Today, Brazilian ... And a Passport?

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Wednesday, May 31, 2006 - 8:27am

Another day, some more characters learned, words memorized, flashcards created.

Oh, I also saw The DaVinci Code, had Chinese dumplings and a brownie blizzard. The DaVinci Code was entertaining, but in no way that I could see spectacular.

The Chinese dumplings were quite good, and I'd go back for those in a second. The brownie blizzard from DQ was definately good, and I'd go back for one of those.

Today, Tine (pronounced Tina), Marianna and I are going to the Brazilian place. It has an actual name, but I don't know it. It is a restaurant here in Beijing, in Sanlitun area, which is near all the foreign embassies. Think Kitsilano along 4th or Broadway and that is the kind of flavor. Except more international.

Anyway, Tine guarantees me the best steak ever, so I figure that is probably worth it.

After that, I have to pick up my passport from the PSB with my visa extension. You know, I'm actually starting to run out of pages in my passport? When I left Canada, I had one lonely stamp from my trip to Mexico in 2003. They didn't stamp my passport in 2005 when I went back. Now I've got visas from India, 3 from Nepal, 1 from Thailand and soon, 2 from China. Plus all the pages they stamp. It's kind of wierd to think about filling up a passport. I thought that was something other people did, not me.

I'm Leaving, On a Jet Plane

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 - 11:16am

I'm jetting outta here. Again. Seems I'm always leaving some place.

Jon and Marcelle are gone off to Hainan (I think), some island that is in China, but south of China. Apparently it's quite a vacation spot. As an ex-travel agent, Jon was invited along for a free ride for a couple of days, then they phoned him up on Saturday and asked him if he had any friends who wanted to go. Marcelle happened to be sitting beside him, so there you go.

Marianna was in class yesterday, but she's not here today. I hope she's feeling alright.

So, it is just Jorge and me in class today.

My plane ticket arrived at the school about an hour ago. I'm flying to Bangkok Friday night. I'll be feasting on phad thai and sticky rice with mango in no time at all.

China's kind of backwards. What's the deal with these paper tickets? Air Asia is super convenient if you are getting around south east Asia. Find an internet cafe, book a ticket, show up at the airport on time (and at the right terminal), and Bob's your uncle.

In China, nope. Phone a travel agent or something like that, talk to a person, get a ticket price, arrange for delivery. Now I have a paper ticket I have to carry around and protect for 4 days. Not a big deal but I've been carrying and protecting my other paper ticket for 8 months now. It's the ticket home. It has a distinctive smell. Electronic tickets never aquire a distinctive smell.

Another wierdness? I was quoted 2324 yuan for the ticket. The ticket arrived. It said 5000 yuan on the ticket. What the heck?

The guy says, nope, only 2324 yuan. Why does my ticket say it cost twice what I paid? I don't get it.

Maybe I'll get there and find out I only bought half the seat, and I'll be up close and personal with the person who bought the other half of the seat.

A Tim Tam Slam

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Sunday, May 29, 2006 - 10:56am

I finally did it, a Tim Tam Slam.

What the heck is that?

Well, while in Pai in northern Thailand I met an Australian girl, Zoe, who introduced me to the fine Australian delicacy known as a Tim Tam. For those of you whose lives have yet to be enriched by this fine chocolatey goodness, a quick description is in order.

A Tim Tam is a couple of wafers with chocolate in the middle, then completely covered by chocolate. The taste, well, it can only be experienced, not described.

There are fake Tim Tams in Thailand, the made in Thailand variety, but these are not good. Don't eat them. In Pai, we were fortunate that Zoe found some good Tim Tams, imported from Australia.

At that time, she described a Tim Tam Slam to me, but, lacking a good coffee shop, I did not partake.

A Tim Tam Slam is when you bite the ends off the Tim Tam and then suck the coffee up through the Tim Tam as if it was a straw. The hot coffee melts the chocolatey goodness, and you get a mouthful of chocolate coffee. But the goodness does not stop there. The coffee soaks through the wafers and you eat the Tim Tam.

Well, this morning, finally, I had some Tim Tams, and steamed milk. Sorry, I'm still not a coffee drinker, so I'll have to live with this variation.

The result? Well, I highly recommend you get a box of Tim Tams and give it a try.

I'm Sore

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Friday, May 26, 2006 - 8:38am

Well, I went back to the martial arts school last night (http://www.kungfuinchina.com). This time I made it to class on time, and I was there for the 45 minutes of wushu basics they do as warm up.

I'm beat. And sore. It's been a couple of years since I've done a wushu basics class. They are hard.

