When Worlds Collide: Part 4

Beijing State of Mind

I think when people think of China, they either think of two things: the romantic, rolling hills covered in the mists straight out of Mulan OR cement buildings, crowds, traffic, and pollution. Both are very real... the more romantic version can be found in the south in places like Guilin and Yangshuo and the stark, kind of nasty version (if we're all being honest) version is in Beijing. It's true that Beijing is over crowded, dirty, and so polluted that it really can be hazardous to your health (my friend, Dave, just started using an inhaler due to the pollution) but there are also so many things to do and see in the city that it would be a sin to not stop by for at least a few days to visit.

March 28th

Saying, "Farewell!" to Adam, Mama Woomer and I packed our backpacks (that might have been a challenge for her!!) and headed downtown to the new Hangzhou train station for our six hour train ride to Beijing. Last time I went to Beijing, it was a 16 hour ride overnight on hard seats... Needless to say, I did not sleep at all and it could be one of the worst experiences I've had in China thus far (other than that awful flight from Dalian during National Holiday... read more here!). So when Mama Woomer was coming, I was more than willing to drop the 580元 on tickets for the fast train (one ticket, one way... ouch). 

We stopped off at McDonald's (remember: NO JUDGING!!) and killed about two hours by eating and wandering around the new train station (Seriously, it is too big to be a train station... but there is a Disney store, so I will let that go). Soon it was time to join the rabble in the clump that I'm sure was supposed to resemble a line but this is China and lines have not been invited yet. Following the herd, we found our train, found our seats (WINDOW!! Kind of...) and settled in with our water, cookies, and ramen. We talked nearly the whole time about lots of fun, exciting, different stuff (♥), watched the sun set, nibbled on some snacks, and read... and before we knew it, we had left Hangzhou way behind us and arrived in Beijing.

Mama Woomer's first bowl of ramen... EVER!!

We wandered around the train station, walking in circles a bit too long trying to find probably the only tall white guy in the whole place. Eventually found him--Dave--Mama Woomer got to meet him and I was finally reunited with my Disney twin. 

The moment Mama Woomer and Dave met, I knew it would be anatomic and energetic with some glitter thrown in just because. Mama Woomer is a whole lot of human. Dave is a whole lot of human. I liked pushing them together and just sitting back and listening (I admit, it was also nice to not have to be the only one entertaining anymore)! 

A taxi ride later, we were in Dave's beautiful apartment (I'm not bitter) and (despite the fact  that we had been traveling literally all day), we stayed up well past midnight just talking, laughing, and eating watermelon.

March 29th 

This was the day that any person who comes to China waits for--The Great Wall. Originally, I was thinking of taking Mama Woomer to Yangshuo to see the mountains but you cannot come to China and not see the Great Wall... So to Beijing it was. 

We went our separate ways from Dave for the day (he's as sick of the Great Wall as I am of West Lake) and, once again, I was in charge (oh no!!). I was confident in myself--the last time I went out to the Great Wall was super easy: Rachel, Dave, and I just hopped onto a bus, paid our 6元, and we went along on our merry way. Piece of cake!

Well apparently there is a difference between December and March... silly Amanda.

We found the bus that I had taken out to Badaling easily (too easy if you ask me now). We waited in an actual line (don't get to excited--there were metal barriers that forced people to wait in the line) for about 30 minutes, got on the bus and the driver asked us, "Where are you going?"

I wanted to say, "We're two white women... Where do you think we're going?!" but instead I replied, "The Great Wall."

"Wrong bus."

WHA?!? Excuse me? Cue a small rumble of panic in my stomach.

Mama Woomer and I pushed our way past the people still trying to get by us on the bus and began to wander around the bus stop (which is really just a glorified round about) searching for the right bus. We found another long line and someone who looked official kept saying, "Badaling," so I assumed we were in the right place... But there was no sign and no buses were coming. It had been almost an hour at this point. I left the line to wander around looking for a clue (I felt like I was on Scooby Doo) and eventually found one in the form of a sign that said 八达岭 ("Badaling"). Now, I can't read Chinese but I knew that the name of the part of the Wall that we were going to was Badaling and I know the Chinese character for "ba" so we left the second line we were in and got into the absolute longest line in the whole bus stop. 

