Flying Solo in Beijing

Dave's taken off for Hong Kong and so I'm here on my own. Finally. Despite a bit of hesitation, being in China is like being illiterate, deaf and mute - challenging to say the least.

However, I got myself to Dim Sum for a lunch and was able to order the most divine feast. BBQ Pork buns, Shanghai Dumplings, some dumplings that Dave ordered yesterday that have meat and are in hot oil and my token steamed greens. Yum. It set me back $5 USD. The only bad part was that I broke the strap on one of my loafers so I had to go back to Dave's to take care of shoe business.

So I grab a cab and this idiot takes me 1/2 way to Shanghai. Now I know that we aren't going to the right place, but unable to find the words I need in the back of my guide book. So I'm screwed. What amazes me is that I gave him an address card with the address and a map on the back of it. Do none of the Taxi drivers in Beijing know their city?? It is astounding.

But I get the shoes fixed up and I'm out the door, this time to the train station. I've given up hope on trying to get to China's interior. Just not going to happen this time around. Too much luggage and not enough planning ahead. So I've decided to revert to my original plan of trying out the Chinese trains. I very much enjoy the trips on trains I've taken in Europe. Despite my old friend Cristiano saying that I should just fly - I like seeing the country side. As I've got extra time and want to see more than the cities, I think this could work. We'll see...

So the train station is dirty. Not what I wanted to see, but I'll manage. I find my way to the Foreign Ticket Window - which takes 3 different people to tell me how to get there in English. Then I go up to the only open ticket window and the woman helps me in English, but when I want to buy the ticket she tells me to go to window #6. So I go over to window #6 which is getting opened up special for me. And then the new woman doesn't speak English. So odd, she had to get the woman from the original window to come over and help. Ok. I eventually buy my petite ticket and I'm no my way. It takes me 3 tries to find the taxi stand... There is a level below what I thought was the main level and, not speaking the language, everything takes a bit longer.

But I wade through the sea of people who are sitting or lying down around the outside of the bottom level. I don't know why they are there, but all they need is a bullhorn and they'd have a sit-in. I find the taxi stand and the taxi driver takes me to a place near where I wanted to go. He motions - up and to the left. And I meekly pay and get out of the cab. I had passed a Starbucks a block back and decide that I need a frapp to counter the sweat dripping down my chest.

Re-enforced with my frozen coffee, I head to where the taxi driver said and, after stumbling around, find the Book Shop. In the basement is the English section and I grab 3 books and a phrase book. Yippee!!

Unfortunately at this point it is 3:45 and the Forbidden City and Major Museums have ceased to allow entry, so I'm stuck wandering around Tiananmen Square. Something is going on, as I'm forced to go back and forth under the major street, as they've closed off areas to pedestrians. Whatever, I get into the square and snap the CUTEST photo of Rocco and the big red flags in front of The Monument to the People's Heros. While I'm pausing three Asian men come up and start taking pictures of me with them. Again, there is a language problem, so I just nod, smile and let them take their photos. They didn't even get my name. So odd. Those photos are going to show up somewhere to haunt me, I can just feel it.

But I walk down Xichang'an Jie (big main drag) and then duck through some alley ways to distance myself from the noise. After a bit the feet start to ache and I grab a taxi. Now, I'm showing the driver the X on the map of where to go and I search for my address card. Once I find the card I give it to him, he returns it and I get the idea to take a photo with Rocco and the card in the cab. The driver finds this highly amusing and I suddenly remember I've got my phrase book.

Between the monkey, the book and the driver I can now say, "Turn Right here", "Turn Left here" and "yes". So much fun! I even looked up how to say, "Bad traffic!" as we were stuck a lot. And true to Beijing Taxi form, he didn't quite know how to get to Dave's place, so I got to put my new vocabulary to work. Much to the taxi driver's amusement.

Now, I'm working on learning more essential phrases. Kindly, Marisa and Dave have given me the translation for, "My monkey's name is Rocco". Something I know I'll be saying for the next 10 days and possibly forever after. And I'll have fun at dinner tonight trying to order on my own. Or I'll just wimp out and go to an Ex-Pat place where I can order in English.