Let the countdown continue! #8...MSG

Zsuitsi/Eggplant in sweet sauce

Number Eight: MSG...so good.  A few evenings before Christmas, i went to dinner with a couple work colleagues. Micheal E is a New Yorker who has lived in China for nine years.  He likes literature and is well...loud.  Will is my neighbor and new friend who studied politics and likes to debate about pretty much everything.  Both having been in this city for a while (years+, only God knows why so long), they are quite familiar with local findings/can order things without pointing at the menu pictures.

My dinner was interesting. We argued and ate. The restaurant we chose was seedy and smokey and smelled like old beer.  The spice in the air was sting the eyes spicy. The conversation was intense and comical at the same time. What they ordered for us was delicious.  And through our bouts of yelling and debating we enjoyed a side by side test of dishes with and without MSG.  And I don't have to tell you the outcome because you read the title of this post.

MSG is delicious!  and though, I haven't done too much research...and will try to avoid it (MSG) in the future... as its apparently very bad for you (who knew) makes one eat too much (not uncommon for me) and the next day MSG doesn't feel so good (maybe MSG is a long distance cousin of  vodka), but in the moment, MSG is the right choice.

This is a steaming skillet of sliced potatoes and chili peppers.  Mmmmm. MMMMSG.

Yup, the eatin' in china is good.  There are endless meaty selections, they love bacon, but for me its the vegetables.  They use a lot of eggplant, potatoes and green beans and generally the dishes are really colorful, pleasing to the eye.  Obviously, my food-centric self is quite pleased in China.

Also, if you are sick of Chinese food (hasn't happened to me yet), the pizza is great.  I enjoyed Pizza Hut with an old friend from Knoxville the other night.  Dr. Zhong was my professor who lead the study abroad trip I attended here to China six years ago.  He is from Beijing and was here for Christmas so we met up for a nice non-Chinese dinner.  It was really cool to see a friendly face from home.

Bon appetite!

  

New Years...New attitude...HAPPY NEW YEAR

2012 is going to be amazing.  The world is only gonna get better this year, and, yes, Beijing, seeing as how you are in the world, you will get better too.  The year is off to a beautiful start...I am already having a beautiful year, and ya'll haven't even seen 2012 yet.  Its kinda cool living in the future.  Anyway, me and Beijing have gotten on well the past couple days and we hope to continue this caring (or at least lessen the animosity in our) relationship into the new year.

Oh, I met this baby on the subway a couple days ago...so freaking cute.

And, these are some doggies.  On a bike cart, barking at everyone.  Silly Chinese doggies.  

Poor Beijing, I am so hard on you...

 In all honesty, the last day+ has been a-okay. I had a nice Christmas, went swimming, went to church-with service in English- and I went out with a work friend, my Ugandan friend and met some fun folks at a local bar’s Christmas party.  Santa brought free beer for all!  It was pretty fun.  I mean, when will I ever again celebrate Christmas with such a gang as i did last night: a Canadian who says okie dokie, a Ugandan who loves his Santa hat and a whole mess of Vietnamese and Zimbabweans?  Beijing, score one for you today, Christmas found me some new friends and showed me a little more of the city's good side…for the moment I have released a small amount angst towards this city.  Thanks, Christmas!

 Church was good, the building is gorgeous.  Its the oldest cathedral in Beijing, dating back to 1605.  There was a really interesting manger scene out front with an inordinate amount of sheep involved (and I am sorry I didn't snap a pic but believe me that there was a lot of effort put into that display). The congregation joined the choir in singing Christmas tunes. The Elvis version of Silent Night was sung by one of the Chinese members of the church choir;and, wow, he did a damn fine job. To be fair,  the spirit of Christmas was found in Beijing's South Cathedral and I am happy to report, the Christmas spirit has remained with me through today.

 On another awesome note, I got a Chinese name today.  It was given to me by my Chinese instructor (my first lesson is tomorrow, yay!).  His name is Socrates.  My Chinese name is Mò Lì , 茉莉,  I am named as such because it sounds like my given American name but it is also the name of a lovely Chinese jasmine.  Hurray! 

