The Yin and Yang of Beijing
Would I ever want to live in Beijing? Not even a possible consideration! It is polluted, grimy, overcrowded and excessively hot. After seven days here, my throat is sore and nose is stuffed from the smog. Two showers a day would be barely sufficient to cleanse the filth from your skin, and fighting through the swarms of human traffic can be downright uncivilized at times.
Would I visit again? Definitely! Balancing all of the negative aspects is a city full of exotic culture, excitement at every corner, abundance of interesting excursions and endless supply of enticing cuisine.
I based my self out of an old hutong (alley) district where simpler life still thrives as it did before the skyscraper craze. I highly recommend staying at the Templeside House if you ever pass through the city; it is loaded with charm, character and an amazing staff.
This first week in China has taught me that I could survive on about ten dollars a day if I really tried. You can eat a gut-busting meal for less than two dollars and buy a 660ml beer for a quarter. Being my first time in such a place, I leaned toward the more luxurious option of living like a king more than anywhere else I’ve been; taxi rides across town, frivolous souvenir purchasing and consuming anything my will desired. Yet I’ve still managed to keep my budget down to about thirty bucks a day.
The city is host to a quantity of mind-blowing sights. Most are unfortunately overcrowded, but still fortunately manage to maintain their magical allure. Some of my favorite highlights were the Imperial Summer Palace, people-watching in Tiananmen Square and a day of hiking the sparsely populated section of the Great Wall at Jinshanlin capped off by a zip-line over Simatai Reservoir. I also spent quality time at the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Li Dai Di Wang Miao. Of course there was also the usual balance of meeting travelers and locals while drinking until dawn.
Pretty standard traveling in my opinion, but it is definitely a different experience dealing with the new cultural differences and aspects of a developing country. One of the oddest things I’ve noticed is the population’s rudeness and complete disregard for others; pretty much the exact opposite of the enigmatic respect found in Japan. Cars frequently cut each other off and have a tendency to drive in the bike lanes as well as oncoming traffic. It is also very common for people of all genders and ages to blow snot-rockets and spit excessively.
The most shocking is how the concept of queuing is completely nonexistent. At one point, I witnessed a mob of people crushing screaming children and shoving the elderly out of the way in order to squeeze onto an already overcrowded bus. It only costs a quarter to succumb to this madness, but by the end of my stay I was spending the extra dollar for a taxi.
I have been having fun in the city, but am still very happy to be moving on. After another fight to get inside the train and into the seat I booked, I sit here crushed against a wall with no leg room. At least I have a window to keep the heat down. Not quite sure if this is considered 3rd class travel or worse, but it is certainly not an experience I will choose if presented with the option in the future.
I am also glad not to be one of the many standing for the twelve hours overnight to Pingyao. I’m excited to see this antique walled city which apparently has not changed much during the modernization of China. I’m anxious to see a more historical life and breathe some unpolluted air before I have to succumb to forty-eight hours a week of intense kung-fu training.
Oh yeah… I some how managed to lose my bank card, but was able to sort everything out so there is no real reason to panic. It kept me in the confines of the guesthouse for a day and will curtail my spending for the next few days before I arrive at the school. Rather a good thing in my opinion; humbling me back to living on the cheap.
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Tags: - Photography, - Transport & Travel, - Transport: Train, Asia, Beijing, China
Adam Shane
Very nice overview of the city, Adam. I’ve got another week here while I wait for my permit/train ticket to Tibet. I’m going to check out Simatai, the Summer Palace, and the Templeside guesthouse. Thanx for the suggestions….
SO…. How are you?!! The last time I saw you, you were doing a headstand in the middle of the street!!!!! Ja ja ja. I hope you’re enjoying yourself and aren’ t in too much pain:-)