There are too many people in China...

Luckily the line moved quickly(ish), we had cute kids selling flags for 1元 (I still wish I had bought one), and an overly enthusiastic man selling corn on the cob (aka: the most monotone human being I have ever heard on this glorious planet).  After about an hour of waiting in that line, we made it onto the bus, we got seats, and we got seats together. Uffda!

 My goal was to get to the Great Wall by 12:00pm... Our bus didn't even leave the bus stop until 12:15pm. Throw in some bad traffic and we had about only two hours to climb up, see, explore, and come down from the Wall before the last bus left and rush hour traffic started.

But the Woomer Women are hearty stock and we marched our way past meandering tourists and hiked our way up the Wall, calling out 加油 (Jiāyóu... "You can do it!!") to all the out of shape Chinese tourists huffing and puffing, and found some perfect spots for photo ops!

  

I think I take living in China for granted a lot. I spend so much time with Adam and the other foreigners; we go from one person's apartment to another and from one Western restaurant to another. It's moments like riding your bike down Wen Yi in the middle of the night with no cars, drinking beers and eating your weight in niangao, having strangers come up and ask to take photos with you that remind you that you and Toto are not in Kansas anymore. The Great Wall does that for me too... It is this big, ancient, mysterious thing that has loomed in the imagination of my childhood; it is something that people only dream of seeing one day and there I was seeing it for a second time. It makes me love China and it makes me love my life.

Coming down was way more fun than going up. Badaling (and some of the other Great Wall locations) have fun little attractions to help you up and down and at Badaling, they have (what they call) the "Sliding Cars." It is basically a completely unsafe roller coaster on an uneven track with rusty cars that you sit in with a bar that kind of just sits across your lap, encouraging you to stay seated. I had done it when I first visited Badaling in 2012 and enjoyed it so much that Mama Woomer knew it was there and she wanted to do it too... Of course we got the sketchiest cars and it was just as awesome as I remember (though WAY warmer).

At the bottom of the track there is a great little market area selling photos, food, toys, kitschy merchandise, drinks, Tshirts... they even have bears (random)! We stopped and grabbed some food (Chinese hamburgers) and some sesame toffy that we watched them make. Hopping back on the bus we made it back to Beijing just in time for dinner.

Meeting back up with Dave and some of his other friends, we went to one of their favorite things--hot pot!! If you are thinking back to Mama Woomer's first night in China (You can read all about THAT, here) and the hot pot we went to then... THINK AGAIN!! This was a super nice, super delicious hot pot with your own personal pot with the flavor you want (spicy all the way), you order SO much food (meat, glorious meat), and you mix and make your own dipping sauce (I could drink that stuff). While there, we got Mama Woomer to try duck blood and baijiu (nasty disgusting alcohol that you could clean with). One she liked, one she did not like... You be the judge.

After dinner, the night was still young and it was time to introduce Mama Woomer to the magic that is KTV. For those of you who don't know, KTV is just like karaoke BUT instead of singing in the middle of a bar in front of strangers, you get a private room with just you and your friends; sometimes they're really nice and fancy with comfy couches, tables strong enough to dance on, and lights everywhere. She knows that I enjoy going out to KTV with Rachel, Becky, and some of my other friends from Oswego but she had never had the chance to experience it herself... and where else could be better than China?! ABBA, Queen, Backstreet Boys, Ke$ha, Lady Gaga... it was a night filled with white guys rapping, people banging on tambourines off beat, and a finale of "Hey Jude" that would have made Sir Paul proud... I think mom's first KTV experience was a hit! {PS: And absolutely NO alcohol was consumed during KTV... Impressive!!}

March 30th

With the Great Wall out of the way, Sunday was a day of epic sightseeing in Beijing. The day started perfectly with a breakfast that would make any expat miss America... Pancakes and eggs and bacon and hot chocolate... I felt as though I was at Denny's!! I've been pretty good with not missing America TOO much (why open that painful door if I know I can't get any decent American food [especially breakfast food] for another year?!), I've been able to survive on Papa John's and Burger King for the last seven months now... But those pancakes were a gift from above.

