Traveling

A couple of thoughts...I know you love these posts

The longer I spend in China, the less I know. I'm not sure what the actual quote is, but apparently some famous Rogers guy feels the same as I do. It's all very strange. I don't know if it has to do with such an immense history.. that I know nothing of (shame!) or that I don't understand anything/anyone and so have invented this whole 'China based on Julie principles'. I just can't explain it- but let me tell you, I was smarter before I came to China! No matter what is being said, there is some point in Chinese history that will prove you wrong and another that will prove you right. No kidding. You should come- it opens your eyes.

Taking a bus from some random town to another, I was jammed into this tiny seat on this tiny bus, and I couldn't help thinking- as I jammed my knee into the space between the wall and the seat "I feel like the foot of one of those wealthy Chinese ladies. I am being jammed into a space that I just don't fit into and have contorted my body so that I do."
No really. You know, the lily foot? It was seen as very beautiful and women would wear shoes too small for them from a very young age so as to keep their feet 'small and beautiful'. Ok, I didn't really contort myself to anywhere near a lily foot- but I thought of it.

You know how when you are asked to hold someone's baby and you really don't want to, but they insist, and as much as the child was quiet before, as soon as you take it in your arms it starts to cry? This is how I feel about China. As soon as you feel like you can hold it, and you do and it doesn't cry, well, everything is alright in the world.

I miss stars. Last night I saw one star and I almost peed my pants. I love seeing the stars at night, but Beijing has such pollution that there just are none. Haze as far as the eye can see. ON a great haze morning, you can look right at the sun, straight on, and its like looking at an orange cut out that a kindergarten-er has made.

I have missed the leaves. No literally. I missed them. Wherever you go, someone is sweeping the street. I'm not sure how this works, but I think they do rounds- maybe they stick to one street and just have a couple of blocks to cover and go back and forth day after day. But I love crunching in the leaves on the streets at home. There are no leaves here. Job creation makes sure of that.

Job creation: ok, I am still trying to wrap my mind around this one. So many people in a city, and everyone needs to work, so jobs are created. Fine. People stand at intersections and signal when you can cross. If you step off the sidewalk before you are supposed to they whistle at you and talk until you get back on the sidewalk (which is why I wear headphones- I am a Montrealer first and foremost!) Thing is, these people are not at the intersections at the busiest time of day!
Job creation : Went to a bar. At the busy bar, there is one person standing there to take your order (think waitress, but doesn't move around). Then that 'waitress' gives the order to the bartender. When the drink is made, it is handed to you and you give the money to the waitress, who gives it to the bartender. Who gives it to a cashier. And back down the chain your change goes. Melanie was saying this also helps deter thieves- you need to have each person in on your theft and split the money 3 ways if you want to do anything.. ok fine. But geez.
Job creation: This one was the cutest one. Back to the leaves. There are these little bushes along the sidewalk. There are leaves around and behind the bushes (oh no! not leaves!!) So these guys are hired to sweep the leaves out- fine. But then these other guys are hired to use a stick, plain old stick, to take the leaves out of the little crevice between the bush and the sidewalk proper. Should have gone home to get my camera. Bunch of men squatting with sticks, taking leaves out of a bush. Gotta love job creation.

Oh ya, you know you're in China when: people are making little fires on the streets outside their shops. I liked seeing this in smaller towns on smaller streets. I found it quite interesting way to get rid of the massive amounts of garbage that are accumulated. Just daily waste paper basket fires out on the street. Funny to see it done in Beijing on, what would be the equivalent to Ste- Catherine.

Went to buy eye glasses for Jen the other day. Heard they were quite cheap so I went to check it out. 4 floors of eye glass shops. Think the Bay size- wise, and 4 full floors. Nuts. I found a pair that I liked, sorta, and asked how much they were. I bargained a bit - (you bargain for EVERYthing) and got the price down. I didn't have my prescription, so I gave them my glasses and they determined it from them. My glasses were ready in 15 minutes and they cost 75 RMB. Or, more popularly, $11CAD.

In the words of Charles, I believe it was, the Chinese dress smart. All of them (except the guy that hangs out near worker's stadium- but I think he is homeless) are always very well dressed. Ok, huge generalization but you know what I am saying. Example: passed a guy operating a huge concrete pourer today- wearing a blazer. Bought fruit off a lady in the street (they had a donkey pulling their cart in Beijing) - wearing a skirt suit. Always looking great. Ladies helping to dig a ditch- blazers. Not exaggerating.

I also thoroughly enjoy the guards that march along the canal. We live quite close to a canal and so I occasionally go walking along and there are almost always guards practicing their marching. The other day I came across quite a treat tho- they were play fighting. They didn't so much like a foreign girl sitting and watching them so I got up and moved along, but it was a great sight.

Can you tell? I am finally getting the hang of China.

posted by jjoollee @ 6:49 AM