A Massage and Mao Kitsch

A couple days ago, I went to get a massage at a place around the corner. We ended up paying 20 bucks for about 2 hours of full-body massaging. I went with a friend from my program and they put us in the same room. My friend had an older masseuse, while I had a younger girl. Both looked like they were probably former peasants from the provinces in Beijing to make a life.

There was a lot of banter and talk between the two masseuses( I think this is the plural form), and I for the most part had no idea what was going on. Then I feel my masseuse slip something into my hand. When I had turned over and had the chance to examine it, I realized it was a small red pin featuring Mao's portrait.

At this point I didn't know what the hell I was supposed to do with this, but I assumed it was some sort of flirtatious token. Then towards the end of the massage I find out, after asking my friend, that the girl wanted my phone number.

I said I didn't know my phone number, but my friend told it to her anyways. The next day I received a bunch of text messages but couldn't read them since my phone is unable to display characters. Thus, this was the last I heard from her.

But...I still have that piece of Mao kitsch as a little souvenir from my first massage in China.

Beijing Snow

Soccer field and basketball courts below my dorm building covered in snow, third ring road behind them.

Beijing Rule #1: Don't go to Maggie's

A couple nights ago I went out to Sanlitun, Beijing's hopping expat bar area, with a few guys from my program. It was thursday and it wasn't too crowded but we ended up hopping around a few bars and ending up at one place called Bar Blu, which was having a ladies night.

A girl made eye contact with me and came over to sit at our table. She ended up speaking Japanese, which one of the guys knew as well. We decided, although she was probably a little older than us, she was smart enough not to be a prostitute. We danced a little with her and then she suggested we go with her to another place. We agreed and soon we were in a cab headed to some place we knew not where.

The cab pulled up next to an old style Chinese building with a round entrance gate and a neon sign reading Maggies. Once inside, my other fellow classmate was dancing with this woman. It was at this point that the other guy I was with, who had grown up in Beijing and knew the city's bars well, told me that we had been taken to Beijing's most notorious hooker bar.

Indeed, upon realization, I noticed we were the youngest ones there by about 10 years. The room was filled with grey-haired white guys and young Chinese women, many of whom were probably xiaojie, literally Ms. but colloquially prostitute. The girl who took us was probably one too. And sure enough, she disappeared into the mix after realizing we weren't going to purchase her services.

We left, realizing we had been tricked but not too bad, and it was worth the story. But not we know what someone has in mind if they suggest going to Maggies.

Beijing Kaoya (Roast Duck)

A couple nights ago a woman who was a tourguide for my parents took me to a Peking Duck Restaurant, Bianyifang. So far, Peking Duck (Beijing Kaoya), has been my favorite food in Beijing.

This famous specialty, originally the special secret of the emperor's imperial kitchen, is made by roasting the duck to a crisp and inserting steaming hot water into the duck to separate the skin, which is then further roasted to a delicious fatty crisp, and bathed in sweet sauces.

It is served in a pancake, with scallions, hoisin plum sauce and cucumbers. In the Chinese opinion, the crispy skin is the best part of the duck. After the main meat was served, the deep fried bones and skin were brought out, which i took one bite of and politely put aside.

The View from My Dorm

I'm just getting settled into my new lodgings at Beijing Capital Normal University, my home for the next four months. I am living in what is called the International Culture Plaza, or the college of international education.

Having stayed in a hutong hotel for the past few days, moving to CNU, located on the western part of Beijing, is quite a contrast. The building is sleek and modern and the room is quite adequate, if a little spare. But many of you knew what a dump I was living in last semester at Berkeley and I can say that my new Chinese home is definitely an upgrade.

Great Wall, Pictures Coming Soon...

Da jia hao (hello everyone)...on Monday I went to see the Great Wall with a woman who was the tourguide for my parents when they came to China.

The Wall was pretty amazing to finally see in person but was a little smaller than I expected (I guess it usually is with those things). It was windy and cold, and there were fewer tourists than usual (according to my guide). In some places the wall ascends the hill so steeply that the steps are nearly vertical. In other sections, peasant women chased after me trying to sell me shirts and shalls. I ended up getting a shirt reading I have climbed the Great Wall for 20 RMB, costing a little more than 3 dollars. I felt pretty good about this buy because the vendor started at 100 RMB.

After the great wall, we had some lunch in a jade factory serving food that up until now has been the closest eating experience to U.S. Chinese food, which is much different than Chinese food in China. They had kung pao chicken, dumplings, and rice. Most restaurants I've been to have menus filled with pictures of strange concoctions of all size and shapes..towers of sliced duck liver, exotic fish items. At the roast duck restaurant later that day, in addition to the duck, they served us the deep fried skin and bones of the duck after we finished the main meat. I tried it but found it unappetizing.