Its Christmas in Beijing!

It is, it is...Christmas here in Beijing!  Its Christmas all over the world!  Yay.  I love Christmas.  The Chinese love Christmas/love to decorate for Christmas.  It is evident.  Santa is all over this city. And workshops and Christmas trees and decorations are popped up all over the city, too. Its kinda like the elves puked out all their Christmas goodness right here on Beijing but, I don't mind. (One thing is for sure, I can't get enough of the Christmas music playing about town.  I freaking love it! Silver Bells, jingling, tingaling...!)

I am thoroughly enjoying all this Christmas to-do. But I miss the energy of home!  Though there is a big, visible Christmas to-do and on-going Christmas type celebration throughout the city streets, not many people here actually celebrate Christmas.  The Chinese love 'Christmas',  but there isn't much Christmas love flying around.  It just ain't the same.

Wait!...are you suggesting that something in China isn't what it seems??  Wow, that's a shocker!

You can have a million Christmas trees but all you need is one with spirit.  And my Christmas tree is at home, in the USA, with my family and my friends.  I miss you, all of you.  I hope as you read this, you are happy that it is Christmas and you are with people  you love. I miss you and wish you the Merriest Christmas of all.

Beijing brings out the angel and the devil in me...

Okay and a hey from Beijing.   The city of dreams...or where dreams go to die in the pollution and smog. I have been sitting here trying to come up with ten things I like about Beijing.  And not even love, just like. Ten things I actually like about this place that I currently and temporarily reside.  Ten good things, not things I could like anywhere, like flowers or the sky (which I absolutely love, especially here when it is actually clear enough to see). Ten real things that I could give you that could help you see why I am here (kinda had to come, this is where I got a job), why I stay here (probably not staying for long) and to reassure myself that I came here by my own accord so by God ima enjoying it for a while (short while).

So, as I sit here trying to come up with a few thinks I like about Beijing, the angel on my shoulder says to find those things and to give it my best shot.  Which I have decided I will do.  It may take time but I can do it.  I will do it.  I can and will find things I like about Beijing city. Mean while, the devil on the other shoulder shouts explitives to tell ya'll what I really think about this shitty city. So there it is folks.  Ms. Happy Pants is gonna give it to you straight. One day you are gonna get positive and one day you are gonna get negative.  Life isn't always rosey Tahoe or fresh Tennessee. Its gonna be maniac.  It may be a little depressive/negative.  But, hey, I am in China.  If I can't pick on China a little bit, I am going to explode.

Let the countdown begin!

10.  Food centric Mols is mostly happy here.  The food is cheap, its good and its everywhere.  The grocery store is fun because I can find dozens of fun packages to look through/wonder whats in there and I can try new pastries and things.  Also, (gross) there are live fish there that the butcher or fish monger or what ever will get out of the tank and kill for you fresh. Mmmhmm.
Street food is fun and adventurous to get into. Above is the egg/hot plate/crepe-ish thing I like.  Its hard to say what the level of cleanliness is when your food is cooked in questionable oil in a pop up tent or push cart on the street in China, but hey, its cold outside and the food has steam coming off it.  Can't be all bad ya? 

And, if any of this bores you, you can go to Wangfuging snack street (above) and get live animals on sticks.  This day, it was particularly cold (maybe -2 degrees Celsius and add the wind chill to make it -9 C probably) so the things weren't still wriggling.  Yup, pictured here are starfish, sea horsies, beetles, scorpions, butterflied rats and some other poor unfortunate creature who is too foreign for my Western eyes to recognize.  Is it necessary to add...?  Yup, it is...I didn't eat anything.  But I certainly puked a little bit.  

Countdown items of the future to look forward to: the National Library, badminton on tv, Beijing at night, bikes, signs...and i don't know what else yet.  Why? Because this is Beijing and there ain't much to like here...that's why.   Until next time...xoxo and love where you live!

A nice day in Beijing...

Okay, yesterday was a good day.  Truth: Beijing hasn't been so bad for a few days here.  The sky has been blue; I even saw the moon.   I saw the stars, too.  So special!  Yes, its epic to see the stars in this big city.  Someone is shining down on me because everyday I find something joyful or enjoyable or both.  Example: seeing the stars for the first time in three weeks, or getting in the elevator with a scooter.

