hi folks, i’m back in beijing.

took my first overnight train (soft sleeper) from qingdao. it was a novel experience. at first it was awkward and stilted, b/c you share a tiny little space with three other strangers and everyone settles in and is sitting mere inches across from each other twiddling their thumbs. but like anything that’s initially bizarre and unsettling, you get acclimated quite naturally. though the narrow beds and the frequent station stops aren’t conducive to a solid night’s sleep, it’s pleasant and exciting watching the towns whizz by in the dark. plus, it’s efficient and economical – you’re being transported while eliminating the need for lodging. i’d love to ride a train like this with friends.

today, i had a disasterous morning and “suffered” yet another meltdown as a result of a terrible stupid incident. in addition, my hostel is a pure shit hole. it’s underground, so it feels like a bunker, and my room looks and feels like the trappings of a reformist’s room at labor camp. okay, so maybe i’m exaggerating, but it is appalling. regardless, it’s only 140 RMB ($18!), so i should shut up.

ANYWAY, i’m still blogging retroactively as there’s much to cover.

another new favorite thing of mine: parks in china. they’re easy to love and must be felt, seen, heard in person. i fell hard in love one afternoon in shanghai when i had been walking all day in overbearing humidity, sweating like a pig and seeking respite. and i found it in fuxing park!

since then i’ve felt compelled to include a park in my daily itinerary, around dusk. that’s the BEwitching hour that truly brings out the best in parks, and people. even the dozens of feral cats know this time of day is ripe for dalliances (“the freaks come out at night, the freaks come out at night”). the parks aren’t just community gathering places where all generations convene to liao tian, gossip, rendezvous, dance, exercise, play chess and card games, and relax, they’re also beautifully manicured stretches of lush green, sometimes with little gazebos/pavillions, tucked away paths, sculptures, water fountains, foot bridges, etc.

when i sit back and soak it in, i feel as if all is right in the world.

(that is, until i go to the bathroom and see what the squatter toilets have in store for me)

This entry was posted on Friday, September 28th, 2007 at 5:10 am and is filed under asia, travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.