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Published: April 18th 2011
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Beijing - Wow!
I'm new to Beijing - the architecture is amazing! Hi, It has taken me a few weeks to get my act together and figure out how to start a blog. So I'm posting what I wrote a few weeks ago. I'll soon catch up today.
My First Week in Beijing - early March
I’m having a quiet day today after a hectic jet-lagged, but exciting, first week in Beijing. I arrived on Monday morning and I was in the office by the afternoon. I am in temporary accommodation in a mini-apartment about 20 minutes walk from the office. The initial convenience is all-important because it spares me having to take taxis or public transport just to get to work.
No doubt you are expecting me to have lots of comments on how different Beijing is to the Western world. The amazing thing is that, on first impressions, it isn’t very different. If you were to see the view from my window you would think you were in downtown Toronto, Pittsburgh or Bangkok. This is not the Dublin skyline because we don’t have high-rise office blocks or apartments. My first questions were, “Where are all the people?” followed by “Where are all the cars?” It was a day or two
Beijing 2
young trees with rope winter coats before it dawned on me – “So few bikes!”
First of all, the weather: I thought it would be real Winnipeg winter here but I was lucky to arrive just at the end of winter. It is about -2C in the morning and warms up a bit during the day, although when there is a breeze it is icy. I wore a neck warmer and gloves for the first few days but they are no longer necessary in the daytime. It was a beautiful day of clear blue skies and sunshine when I arrived and my colleague said, “This is rare in Beijing”, but I have had five days in a row of it. Now it is only slightly cloudy and quite pleasant (today’s high +10C, low -1C). I have no problem with the air quality but I have been warned about the summer.
People and traffic: To get to the office twice a day I have to cross a very busy road with 5 lanes going each way, and no traffic light or pedestrian crossing! They are divided by an underpass with the Third Ring Road overhead, which is a real speedway. My colleague, Anne, accompanied me the
Beijing 3
an old showboat on the canal first day and when we got to the underpass there were some white parallel lines and cars passing either side. She said, “They aren’t supposed to hit you if you are between these lines.” All the lines look the same to me, so I scoot to the sidelines asap before attempting to dodge the traffic for the second 5 lanes. Actually, Dublin traffic trained me well for Beijing but I hear that drivers here are more deadly and don’t attempt to avoid pedestrians. So far I haven’t witnessed any accidents.
After I manage that crossing I have a very nice walk alongside the canal to the office. The canal has been drained and they are digging it up and putting in drains or something. Apparently the canal water had been pretty disgusting with green slime on the surface and an awful stench in the hot weather. But somehow fish survived in it. When they were draining the canal the staff watched from our office windows as locals waded into the water to catch the fish. Even local chefs were in there, catching fish to serve in their restaurants.
This area
is not far from Beijing centre, with lots of embassies and international company offices. Regularly one sees platoons of 8 - 10 Chinese guards marching in the neighbouring streets as they change the guards at each embassy.
There is at least one young guard at each embassy, dressed in a long green woollen coat and black fur hat. He stands on a cubic-foot box with a sign, “Duty Guard – No Disturbance.” What amuses me is the diligence of the sole guard. When I pass by I am usually the only person on the whole street. The way the guard swivels his head and cranes his neck, you would swear he was looking for some hooligan in a crowd!
These streets have very few cars and I've been thinking that the traffic generally is very restrained and manageable. Now I know that people are given permission to drive a car in Beijing on one day Monday to Friddas. Businesses often own a number of cars to ensure that they always have one on the road. However, anyone can drive on Saturdays and Sundays and I saw that yesterday the traffic was crazy.
I was told that the increase in
Beijing 5
-renovating the canal cars led to the sharp decline in cyclists. Those who do cycle don’t seem to wear helmets at all. Some busy roads have a railed-off cycle lanes where cars are banned. Some of my colleagues ride bicycles and they say it is a very good idea, especially in summer when it is too hot to walk for more than 5 minutes. I imagine one doesn’t cycle in the snow.
Apparently when it snows the City officials call out a virtual army of retired people who voluntarily sweep all the sidewalks clear of snow! I hope it snows once more so I can see that for myself.
Cheers, Sheila
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Bravo for blogging
I hope you will continue to blog as I have enjoyed reading your story. Can't wait to hear more. It is fun to read someone else's impressions.