 Once again, the ladies split from Dave and we headed to the other place that every foreigner must visit if they are ever in Beijing. Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City. 

Now I am not too familiar with Tienanmen Square (it happened before I was born and let's be honest--I might get arrested if I try to look up more information over here). Today, it's a huge wide open space with lots of government buildings, vendors, photographers, and the mausoleum of Chairman Mao. As we first set foot in the Square, Mama Woomer was definitely in awe. I love going to places that I've been before and seeing them anew through the eyes of my companions (I just felt like Doctor Who writing that). Sadly, the mausoleum with our good friend Chairman Mao was closed--I went inside in 2012 to see Mao and I would have gone in again but alas... Maybe next time!!

Directly across the dangerously busy street, is a huge image of Chairman Mao's face plastered right on the gate of the Forbidden City (I have a lot of feelings on that matter but I better not post them openly on the internet over here... if you know what I mean... *cough*Bigbrotheriswatchingyou*cough* 

The last time I visited the Forbidden City, it was cold (the coldest I have ever been and that is saying something having lived in Buffalo, studied in Oswego, and visited Quebec in February) and I was miserable because of the cold. So to go back when the sun was shining (yes the sky was blue and the sun was shining in Beijing while we were there... the jealousy you feel is natural and will soon pass...) and the fact that the weather did not force me to wear a scarf, earmuffs, and two pairs of gloves made me a happy little Amanda.

The Forbidden City is huge. 

There. That's it.

 

But seriously, they're not kidding when they call it a city. It just keeps going and going and going and all the buildings look the same (seriously, I've gone twice now and I will probably never go again). Yes the buildings a beautiful and yes the history is old and rich but 40元 to walk around a huge courtyard, look at 150 buildings that look identical, avoid pickpockets and crazy "tour guides", and trying to find the exit is just not worth it to me anymore.

That being said, I do love rubbing the knobs for good luck as you enter (I'm a total sucker for things that are supposed to bring you luck) (Yes, I am aware of just how awful "rubbing the knobs" sounds). I love that, because the Forbidden City is so big, the crowds don't seem to be too bad. And the Imperial Gardens are absolutely beautiful and my favorite part (plus how can you not love the name "Hill of Accumulated Elegance"?!?).

 Still having a little time left before we had to meet back up with Dave for dinner, we hopped back on the metro and headed to the Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium. It really is beautiful (though there is literally nothing to do there). In 2012, when I went there for the first time, I went for Aunt Sue and this time in 2014, Mama Woomer also went for Aunt Sue (she's an Olympics fan if you can't tell)! We had just enough time to run up to it, snap some pictures, and turn back around to head back to Beijing Normal University.

Taking a cab for literally 12 seconds (don't ask), we picked up Dave and headed out to one of his favorite places to eat Guizhou cuisine. 

When you eat with Dave, you eat a lot--you are never short on food--and that night was a veritable feast. I still don't know what half of the things we ate were, but there is one thing that I am 100% sure of... You might want to skip the next paragraph in fear of hating me forever.

One thing that many people who come to live in China say that they want to try... is dog. It's a stereotype in America that people in Asia eat dog and stereotypes do come from somewhere. However, I can tell you that in Hangzhou, it is not very common (many of my students seemed traumatized when I told them that I had tried it), however it is available and many expats seek it out to be able to try it. So you might think that we are cruel and disgusting but, honestly, I don't think that we are the minority when it comes to trying dog... not one expat  that I have met has said that they did not want to try it and everyone that I have talked to who has tried it, liked it. It tasted like a very smoky venison. I'm still not sure of whether or not I liked it... but I did keep eating it. And I'm sure I'll have it again since Adam hasn't gotten to try it yet... Oh the things we do for love...

