All good things may come to an end, but most ends carry along with them a new beginning. In this way, I feel comfortable closing the chapter of my life spent in Eastern Asia, and I look forward to embarking on new journeys in the next phase of my life. Just as I could not predict any of this would happen several years ago, I know the future holds equally as exciting and fulfilling adventures for me to create. It is such adventures that I am ready to create with all I have learned.

August 13, 2008

Beijing CHINA

At 8:30 a.m. I flagged down a taxi to take Anshuo and I to the Chinese National Museum, which houses the greatest collection of treasures in mainland China. (The National Museum in Taiwan is widely viewed as having greater historical artifacts as the aristocrats and government leaders took everything with them when they fled to the island, narrowly evading Mao's Communists in 1949.) Unfortunately, there was a bit of unwanted excitement to start off the day (there always is!) as Anshuo left his mobile phone in the taxi, and we spent the next hour figuring out a way to get it back.

Joining us at the museum was XinLei, the Singaporean friend from with the night before. By far the greatest asset to the tour of the museum was Anshuo, who is as pure a Chinese as one will ever meet. He grew up with his grandfather until he was 10 or so, at which time he moved to the United States to be with his parents, but his grandfather must have gone to great lengths to ensure he received a first-class education. Later in the morning, Abu (Germany) and Mika (China) joined us at the museum, and we spent about 2.5 hours in all touring the exhibitions - finishing only 2/5 the museum.

The photograph to the left will not make any sense to anyone who does not understand Chinese characters, but it is actually very funny so I thought it was worth including... I was using a urinal in the museum bathroom when I noticed this. The translation is something like the following: a small step forward is a giant step toward being civilized. The obvious implication, and rightfully so, is that there is always a large puddle of urine at the urinals in China, something that bothers me to no end because it forces me to stand in awkward ways - and it is especially dangerous when I am wearing flip-flops.

After touring the museum, XinLei caught a taxi to the train station where she was meeting friends for a couple of football matches in Tianjin later in the evening. The rest of us hopped in a different taxi to grab lunch at a famous Peking Duck restaurant near CHANG'AN JI (literally: "Long Peace Street".) The best Peking Duck restaurants were already booked, so we settled on a newer restaurant where the wait for Peking Duck was "only" one hour. In the mean time, we ordered beer and a variety of dishes. By the time the duck was brought to our table we had finished eating and we decided to forgo it, which was fine by the restaurant because they had so many other customers who were waiting on the same dish.

Anshuo and I said goodbye to Abu and Mika as we headed off for Beijing's Worker's Stadium, which is where this evenings football matches between the United States-Nigeria and Argentina-Serbia were being held. We each purchased American flags outside the stadium (both of us already had Chinese flags), and we proceeded to wrap ourselves in them - I had the American flag around my shoulders while I had the Chinese flag spread in my arms, while Anshuo was vice-versa.

The best part was when I started cheering, "MEIGUO JIA YOU!" (literally, "Add oil America!," meaning Go America!), to which Anshuo yelled "ZHONGGUO JIA YOU" ("Add oil China!"), and then we would yell in unison, "AU YUIN JIA YOU!" (Go Olympics!) This resulted in hundreds of other Chinese fans cheering us on and asking for photographs, which we kindly agreed to. This went on for about 15 minutes, which was more than long enough for us to both be covered in sweat and have posed in God-knows-how-many photographs, but then Chinese police officers approached us menacingly. They were very angry and although I could not follow all their Mandarin, I heard them tell us "to stop causing trouble or we would find ourselves in trouble." They scolded Anshuo for 5 minutes afterward, but since all the Chinese supported us they eventually left us alone and we continued posing for more pictures.

In my mind, this is what the Olympics are all about: friends from across the world cheering on their countries, but only in the sense that it is part of a greater harmony in terms of international unity. Anshuo is Chinese, I am American, but we both love each other's countries, and this is one of the most powerful differences between my generation and generations of the past. This globalizing effect is the key to greater global development and cooperation, and in no way is it better exemplified than in the Olympics. This is why I tried so hard to make it to Beijing for this capstone event, and it is also why I was not willing to let a few stubborn police get in my way.