The Ming Tombs were our afternoon excursion. We saw the tomb of Yongle, the Ming emperor who seized power from his nephew and founded Beijing as we know it. Then we saw the sacred way, a path lined with stone animal and soldier sentries.

To cap off the day Brenda (my guide) took me to Bianyifang roast duck restaurant where we had a Peking duck sliced and diced table side and served on plates with duck head ornaments. The duck, eaten with hoisin plum sauce, scallions, cucumbers, and rice pancakes, remains my favorite Beijing dish so far.

Bye for now. And to state again, pictures will be coming soon. I move into my CNU Capital NormalUniversity dorm today and will hopefully be able to set up my computer on the internet.

In Beijing !!! (在北京）

My first full day in China is coming to a close as fireworks go off in the hutong outside my hotel. It has been an eventful day and thankfully the sky cleared from yesterday's horribly orange pollution and the temperature was surprisingly balmy.

As we landed yesterday I was struck by the thick orange miasma of smog enveloping us, and in the massive new airport terminal designed by Norman Foster surprised by the apparent lack of crowds. This wasn't the China I had imagined. But on the drive from the aiport, having met by driver who held a sign reading STOKOLS but couldn't speak English, the tall and repetetive aparment blocks lining the expressway seemed more familiar. We drove along the third ring road, through Beijing's new CBD, passing the famous CCTV tower designed by Rem Koolhaas and the towering Guomao tower. We drove through Tiananmen and I caught my first glimpse of Mao, the great helmsman's portrait staring at me from above the gate.

My hotel is located in a hutong just off tiananmen and I will be staying here until I move into my dorm at Capital Normal University. After walking around the hutongs at night (creepy but fascinating) I got a bite to eat at a restaurant alone. I ordered a bowl of noodles and some sesame buns but I could barely finish either. This cost 40 RMB (about 5 bucks) and then I had my first encounter with a public toilet in a nearby hutong. This was one of the most foul-smelling places I have ever been in.

Today was my first full day in China. I met a friend from Berkeley, Eric, in Tiananmen and we made our way to my hotel and then towards the Temple of Heaven (Tiantan). This is Beijing's largest temple complex and features a beatiful blue-tiled altar, and at the other end a circular stone platform that is supposedly the nexus of heaven and earth. The park was crowded, with Chinese kids and old grandparents, families, all jostling their way. After tiantan, we went back into the chaos of the city and took a cab to Hongqiao, an electronics cum everything imaginable market. I was able to get a SIM card here with the help of Eric's bargaining. Then I took the subway (ditie) back to Qianmen (near Tiananmen) and walked to my hotel. I stopped off for a janbing on the way back. Janbing is essentially a doughy pancake wrapped with sauce, fried stuff, and scallions. It was 3.5 RMB and made to order.

The fact that I am actually in China still amazes me and I haven't fully adjusted yet. But with my phone set up, my subway card in my wallet, and my knowledge of the city streets increasing, I am already feeling a little more acclimated. I have taken 200+ pictures, and as soon as I can connect my laptop to internet I will post them.

Thanks for reading...zai jian ! (see you again)

About to Embark...

February 5th, 2009 9:30 AM, San Francisco Airport, International Terminal

In the sleek, new modern terminal of San Francisco airport I am waiting for my flight to Beijing and counting the wrinkled old red RMB notes bearing Mao’s stoic countenance I just received from a currency trader. I will be in China for six months, studying abroad, traveling, and possibly interning. This is a trip of many firsts: first time to Asia, first time living in a foreign country, first time living in a large city, first time traveling completely by myself.

This morning I awoke after getting merely 3 hours of sleep and my parents drove me to the airport. As I got out of the car into the terminal, a fiery red glow lit up the eastern sky as the sun rose--I being the night owl that I am rarely see such a sight. Then, echoing Mao, I proclaimed, "The East is red." I then declared the Chinese proverb, which I thought quite fitting for this occasion, "The journey of 1000 li begins with a single step." I said a sad goodbye to my folks, went through security, and was on my way to San Francisco for the first leg of the journey.

In around 12 hours I will be in Beijing, capital of the People’s Republic of China, ancient capital of Chinese dynasties, northern capital, etc. I have no idea what awaits me there, besides a whole lot of people, noise, pollution, and yes Chinese food. For the first five days before my program at Capital Normal University begins, I am on my own. I will be staying in a hutong, 胡同, an alleyway neighborhood that was once the fabric of the city.

Having just purchased my economist, whose title reads ominously Asia’s Shock, I am ready to go. I am ready for this adventure, after months of planning, anticipation, excitement, and nerves. I look forward to checking in again once I land in China…