The jury is still out...

 We digested our dinner of dog and other Guizhou delicacies by walking around one of the lakes of Beijing (yes, apparently it has lakes... Though not THE West Lake) and spending a few hours on top of a rooftop cafe. 

A great end to a great time up in Beijing. I got to show Mama Woomer around some of the iconic places in China (and maybe even the world), I got to try some amazing new foods, I got to hang out with one of the funnest guys I've ever met (thanks again for letting us crash with you, Dave!), I got my KTV fix, and I think we ended Mama Woomer's China adventure on quite the high note... 

Only a few days remained in China...

Until Next Time,

Amanda 

Thanks, Dave!!

 

Bizarre Foods with Amanda Woomer

I think we all know (if not LOVE) the show on Travel Channel with Andrew Zimmern, Bizarre Foods. It's one of my favorite TV shows and after I got to meet him (very) briefly while working down in Disney World, I loved him and his show even more. Every time I watch his show, I ask myself, "Could I eat that?" and so far the only thing that I know I could never do is the fertilized chicken eggs in the Philippines. I like his philosophy of, "If it looks good--EAT IT!" and especially when I am traveling, I like to try and remember this each time I sit down to eat.

Well let me just tell you that living in China is definitely a culinary adventure. Everyday when I go out to try and find a place to eat, it is a difficult task (if they don't have an English menu) and so I have been reduced to choosing my meals based on the photographs of them on the menu and hoping for the best. The first time there was only one picture on the menu of some kind of soupy noodle dish with pork (which ended up being delicious) and yesterday was a major success with rice, veggies, and (I think) beef {I know that's really something you never want to say but it was very good so I am going back to Andrew Zimmern and standing by my choice to eat whatever type of meat it was from whatever part of the body because it was delicious}.

Delicious pork soup... 好吃！

Going into restaurants and just ordering food based on how they look in photos (that are designed to make them look the most appetizing) is a bit like playing Russian Roulette. Sometimes it's a win and sometimes it is a big, fat loser. So far I am two for two and I hope to keep it that way.

Apart from getting to explore the culinary delights of the restaurants found in downtown Hangzhou, I have gotten three home cooked meals since I've arrived, all of them compliments of my former college roommate, Miaomiao, and her family.

Saturday, I spent the entire day at Miaomiao's house with her husband, Chenzhi, and her parents (who I met at her wedding) and her grandfather (who, despite the fact that he knew I couldn't understand him, decided to have a constant conversation going with me). I arrived just in time for lunch and found myself ready for a home cooked meal (I guess I've been spoiled my whole life by my mom's cooking). We had crab, noodles, rice (of course), bamboo (which I might have eaten half the plate), green beans, soup, and some meat.

We sit down and begin eating and after we get passed everyone praising me on my chopstick skills (I don't think I will ever tire of that), we began to dig in. I've found that it can be best not to ask what you are eating until after you have already tried it, deemed it to be good or bad and then go from there (either a second helping or going on to something safe and recognizable, like, you know, vegetables-- and that is what I was sticking to for the first few bites of the meal: bamboo, green beans, and spinachy greens). But then Mama Huang went in for the kill.

She picks up a piece of meat from the bowl and places it on top of my rice. I don't have to tell you that (obviously) I eat it; this is due to A). my (sometimes untimely) adventurous spirit and B). a desire to not offend the mother of one of my dearest friends who, no doubt, made said questionable meat. So I pick it up with my chopsticks (yes, I've begun to pick up heavy-ish things!!) and take a bite.

What is with the Chinese and their obsession with anise flavored things? First the chicken feet from Hefang Street last year and now this?!? *sigh* Other than that, what did it taste like? Chewy. Fatty. Sticky. Not exactly sure how I felt about it but I guess I enjoyed it enough to keep going without even knowing what exactly I was eating. It wasn't until Miaomiao had the grace to let me know, that I wanted to put my chopsticks down and start to cry.

She turns to me and asks oh- so innocently, "Do you also eat pig feet in America?"

Say what?!?

