March 1st - Beijing in Retrospect

Now that I'm back in harbin, I guess I have a chance to look back on my little excursion to Beijing. I picked up on a couple of things while there: 1) This is a city that is rich in history and culture and; 2) Beijing is becoming more and more commercialized ever day.

After speaking with a couple of locals, the ones who could answer me, I got the feeling that Beijing is the place to go if you're looking to make a quick buck, but definitely not a place to settle down for most people. There is heavy demand in the I.T. sector here, as many U.S. and European software companies have set up offices in Beijing. So like I said, make a quick buck and get the hell out. To start with, it's very touristy. I used to feel like a Novelty Act in Harbin, being the only paleface around for miles. "Step right up, folks. Come see the abominable white man in all his pasty glory!". Here in Beijing, I see whole packs of Germans, Australians, and Americans. You can tell where they are from by their little flag carried by the tour guide up front. If you get lost in the crowded streets, just look for those Broad Stripes and Bright Stars and play follow the leader.

I mention the crowded streets, but it's more like crowded street(singular). Wangfujing Street is a pedestrian-only zone lined with gift shops, English signs and no chance of being run over. Unlike in the other streets, where a "walk" sign is just a suggestion. "Walk, if you feel lucky." At night, Wangfujing street is like a Ghost Town. We walked through at 11PM when the shops are all closed, and there were only a few perfect strangers walking around. It was a pretty tranquil way to end our day.

The next morning though, it was like someone opened the great flood gates at the salmon-spawning site. As usual, I found myself going against the grain, or in this case, against the scales? I'm fighting my way upstream and squeezing between fatso American tourists and throaty Pasisian bimbos who smell like a perfume factory exploded in their general vacinity. It was like a big human stew, with Canadian as a garnish. It really reminded me how few Canadians there are in the world. I felt unique.

Just then, I saw someone wearing a Labbat's baseball cap from behind. I wanted to get closer to see if he was a fellow Canuck, but when he turned around, I was a bit confused. The first thing that caught my eye was his huge gut. Okay, I know a few Canadians who go a little overboard with the Timmy's now and then. I used to fit that bill, actually. But then I noticed what was covering his gut, or at least trying to. He was wearing a "Harley Davidson USA" T-shirt. Either this guy is generally confused, or he's an American tourist posing as a Canadian. I've heard of them, and to be completely honest, I smelled a Yankee. I decided to avoid a confrontation during which I probably would have grilled the poor guy on Provincial Capitals and Grade 4 Social Studies. There probably are a few Canadians here, but I think we're less obvious than that.

Getting around in Beijing can either be very easy, or very mind-numbing, depending on the time of day. Since try not to get out of bed before 8:30 whilst on vacation, I haven't experienced the morning commute at its peak. When we hopped on the subway at 11AM, it was pretty relaxed. But my, how quickly things change. I heard a little joke from a local. He said: "At 5 o'clock, Beijing is the world's biggest parking lot." He's right, too. We were meeting my wife's friends for dinner one night, and it took us a 30 minute taxi ride from the subway station to the restaurant, which ironically is the same length of time it would have taken on foot, according to the nice fellow who gave us directions.

So, in my conclusion, I have found Beijing to be a city of constant change. On one hand, you have the transformation of once sacred, untouched historical sites into money-making tourist attractions; On the other, you see a constant beautification process, brought on by the pressure to keep up with the rest of the modern world, plus the Olympics coming 5 months from now. If you are afraid of change, you would probably be afraid to leave your tiny, overpriced flat in Beijing.

I'm no expert on this subject, mind you. Heck, I only spent 4 days in Beijing. I didn't even scratch the surface of all the things to see & do. These are merely my opinions based on what I saw, and the information I gathered from the locals in my brief visit. If you go to Beijing tomorrow, you'll probably have an entirely different experience from mine. One thing's for sure though - being there made me crave some quiet R&R. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Being a tourist is tiring! I think I'll retire from it for a while after this trip is over.