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Published: August 6th 2007
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Bike, is that you?
How did you end up in China? One of the many joys of traveling to a foreign country is the chance to interact with local people. Whether it be a conversation with someone on a bus, or trying to guide a taxi driver using a map and gestures, the results are almost always smiles and a friendly parting. You don't need to speak the language to communicate, and it affirms that most people in the world are generally honest and sincere.
However, there are a few out there that are pond scum. They skulk through the crowd looking for a foreigner with a camera and backpack, hoping they'll be dumb enough to fall for their scam. It's amazing, the stories you hear when you hang out in the common area of a hostel. Dangerously close to the legal definition of retarded, these people get conned into the most unbelieveable scenarios. Handing over large sums of money or their passport to some official-looking person, only to later realize that the were switched with phonies, are some of the more common tricks. Others include persuasion into purchasing overpriced souvenirs and sometimes theft, assault and sucky-sucky.
Now, we've made mistakes before...everyone has. And those that say they don't are
Prayer Cards
You write your name on the prayer card, then tie it to something, anything, in front of the temple. either lying or are so anal that they never have any fun. All it takes is a momentary lapse in judgement and ignoring obvious signs that something's off. It happens, no big deal. Just remember, if they want your business so bad, then something's not right and you should simply walk away.
Leaving the Summer Palace we were surrounded by taxi sharks. For those out of the loop, 'taxi sharks' are those irritating bastards that hang outside popular sites and coax you to jump into their ride. Normally we'd cruise past them and flag a cabbie from the street. Well, we got lazy and jumped in, not really noticing the lack of proper taxi signage and stickers that usually adorn the windows and dashboard.
We were heading to Fragrant Hills Park, about 10km away, a trip that should cost around $4. Halfway there we noticed the meter and odometer were climbing rather quickly, and by the time we arrived it was a $12 fare. Not one to back down, we confronted him and offered less-than-fair compensation for trying to swindle us. Denise took down his license plate while I chewed his ass out. Eventually he caved and realized
Incense Sticks
Offerings at the altar, Lama Temple. he wasn't going to win. A police officer walked by across the street and that's when the cabbie decided to cut his losses and go find another victim.
In the end there was no harm done. It didn't cost us any more money than we were already willing to part with, and we got a cautionary story to tell. So, in reality we came out ahead.
Our second victory came as a favour to some hopelessly confused tourists who were obviously in over their head - it was clearly their first time abroad. In the taxi queue, a taxi shark scooped up this family from an honest driver, and was saying he could get them to their destination for only $5. Problem being that the ride would only cost $2. So I strolled by with a grin on my face and said
Make sure he uses the meter.
Well, if that didn't cause a shit storm! The cabbie overheard and got very angry.
METER? Fuck you! Get out of here. METER? Fuck off! Go away!
and so on and so forth. We just laughed at him, and so did the honest driver behind him who witnessed the exchange. The family stood there, unsure what to do. We continued on our way and never saw if they
Paintings
In the old-world market street of Liulichang. Only minutes from our hostel, a rare slice of history in this quickly developing city. got in or not. If they did then they deserved it. They should've done their homework.
These are two minor incidents, exceptions really, to the way we've been treated when we travel. Like the man on Khao San Road in Bangkok who just wanted to chat, or the crooner in Shanghai who serenaded Denise with 'Take Me Home Country Roads'. To list all the generous souls who have helped us on our way would be exhausting, but suffice to say we've had far more good experiences than bad.
We ventured to the outskirts of the city to get some fresh air at Fragrant Hills Park, a forest retreat filled with walking trails, cafes and tea houses. It was a great way to spend the afternoon despite the trees being bare, as we arrived a little early in the season.
Both Lama Temple and Dongyue Temple are calm escapes from the chaotic city. Lama Temple is an active lamasery, and one of the most important Buddhist Temples outside of Tibet. It's an active place of worship filled with incense and people in prayer. The grounds aren't as impressive as most temples we've seen, but it's probably the most
Calligraphy
Sidewalk paintings with a water brush. spiritually significant.
Dongyue Temple, with its 76 Departments of Heaven is really something to be seen:
You can deposit a coin or two for healthy finances at the Department for Bestowing Material Happiness, or pay your respects to feathered friends at the Department for Flying Birds. Many of the characters within these departments (particularly those at the Department for Wandering Souls) are straight out of a Hollywood horror film.
Lonely Planet, Best of Beijing
As for the rest of Beijing, it was a delightful stay. While the food's not as diverse (or as delicious) as Shanghai, the sites are top-notch and among the best you'll find anywhere in the world. It's a diverse, colourful city filled with sights, shopping, snacks and scammers. How you choose to remember your trip is up to you.
Camille & Denise
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El Steve-o
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Red Building
The only reference to a red building in Fragrant Hills Park that I could find is what is called the Red Terrace. Something tells me, that isn't what you guys photographed though. Anyway, stay safe and we'll see y'all in just over a year.