we even randomly ran into Hong Kong-ers Tricia and Bruce, also weekend-ing
in China's most cosmopolitan city. All in all, a great time. Now we're back in Beijing and on the grand sightseeing tour.
Stay tuned for more photo ops from what you too can expect if you come and visit.
delicious shanghai dumplings
public phone, anyone?
at the famous crooked bridge
we waited an hour for the finest dumplings in shanghai
bowling shoes are the best
that's nida, executing perfect bowling form
bowling rocks. but bowling in shanghai rocks the most.
go kart racing! highly addictive.
numbering the camo-style trees
the atrium at the grand hyatt in pudong
Monday, March 22, 2004
This weekend, we went to Qufu, the home of Confucius. It is in the middle of Shandong Province, south of Beijing. Here's how I would
describe it: gray. Very gray. Like many of China's industrial areas, the pollution hangs in a thick blanket over the city skylines and mountains. But,
even in the most touristy, tacky, hazy areas, you can still find tiny, perfect moments, like the guy who stretches fresh dough to make noodles.
It was an exhausting trip: An overnight train Friday night to Taian, the nearest city to Qufu; a day of constant sightseeing, followed by beers and
foot massages (a must in China); an early start the next day to climb Mount Taishan, one of China's big mountains; another foot massage (why fight it?); an overnight
train from Jinan to Beijing, getting in early this morning. I need to go to bed.
It was my first trip in China where I went to a place where foreigners are not a common sight. Imagine the stares our little group of Westerners got while climbing the mountain;
when we stopped to take picture of the scenery, other people took pictures of us. At first, they'd try to do the drive-by photo: Sort of I'll stand near you and pretend I'm posing on my own while my friend snaps a picture with us both in it. After awhile, we offered to pose with them; they were so excited to have their photo
taken with us, how could I not? I sort of like the idea that every time they flip through their photo album, there I'll be: sweaty, smelly, tired, but a bona fide foreigner.
the "model worker" looks over taian's main square
sadly, our tour group did not have to wear hats
inside the confucius temple
pony! pony!
delicious-looking radish, at the entrance to confucius forest
why, hello there.
have i mentioned i have a thing for chinese babies?
a new grave in the forest, where confucius' descendants are buried
a funeral procession drives by
small tree, anyone?
at the dai temple in taian
for offerings
mount taishan cable cars: as scary as it looks
just making some delicious noodles
a flock of sheep stroll down taian's main street.
taian nightlife: one bar, but plenty of places to do karaoke on the street
monkey!
at a local bird market
that also had a box of puppies for sale, together now: awwwwww.
it's very common to get your bird back to his roots by hanging him in a tree
And! Happy birthday, mom!
Thursday, March 18, 2004
I don't really have any pictures today, mostly because the new night job (soon to be the only job) requires so many. Yep, I'm taking pictures of people drinking in Beijing: Check 'em out here.
If you look closely, you'll see a few of me: It's amazing how many people, after I ask to take their pic, ask to take MY pic. Occasionally, I oblige. But only occasionally.
Also: I'm coming home! Yes, I'm heading back to the states on April 7, for nearly two weeks. Most of the time will be spent in Delaware (oh, Goodwill, I can't wait to see you) and New York (oh, Central Park, how I miss you, too). I'm accepting offers for
quality time now: Ryan's already promised to secure me a ticket to the Ben Kweller/Death Cab for Cutie concert at the Troc (some of you may recall my last show there, the infamous Lemonheads debacle). Good, fun live music again. Oh, I cannot wait.
I heard it was girl scout cookie time. Is this true? So. Insanely. Jealous. (Also: Ommmmm... samoas.)
Sunday, March 7, 2004
I went to the Temple of Heaven today just for you. Truthfully, I haven't
had a lot of opportunities to take pictures these days. But it's finally getting nicer (blue skies! non-frigid temperatures! less howling wind!)
which sort of makes this an opportune time for Chinese New Year's Resolution #11: get out and see the sights. It's true, I've been here for four months and not yet been to the Great Wall of China.
Today, we started small: the Temple of Heaven, or Tiantan, on the south side of the city.
old people + silly costumes = always amusing
We also hit the Tenbridge "Heaven & Hell" charity ball, which provided a vast array of neon party favors, which in turn provided so many photo opportunities.
getting ready to break out the bike again!
Also: Welcome, fellow Delawareans! I'm so honored to have been named the inaugural "Blog of the Day" over at Ryan's official News Journal blog.
Really, it was an honor just to be nominated. Er. If I wasn't so tired, I'd probably be jumping up and down on the bed or something. However. Instead: Zzzzzz...
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