Yesterday, I took a walk through my neighborhood.  Blue sky, torrential wind but still gorgeous and the first thing I see out there is an old man riding down the unusually empty city street. He wears typical drab black wool coat and matching wool cap and he also wears a smile.  He must be happy as he has his birds with him.  They were joyously hanging around in a cage mounted on the handle bars of his old black bike.  Isn't that nice for him to take his birds on a leisurely cruise?  I thought so.

I continued my walk.  A pleasure cruise through Wu Dao Kuo streets. There is so much going on around here.  I live in the 'University district', Haidian, on the third ring of Beijing.  There are half a dozen major universities in this district. More than 2 million people call this district home, its one of two western areas of the city and I can get Mexican food here.  The bigger grocery stores have Skippy and Nature's Valley and real Vermont cheddar.
The city is built around its rings; nine rings make up the main city of Beijing.  Big rings.  This place is huge, but becoming more manageable every day (that's what I am telling you anyway...mmmhmph).

My walk continues.  I find people to smile at.  I take note of a few shops and cafes and other amenities that may come in handy: KFC, the pink and purple castle, the bike parking lot.  I talk to a few folks, its like I emanate American.  People here love Americans, in fact people everywhere love Americans; duh, we are awesome!  But anyway, I have learned in the last few days that people want to talk to me even though we have clear communication issues.  It's funny and fun.  We chat for a minute, clearly with little understanding of what the other is saying and then carry on our merry little respective ways.  A nice city interaction.  We continue on our respective journeys, smiling for our lack there of communication but it was still fun.  I have also learned in the last few days that my speaking Chinese isn't so bad that they laugh (though it is laughable).  They laugh because they are so happy that I am trying.  Cool.

A few Beijing things...

I am still making moves toward a happy existence here in Beijing.  And I have found a sign and a funny little man to help me in this quest.

This kind, red gentleman gave me a smile on just the right occasion.  Thanks, pal.

What a nice sign, to help me along my way, as well.  One thing about China is that there are always funny translations and funny signs about for a laugh.  I read something shocking almost daily and I will surely be keeping a record of said shocking translations.

For now, I will give you this one:  "Remodel for your prettiness".  I saw it printed on a construction site fence.  The construction: a pink and purple castle in front of a mall.  The use: who knows what will live in that castle but it is sure nice that they are making it for our prettiness.

I work a full week now so my adventures in travel land have slowed somewhat.  Still, the streets of Beijing provide newness and adventure.  The street food carts and stands are one of my favorite things as they hold strange edibles for cheap. The food is fresh (i think) and smells interesting (sometimes good, sometimes gross) and the people working in these stands find me quite amusing when I order lunch here. Its tough to be laughed at daily but I am glad to help give laughter to the world even if it is AT me.

The language barrier is crippling but I can still point and... chew! I have found street "crepes" aka Chinese pizza. Its made on a hot, flat, circular iron griddle.  Batter is spread thin, an egg is cracked on the cooking batter and spread with a spatula round and round coating the pastry. The flat food is then flipped, cooking the egg through, letting it fully cook into the batter.  Then chilies and dark, sweet hoisin sauce are spread on top; green onions and parsley is sprinkled lovingly and the pastry is quickly liberated from its hot temporary home on the hot griddle, folded up twice and put in a little bag.  A now triangular snack folded up just right for a hot snack of Chinese deliciousness.  The whole process takes a minute and a half and cost about 50 cents; the entire minute and a half I am quite mesmerized by the method thus, no picture yet.

The city has numerous things to be entertained with and by.  The endless streams of people in the subways stations (ah), the dressed up dogs (ugh), the busy nature of everything and everyone, the size and breadth of the streets and buses and malls (AH!).  And, McDonald's delivers (whoa/ew).  Its wild.  So wild,  I can't wait to come home.

Pretty lights on a cool sculpture

A food stall on the street corner,
veggies simmer in delicious spicy broth