Well, I've got all the way until Monday to recover before I go back for some more punishment.

We lost a classmate last Friday. Christine had to go back to Germany. Today is Marcelle's last day. He's going to travel around China for a while before he goes to Thailand. Yesterday, however, we were joined by a new classmate, Juan from Puebla in Mexico.

Time to go study a little before class. I only practiced my characters for a couple of hours yesterday. I had to leave the school at 5:30 so I could make my martial arts class.

Visa Run: China

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Wednesday, May 22, 2006 - 15:37

So, because I spent a week in China before starting Mandarin lessons, and I signed up for 4 weeks of lessons, I need a slight extension to my visa so I can stay long enough to finish the lessons before fleeing China for sunny Thailand, home of the delectable delicacy, sticky rice and mango.

So, for the past few days I've been talking, asking, checking, and over all attempting to discover what labrinth of red tape needs to be negotiated in order to extend a stay in China.

At first blush I needed passport photos with pale blue background, registration of residency (which you get by going to the police) and proof of $3000 USD. Well, the passport photos I normally carry around. Surpisingly they are often requested. There are more pictures of me scattered around Asia than there are in my mom's photography albums. In most of them I look gaunt, unshaven and a look as though I'm about to go out and run over puppies.

Which is natural because at the time the photos are being taken, I'm gaunt, unshaven and unhappy because I'm on the wrong end of a camera.

But I digress.

Next, registration with the local police. It isn't enough that my bags are searched when I arrived in the hostel (didn't I mention that?) and there is a constant police prescence in the lobby (because those darn dodgy looking foreigners, they could go nuts and do anything, like flushing toilets or god knows what).

Nope, now I have to register. Well, someone from the school called my hostel and chatted with them. As it turns out, I'm already registered with the local police. (1984 or 2006?) So, my hostel is able to easily supply me with the certificate of residency.

Next, proof of $3000 USD. They accept a presentation of cash or travellers cheques.

Hmmm.

As it turns out, an alternative exists. The best way to get a long visa in China, or to renew a visa is to be studying with an accomodating school. Before coming to China, the school will write you a letter so you can get a year visa, instead of 30 days. And once here, a good school (http://www.easyou.com.cn) will assist with your visa renewal, by going to the PSB with you, and telling the the police that you don't need to show $3000 in cash because you are studying Chinese with the school, and the school already has all your money so you are broke.

Now accepting donations.

More Martial Arts

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 4:26pm

Okay, I'm back, after a not so short lunch break. Tine (pronounced Tina), Jon, Marianna and I wandered down the street looking for food. We ended up ordering way to much from a Chinese menu we couldn't read.

The meat on a stick was quite good, whatever meat it was. Noodle soup, some sort of minced fried meat over rice in a hot pot, and a great dish of potatoes, eggplant and something in a good dark sauce. Yes, obviously I really know my Chinese food.

So, with the martial arts, it was good. I showed up late trying to find the place, but they were very nice. Enough English was spoken that I could ask for classes. I'm going to study Chen Style.

They have Bagua there too, and some external stuff, but I think I will stick with Chen Style for now.

Next class is Thursday, and man am I looking forward to it.

Martial Arts, Finally !!!

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 - 12:39pm

I found a martial arts school! You would think, hey, this is China. There are martial arts everywhere.

Yes, that is true. In the parks, around the city, etc. However, those teachers all speak Chinese. And I don't. So, this is an accomplishment.

Okay, Tine is hungry. I have to go. More later.

Lazy Weekend

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Monday, May 22, 2006 - 8:39am

Well, I had kind of a lazy weekend. I went looking around for a martial arts school Saturday morning, but no joy. Couldn't find the place. Addresses in Beijing leave a lot to be desired. And I can't read the names of the buildings anyway. They are always written in some strange foreign language. It's all Chinese to me.

Sunday, I hardly left my room. I just studied. After many hours of practice, I can confidentally read and write 31 Chinese characters. Go ahead feel free to congradulate me.

2000-3000 characters are needed to read a newspaper, so I figure, (3000-31=) 2969 to go.

But hey, if anyone needs the translate of hello:

你好

Food ???

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Friday, May 19, 2006

Well, last night I went out with a few people from the school. Peter (a British fellow), Mark (Canadian), Jon (Australian) and Tina (Belgian) were there. Later we were joined by a Swiss woman who I haven't actually met so can't name.

To start the evening, we dropped by Snack Street. The attraction of Snack Street? Someone said the scorpians on Snack Street are still alive and wiggling on the stick before they drop them on the oil to deep fry them for you to eat.