Our tickets were near the corner flag in the mid-level of the stadium, which was really better than I could have expected because the whole pitch was within easy eyesight. Fortunately, beer was only 5-8 rmb within the stadium (7rmb=1USD), so we were fully hydrated for the evening. The United States match kicked off at 5:00 p.m. with a packed stadium of 52,000 (primarily Chinese) fans. Most of the fans had no idea who to cheer for, and changed their cheering depending upon who was doing the attacking or who was already cheering the loudest. As there were far more Americans at the match than Nigerians, the fans were mostly backing the US for the match.

Strangely, in only the 3rd minute of play a US player received his marching orders with a straight red card. I did not see the incident, and controversial replays are never shown in China for fear of unrest, so no one knew what happened. As it was already a US free-kick, presumably the player committed some kind of retaliatory act. (I would later take the same flight home as the US men's soccer team, and even they said they did not know exactly what happened, but that there was a kind of very minor brush up and a Nigerian player went to ground - the next thing they knew, out came the red card.)

After that, the game was a bit dull as the United States was back defending while the Nigerians had all day to break them down. The first goal came in the 45th minute of the first half when a great turn and cross by a Nigerian striker put the US one down at half-time. I was a little disappointed that all the Chinese fans cheered on the goal so vehemently, but it was understandable: they were here to see action, and did not really care who provided it.

The game improved in the second half as the US played aggressively, but another goal basically put the game out of reach. I was proud when the US fought hard for the final 30 minutes, even pulling back one goal before striking the cross bar with another shot, but in the end it was not to be: Nigeria won 2-1, knocking the United States out of the tournament.

One thing that stuck with me after the game was how the US players simply shook each other's hands and left the field without jogging over to thank the fans. Whereas the Nigerian team was sure to do so, and several players even shook hands with fans, the US players returned straight to the dressing room. I understand they were disappointed to lose, but at the same time we are supporting them, win or lose, and they really should have acknowledged our cheering and support. I was disappointed, to say the least.

Next up was Argentina and Serbia at 7:45 p.m., although the "big stars" such as Messi, Riquelme, and Aguero were all being rested for this match. I was able to see a host of other up-and-coming Argentinean players, plus world-class stars such as Javier Mascherano, who did not fail to impress. The Argentineans were really in control of the game, and the entire stadium was behind them as they finished the first half with a 1-0 lead - they were the more flamboyant attackers, and are widely tipped to win the tournament. However, the second half saw a massive change in atmosphere as the entire stadium was chanting "MESSI MESSI MESSI," with the hope he would be brought on. The Argentinean coach did not see it fit to comply, so we started turning on them...

At first, there were a few boos here and there (always from Westerners as booing, like clapping, is very new to Chinese.) By the half-way point in the second half, when it became obvious neither Messi nor the other "superstars" would be risked in the game, the entire stadium turned on Argentina - barring the small contingent of Argentinean fans who occupied one section of the upper tier. Every time Argentina had the ball there was booing from everyone in the stadium, and the second Serbia got the ball the stadium erupted in cheers of support. This became the highlight of the game because it was such fun doing ridiculing the strong Argentinean side while supporting the Serbians. I doubt there are more than 50 Serbian fans in all of Beijing for this Olympics, but their team became one of the most popular on this particular night.

Below is video of a blocked penalty kick and the crowd's celebrating the Argentine miss... It is really quite funny to watch.

After the game, which Argentina won, Anshuo and I caught a train to eat more Sichuan GONG BAO JI DING for my last Asian meal. The restaurant we liked was closed, but one of the waitresses gave us directions to another place that we ran to, arriving just before its 11:00 p.m. closing time. Although the standard was not the best, no meal is complete in China without this delicious dish.

We rode the trains home later in the evening, packing our stuff away and calling a taxi driver to take me to the airport at 8:00 a.m. the following morning. Thus ended my final day in Asia after 2.5 years. Having been able to experience and participate in the Olympic spirit, it was a very proper way to conclude this chapter of my life.