If I ever doubted my acting abilities prior to this moment, those doubts were immediately washed away. I informed her that, while pig feet is available in the United States, it isn't one of the more commonly consumed parts of the body. Dodged that bullet.

Chenzhi, Miaomiao, and me--notice the full bowl of pig feet in the middle of the table

 

 

After a trip to THE West Lake (which is so much more beautiful in the summer than December) and looking at Miaomiao's wedding album, we came back to her house for round two.

 

We had a delicious soup with eggs and tomatoes, asparagus, rice (duh), some more crab, and guess what reared it's ugly head again? Yes, indeed... those little pig feet. Trying to be polite bit me in the butt... I tried to pick the smallest one out of the batch and as I tried to lift it up, realized that it was much heavier than it should have been. Mama Huang in her helpful state, picked up that very piece and placed it in my bowl once more. How sweet...

 

This thing was a monster! I tried to bite into it, my teeth basically bounced off of it. Yum. I tried dropping it and putting it back in my bowl and it stuck to my fingers. Oh boy! As I turned it around, little hairs from the piggy's little feet where there. Oh boy, am I full!!

 

Needless to say, that was quite the culinary adventure. The only thing that made up for the pig feet is the yangmei, or waxberry, we got to eat for dessert... SO YUMMY!! <--and THAT is not sarcasm.

 

So you might be thinking, "Amanda! You can't possibly think that eating just pig feet is enough to compare yourself to the great Andrew Zimmern!" and I would tell you that you would be correct.

 

Which is where last night comes into play.

 

After another lovely day at THE West Lake and after we got so lost on the bus that I finally had to break down and hail a cab and find the nerve to tell him in Chinese where we needed to go, we arrived at Miaomiao's house to eat dinner with her and her two coworkers.

 

Shufei, Shuhua, and good ol' me

 

I walked in and saw the dinner table all set. There was bamboo (yay!!), green beans, "eggs and grass", crab, chicken nuggets (love it), and cicadas.

 

No, no. You read that right.

 

Those loud, obnoxious bugs that keep you awake at night in the summertime. Cut in half, the bugs covered the plate and it was quite intimidating. I won't lie, I freaked out when I saw the plate and started to laugh like a crazy woman which made everyone in the apartment thoroughly entertained.

 

I went through all the other dishes and knew that it was time to face the cicada. Miaomiao liked to peel them open and just eat the insides but her friend Shufei liked to eat them whole because "he has a strong stomach." I couldn't help but think of how some people eat sunflowers seeds in America--a lot of people like to bite them open and just eat the tiny seed inside but myself (and at least my father) like to eat them whole... I guess that means we have strong stomachs. Hey dad! When you come to China, we know that you can totally eat cicadas now!

 

I spent a fair bit of time trying to decide which bug I would devour and even more time just staring at it between my chopsticks. Just like the chicken feet, I wasn't exactly sure how to approach it. But finally with Shufei's encouragement and Miaomiao's laughter, I popped it in my mouth with a war cry.

 

And you know what? It wasn't too bad!

 

If I had to try and describe what it tasted like, I would say it tasted like breakfast sausage dipped in maple syrup. Bizarre and unexpected but I liked it enough to eat 6 altogether (for a total of 3 cicadas).

 

You had better be impressed my this!!

 

 

I can say that I never thought that I would have the opportunity to eat a bug and actually take that opportunity. I like to think that local cuisine is one of the best ways to get to know a culture. Yes, you can visit the sites and see the different mountains, lakes (like THE West Lake), monuments, etc. but that is what every tourist who visits every country can do. Sometimes it takes you stepping out of your comfort zone a bit (or a lot) to help you transform from the tourist and into the traveler.

 

I think by just closing your eyes and going for it (and sometimes screaming while doing so can help), you find that maybe some things aren't as bad as you had originally thought. And even if it is... Well... at least you have a good story to tell after it!!

 

With a full tummy and a bit of a boosted ego (now I know how Mr. Zimmern feels!) and Until Next Time,

Amanda