It wasn't true, but they purchased a stick of scorpians anyway. I say they because I really couldn't bring myself to eat one. I thought I should try it, but one look and I completely lost my appetite, for nearly an hour. Of course, I'd already eaten once that day, so I didn't have much appetite anyway.

The scorpians were followed by seahorses. Jon held back from eating a seahorse. He figured they are too cute to eat. I was busy keeping down my previous meal and also declined.

Next, we wandered north along WangFuJing street to the food street. There, surrounded by delightful delicasies, I regained my appetite, enticed by a 'Chinese hamburger', which is minced meat and parsley in a bun. Delightful.

I was up early again this morning, and made my way to Raitan Park again to sit and study for a while.

A woman I met in Thailand said, Chinese really know how to do parks. It is true. They also know how to use parks. There are people walking running, practicing various martial arts, juggling sticks, playing hacky sack, all sorts of lovely things.

A very interesting place to sit.

Raitan Park

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 8:26am

Well, I finally did it. I got my sleepy self out of bed and out of the hostel early enough to go to Raitan Park in the morning to see the people practicing martial arts and exercising. I say some guy playing at wushu, someone hitting a tree, and loads of people doing tai chi. The traditional Yang long form was there, a couple sword forms, fan form, someone doing some form of Chen style. It was great.

Also, loads of people power walking, some joggers, lots of badminton. There is exercise equipment in the park, and it was all full.

Healthy people all around.

Another Typical Day in Beijing

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 - 7:46pm

Time is flying by here. It is already the middle of week two studying Mandarin, and the middle of week 3 in Beijing. Crazy! How did that happen?

So, what is a typical day for me here in Beijing? Well, I woke up around 6, laid in bed for 15 minutes, made the usual unplesant trip to the bathroom. When the toilet stinks from 15 meters away from the bathroom, it's a bad sign. The toilet in the hostel stinks in 1 of two ways. Either it stinks of disinfectant when they have cleaned it. That lasts for about 15 minutes. Then it stinks like an outhouse. Flushing seems to conflict with religious or moral obligations some how, because it normally isn't done.

So, after that, I had a nice hot shower, went back to my room, and worked on memorizing the dialog that was assigned as homework yesterday. I didn't get it all memorized before class. Thankfully it turns out no one else did either.

I read for 15 minutes from Jack London's Whitefang, which was on the bookshelf in the hostel. I don't know who dropped it there, but I thank them. It's back there now for someone else's reading pleasure.

Then, at about 7:45 I headed out to the metro. It takes me about 45 minutes, walking and riding the metro, to go from the hostel to the school where I am studying. So, I was there about 8:30. A quick trip to the 7/11 for 1.5L of orange juice. (Hmmm, orange juice.)

Then, upstairs to check e-mail and continue trying to memorize the assigned homework.

Three hours of class from 9 - 12, with a 15 minute break at about 11.

At noon, someone is usually going out for lunch, so I do that. Today, Tina and I went to an Italian restaurant called Annie's. It was really good. You know, I think it has been months since I've had Italian. I had a great lasagna with mushrooms. Loaded with tasty cheese.

That was good.

Back to the school to study for a few hours, then I headed home at about 6:30. Another 45 minutes on the metro and walking, during which time I stare around at all the Chinese writing on the subway alls, and billboards and try to pick out the 10 characters (out of 3 - 4 thousand) that I know. Since I know the numbers from 0 - 10, I can usually find my characters somewhere. Counting happens all the time, or times are written, or numbered lists are posted.

Now, I'm back home, 3 floors underground in my hostel. After I'm done writing, I'll go back to my room and study until I fall asleep.

I love this city. If only the money would last for a full year in China.

Chinese Food

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Tuesday, May 16, 2006 - 8:45pm

So, apparently I surprised a few people with the bar story in a previous posting.

Just to clear the record and keep my reputation intact, I'd like to be clear. I had Sprite.

And I don't really see the point of drinking games. I mean, really, you are going to drink that whole Sprite anyway. Does it really matter you have to take an extra sip a little sooner?

Well, today we headed out for the usual lunch after class. It is actually the only meal I eat all day. Ever since 23 days in a Thai monastery, I really think we eat to entertain ourselves, not usually out of true need for fuel.

Today, the lunch party was Jonathan (Australian from Melborne), Tina (Belgian woman), Silvia (Italian) and Silvia's Italian friend (whose name I obviously didn't catch.)

We walked north away from the school to a little restaurant that Jonathan and I had been to before, but the others had never seen. The school is in a very clean, modern area, with high rise buildings all around. The area north of the school is older, 1 story brick houses that look a little rough around the edges.