August 12, 2008

Beijing CHINA

A Taste of Chinese Spring Water, Departing for Beijing, a Sichuan Dinner with Friends, Visiting Tian'anmen by Night, and Drinks in Houhai

As always, time started ticking away from the moment I woke up this morning. Anshuo and I had tickets for a 10:20 a.m. train to Beijing, but beforehand he wanted to show me one last thing in the city: the natural springs along the city old moat. We were met by the girl from last night, whose name escapes me, and we walked together for 20 minutes along the moat until we came across a series of natural springs.

There were men and women filling jugs with the fresh water while others were simply out for a morning walk. I was obviously apprehensive about trying "natural" water from China, especially considering the air of Jinan is constantly gray from pollution, but I did not want to offend Anshuo. He brought an empty water bottle with him, which he proceeded to dunk into the open water reservoir until it was full. Then, we each took a swig, me with my fingers crossed and hoping I do not regret this later. The name of the spring was Black Tiger Spring, which did seem a bit foreboding, but the water tasted innocuous enough.

At the train station I bought a large bottle of Yantai Beer for the 3 hour train ride. The train was another "D" class, with an average speed of 200+ km/hr. Although we were originally planning on staying with friends in Beijing, we decided against it because it would pose too much of a hassle. Instead, Anshuo's grandfather's assistant booked us a room at the Shandong Binguan, which is recently opened and gave us a good price. This would simply make our lives easier in terms of comfort and accessibility because we would not have to worry about keys or coordinating schedules with our host.

At the recently completed Beijing South Train Station we hopped in a taxi in the underground access area, which is by-far the most efficient I have ever seen China. There were men directing the taxis and bars preventing the ubiquitous queue-cutting that goes on in China. Needless to say, I was very impressed, and things would only get better.

In the taxi, the driver did not speak as much English as I was anticipating, but he was friendly and answered all of my questions - with Anshuo doing most of the translating because I can never understand the heavy Beijing dialect. What stuck with me the most though was the air quality. For the first time in five visits to Beijing I was actually able to see blue in the sky! This is absolutely unparalleled and even now I struggle to believe that it was actually possible. Granted, all factories shut down over one month ago, only half the cars can drive on any given day, artificial rain has been created (releasing chemicals into the sky to force rain, thereby reducing pollution in the sky), all construction is at a stand-still, and numerous other measures I have not heard about... Nevertheless, it was a welcome surprise, and for the first time I began liking the look of Beijing - it isn't actually as hideous a city as I once thought.

Despite this being an even-car day, there was still a lot of traffic on the streets and it took us over one hour to reach the hotel. By the time we checked in and dropped off our stuff it was 3:00 p.m., so we called up a few friends and arranged to meet later in the evening. In the mean time, we walked around until we found a barber shop where I was treated to massages, shampooing, and cutting for only 20 rmb (under $3USD.) Getting a haircut in China is one of my favorite pastimes, even though the language barrier always makes it slightly more troublesome.

One of Anshuo's friends from Germany, an Iranian born man named Abu, met us at the hotel at 5:00 p.m. He was interesting to talk to and is currently doing a one-semester exchange in Beijing as part of his MBA program. Otherwise, I called XinLei, a Singaporean friend of mine, and arranged to meet at 6:00 p.m. However, she ended up being slightly late, so in the mean time I coordinated a slight change of plans so that we could eat dinner at what the taxi driver assured me was the best Sichuan restaurant in Beijing - naturally, I wanted to know where he thought the best GONG BAO JI DING can be found. The restaurant did not disappoint, although I was let down by my friends who appreciated the taste as much as I did, and showed this with their generous helpings.

Afterward, we were joined by a friend named Pan (who is a Beijing native) and we walked along Zhang'an Jie (literally: Long Peace Street) until we reached Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City. I spent much of the walk chatting with Pan, who recently graduated from Princeton and will begin working for BCG (Boston Consulting Group) at the Hong Kong office later this month. This is a similar path I am planning on taking, so we had much in common. Anyway, Tian'anmen was naturally packed with people, and there were intense security checks before we could enter. However, it was also a great deal of fun as everything was well lit and it was possible to see people from all over the world taking photos side by side.