About part way Jonathan and I headed in to one of them, saying it was the restaurant. All 3 girls came to a dead stop and would go no closer. There was no way they were eating in there.

So, we kept walking north, to the real restaurant. Which specializes in Sichuan food. For those that don't know, Sichuan food is from Sichuan province. Hah, that's useful to know. Okay. Sichuan has a reputation for the spiciest food in China. For your information, Italians don't seem to care much for spices. They were full after a couple of small nibbles.

Not a popular lunch choice.

Tomorrow, we are going to try Brazillian food. Tina swears it is the best fillet minon ...

Where does the time go?

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Tuesday, May 16, 2006 - 8:45am

Well, I just realized, this is the beginning of my 3rd week in China. Time is flying by.

I've worn holes in the socks I bought in Nepal 4 months ago. The socks I bought in Canada almost 8 months ago, however, are still going strong, though slightly discolored.

So, I bought some new socks at a department store near the school. Would you believe it? I got 3.5 pairs of socks.

Out And About ...

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Sunday, May 14, 2006 - 10:44am

Well, I was out and about yesterday. I spent the morning using Audacity to edit the sound track from the CD for my Chinese language book from the school. Some brain surgen decided that it would be a bright idea to put the whole 35 minutes of exercises as a single track on the CD, so you can't go and work on a specific exercise, you have to go through the whole track to find the exercise you are looking for, then write down the time index (so you can get back there).

Audacity is kind of cool. I've never done sound editing before, so I don't know how it compares with other programs, but I liked it.

In the afternoon I studied, and in the evening I met some people from the school.

I snacked on some mystery meat on a stick that I bought off a stand on the side of the road. Wow, that was good stuff. It was spiced up really nicely. We went to a bar for a couple hours, then to a Thai restaurant called the Purple Haze for dinner. Yes, I'm in China eating Thai. People who have been here for a few months refuse to eat any more Chinese food. They are sick of it. I'm not sick of it yet, but I've been here less than two weeks, so who knows.

The Thai food was good, nice and spicy. Naturally I woke up at 4:30am with stomach pains. I expected it.

Learning Chinese

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Friday, May 12, 2006 - 9:04am

Well, the school is good. I've been working on initials and finals and tones for the past 5 days, which is good I think.

http://www.easyou.com.cn

Is the school. The teachers are friendly and helpful, and the other students are great. I haven't been studying much though, hahaha. I went out for more noodles at the place across the road from the school with Marcell and Jon yesterday at lunch time. Then I bought some paper supplies from the supermarket and went back to the school to study with Jon.

We had big intentions, but we ended up chatting for a couple hours then going out for drinks and food with Christine and Pieter until 9pm.

Good times.

Back To School

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Monday, May 8, 2006 - 6:53pm

Well, it has been a busy few days.

Zoe, an Australian I met in Pai in northern Thailand, is in Beijing for a couple of days, so we've been running around everywhere. We've been to the Forbidden City. At one time the price of entry was death. Hence the name, Forbidden City. These days it is a bargin at a mere 60 yuan (~ $9 CND).

We wandered around Tianamen Square. The lineup to get in to see Chairman Mao's body was so long we gave it a miss.

Beside the square was a museum where we spent a few hours looking at pottery and wax sculptures.

We wandered up and down Wangfujing street, and found Snack Street, just off of Wangfujing. It is just what is sounds like it is. Vendors selling food, good food. Fried food. Tasty food.

Food that was enjoyed was strawberries on a stick, dipped in a sugar syrup. Think candied apples (called toffee apple in Australia I'm told), only strawberries instead of apples. Tasty sugary goodness on a stick.

Some kind of wrap with fried noodles in it.

Later, we wandered futher north up Wangfujing Street and found a full blown night time food market along a side street. Wow, some feasting went on there. More fried noodles, (a particular favorite of mine), sticky rice with red bean in a pineapple. Various kinds of deep fried tofu.

There was meat on a stick, but I didn't make it there. I was running short on room.

Well, this morning I was feeling a little worried that I had still not found a Mandarin school, but an inquiry I started last week worked out. I'm booked for 4 weeks of lessons at:

http://www.easyou.com.cn

It looks good. There is weekly calligraphy lessons too, nice.

More China

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Thursday, May 5, 2005 - 7:45pm

Well, I'm still here. I've been hunting around for a Mandarin school. And guess what? I learned that this week is a break. The Mandarin schools, they aren't open, even to talk about a new student showing up for next week.

That is a bummer.

Walked around the Forbidden City today with Zoe, and Australian I met in Pai a couple weeks ago who is Mexico bound, the long way around the world. At the rate she's going it will take her months to get there.

China !!!

Location: Beijing, China
Local Time: Tuesday, May 2, 2006 - 6:30pm

You know, I remember that during my first week in India, I wanted to go to China so badly I actually considered flying there and skipping the other parts of Asia entirely.

Later, while spending time in Nepal, which borders China (well, Tibet), considered it again, but exercised my patience once again.

Now I am here.

It's actually a lot like Richmond, except some of the signs are in English here.

Speaking English

Location: Singapore
Local Time: Monday, May 2, 2006 - 6:32pm

About seven months ago I landed in Singapore where I spent a day before flying on to Delhi. From there north to Nepal, from there I hopped over to Thailand, then south to Malaysia, back to Thailand, back to Malaysia, back to Thailand, now back to Singapore. The airplane makes the world small.

So far, I have easily gotten by speaking only English, everywhere. Back home, it somehow seems implicitly obvious, people should speak English, everywhere. Shouldn't they? Why wouldn't they?

Well, because there are more languages in the world than I can imagine. One fellow in Sarawak in Malaysia told me there are over 30 different tribes, with different languages, in that area alone.

Flying from Malaysia to Thailand then to Singapore in 3 days made me think about it a little more. On the flight from Malaysia, the airline announcements were in Malay and English. From Bangkok to Singapore, the airline announcements were in Thai and English. In Singapore, the signs are in English and Chinese.

They use to say, the sun never sets on the British empire, and probably that is at least part of the reason English is so dominate. I don't know.

What I know is, I'm glad I grew up in an English speaking country, because English would have been difficult to learn as a second language.

Bangkok

Location: Singapore
Local Time: Monday, May 1, 2006 - 6:15pm

Well, I had a bit of a whirlwind weekend. On Friday I heard from Val, and she asked me to meet her in Thailand. So, I arranged a flight out on Saturday, flew to Bangkok Saturday afternoon, spent Sunday with her, flew out of Bangkok Monday to Singapore, where I am now.

I had a bit of an adventure in the airport in Malaysia. I went to KLIA, and went to the same terminal I had gone to the last two times I flew out of that airport. (Can you believe that, I've flown out of KLIA 3 times. About the same number of times I've flown out of Vancouver aiport.)

My flight was listed on the screen, but no checkin counter, so I sat down to wait. I waited for about an hour, and then it popped up.

DI LCCT

Which changed after a few moments to:

AT LCCT

and then changed back a few moments later.

I didn't know what that meant, but I thought vaguely, maybe DI was actually Dl (always tricky to know I from l), which might mean delayed.

So, I went to the bathroom, then came back. Still the same.

So, I went to the counter and asked. The woman looked at me, "Oh. Well, maybe you still have time. That flight leaves from the new terminal. You can get a taxi downstairs."

Holy Man. So, I rushed downstairs. A guy comes up to me. Taxi, he asks. I need to go to the new terminal, LCCT. 40 ringgit.

I pull all my remaining Malay currency out of my pocket and say, 26 ringgit.

Okay.

He takes me downstairs to his little red car (NOT a taxi) and we jump in and shoot off.

It is a 15 minute drive, and I check in 5 mintues before the counter is about to close.

I go to the gate where the flight should leave from, and it is right about the time when we should be lining up. So, with my recent experience fresh in my mind, I ask someone if the flight has boarded yet. No, not yet.

No problem. Minutes later they announce, the flight is delayed 35 minutes.

Ahhhh.

Back in Bangkok the heat hits me like a hammer when I leave the aiport buildings. I hear a woman mention Kosan Rd, and ask her if she wants to share a taxi.

In the taxi we chat. Alejandra (Ali for short) is from Montreal, Quebec. Canadians, they are everywhere. She's headed home in a couple days after 4 months in South East Asia (SEA).

Hotel rooms are in short supply on Kosan Rd, so we end up sharing a two bedroom room for the night too. Next morning, I said goodbye and went to find Val's hotel.

Thai street food is amazing. Near the hotel where I stayed Sunday night there was a major street with dozens of different vendors with all sorts of food. Piles of rice, noodles, chicken, pork on a stick and oodles of stuff I didn't even know what it was.

We bought pork on a stick, it was delicious, and some kind of egg pancake with bread or something mixed into the egg. It was wrapped around shredded cocanut. It was amazing.

An attack of the munchies had us out wandering the streets at 11pm, and guess what? The food vendors are still selling. I had phad thai.

Now, I'm in Singapore. The guide says the food here is quite good too. I'm going to go check it out.