Later, we hopped in taxis and met more friends in the Houhai area, which is also referred to as the Back Lakes. We joined a group of four GE employees from the London office, and one woman (Celine) from the Beijing office who I met during my time in Shanghai. The Corona beer was slightly overpriced at 30 rmb/bottle, but such was to be expected in such a foreign-dominated area. Nevertheless, it was a good night of fun, and a great start to the adventure at the Beijing Olympics.

Tomorrow, I will watch the games themselves, with evening kick-offs of the United States vs. Nigeria and Argentina-Serbia.

August 11, 2008

Jinan CHINA

Departing for Jinan, Meeting the Rest of Anshuo's Family, Touring Jinan, a Xinjiang Barbeque, and Chinese Family Night-Life

Time did not allow for me to go swimming in the ocean this morning, so instead I met Anshuo's mother and grandparents for a full Chinese breakfast at 7:30 a.m. We ate and chatted together for over one hour, finally finished up because we had a train to catch. The chauffeur took us to the newly built Qingdao train station at 9:30 a.m., where I was the only Westerner among hundreds and hundreds of Chinese. It still surprises me how many stares I get in China because the country feels so international to me after all this time, but in reality spotting a foreigner outside the big metropolises of Shanghai, Beijing, or Chengdu is still a rarity.

We rode the D40 express train (German technology) to Jinan, taking about 3.5 hours in total. I continued my Japanese habit of drinking beer on the train, although I could not find any OBENTO (lunch boxes) to go along with it. We reached Jinan at 1:30 p.m., and tried to take a taxi, but the driver wanted to cheat us so we hopped out and called an official government driver to pick us up.

The driver arrived five minutes later in a black Audi, and promptly whisked us away to Anshuo's home in a government compound smack in the middle of Jinan, which is the capital of the wealthy Shandong Province. As a bit of background, Jinan has great farming and rarely suffers any natural disasters, which means the government coffers are usually quite full, at least until taxes are paid out to Beijing's central government.

His family welcomed me into their home, which with 6 or 7 bedrooms and three floors was quite large. The best part were the plate of WONTON that were waiting for us - we ate nearly all those shown in the picture to the left, and in true Jinan style, had plenty of garlic to go along with it. With our stomachs about to burst, we set off on a tour of the city with Anshuo as my guide.

The city is famous for its rivers and clean spring water, so there were plenty of small stream running through the HUTONG (traditional Chinese neighborhoods) of the city. Without Anshuo there is no way I could have navigated these small back alleys, but as this is literally his backyard (he used to pass through them on his way to elementary school), I was probably the first foreigner to ever reach many of the nooks and crannies he showed me - certainly the faces of the shocked Chinese indicated as much.

We continued touring other parts of the city until 7:00 p.m., when we met two of his friends for a Xinjiang Barbeque in the Muslim quarter of the city. There was a large bowl of chopped lamb, or mutton, along with dozens of different skewered meats that were constantly being replenished. The other thing being constantly replenished were the cheep jugs of beer that we went through like water - and the beer tasted like such with an alcohol content of only 3.5%.

After dinner, we toured one final part of the city, which is a famous garden complex that really was quite beautiful, and all the more so because it was dark and there were hardly any people around. (It was even dark enough for me to go pee a couple of times just off the path!)

To finish off the evening, we walked through the main square of the city, which is where thousands of locals congregate on a nightly basis. There were groups on roller blades, groups performing dances together, groups playing badminton, and even groups doing martial arts, as the video below demonstrates. However, the best part was just walking around and soaking up the Communist-styled group atmosphere. I took my shirt off to cope with the hot weather, which was surely another first for all the gawking Chinese whose heads whipped around when they realized there was a shirtless Westerner among them (the Chinese often take off their shirt, even in non-formal restaurants.)