Getting around in Beijing - car, bus, metro, bike.

I've been away travelling in Xinjiang and South China visiting HIV/AIDS hospitals and volunteer groups, and so have not had a chance to write for some time. What I noticed was that the traffic is getting worse in all the 6 cities we visited, and it's also getting worse in Beijing.

 I look out of my window and can see traffic jams such as these everyday during peak hours.

If I look out another window to the 2nd Ring Road, it's not any better. By the way, the fogginess in the picture is not due to my camera!

The problem is that there are 20 million people in Beijing and 5 million cars. In 2010, 2,000 new cars were sold every day. Now the Beijing government has controlled this to 1000 new car licence plates issued every working day. On top of that, each car is not allowed on the roads one day per week, based on the car licence plate number.  

And there are not just taxis, cars, buses, motor bikes, bikes and rickshaws on the roads, there are also tradesmen on every busy corner where they can do some business, such as this mini street market.

The bus system is very good and cheap (less than 20 US cents), but also crowded. However, you need to speak Chinese to know where to get on and off.

There are even double decker buses, but they are just as crowded. Beware of thieves!

There is a big new transport hub built near my flat in Dongzhimen.

There are  many buses that run from here, as well as the airport express close by and metro station.

The metro only costs 2 RMB (around 30 US cents) for any distance. It is heavily subsidised by the local government to encourage people off the roads. Even though more and more lines are being built, they are insufficient, and getting a train needs a lot of patient queuing and/or pushing to get on! A record 7.6 million passengers - equivalent to the whole population of London - were carried in just one day in September this year! There are already around 350 km of lines in operation, about the same as in New York, and mostly built in the last 10 yrs.

Just outside the shiny new buildings, there are also rickshaws available. Remember to bargain with them or you will be ripped off. They are especially welcome during rush hour when taxis are very hard to find. Taxis are cheap compared to the West, around 2 RMB per km.

There is also a long distance bus station next to the transport hub, and you can take a bus trip to Jinshanling which is one of the most spectacular parts of the Great Wall, or to Panshan, a mountain area a few hours drive away.

Motor bikes are restricted, but you can still see many of them in this parking area.

I prefer to cycle around when I can. You feel so free and happy when you can go faster than all the cars stuck in the traffic. There are many small roads with trees on both sides which are cool in summer. Cycling down the hutongs to see the local life is also interesting. There are bicycle parks to keep your bike safe. However, theft is not so much of a problem  now. I think the thieves focus on mobile phones, iPads and laptops these days.

If you get a puncture or need some repair work done, then it's quite easy to find a bike repair man. 

And I think it's so romantic to take your girl (or boy) friend on the back of your bike, something you don't see much of these days.

Note how the cars are going down the wrong way on a one way street.

You can do it even in broad daylight and get away with it!

All-Male Ballet in Beijing? What a drag!

We all know how Western culture has been more and more accepted in China in recent years. You only have to look at the forthcoming events for this month alone at many venues -the National Opera House, Forbidden City Concert Hall, Poly Theatre, 21st Century Theatre to name a few musical venues - to see the variety on offer: Mamma Mia! (in Chinese), Charles Dutoit and the China Philharmonic, Bejart Ballet Lausanne, A Midsummer Night's Dream, 2011 Beiing International Movie Festival, 14th Beijing Music Festival, Itzhak Perlman concert, La Boheme...the list goes on, and I haven't even included the art scene and the Beijing International Design Week!

However, one show that may have made Mao turn in his grave is the recent 3-day run of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (All-Male Comic Ballet. Founded in 1974, they are based in New York and this is their second visit to Beijing after a 2 year absence. I went to see their performance and it was a good mix of serious and humorous. There were thin men, fat men, smooth skinned and hairy, butch ballerinas and macho princes, but no effeminate or camp roles. They were in different costumes and heavy make-up, some made up as men but more often as not as women. There were familiar scenes from Swan Lake, with classical elements as well as comedy. If you are a serious ballet lover, then this maybe is not for you!

There was plenty of local press coverage of the show.

The show took place at the Mei Lanfang Grand Theatre. Some of you may have heard this name before - Mei is the most famous Beijing Opera singer of the last century. Beijing Opera also has males playing female roles, and this was Mei's speciality, so this theatre was a very suitable choice. Western ballet in drag is just a variation of Eastern opera in drag! Perhaps this was one reason the Ministry of Culture gave approval again to the Group's appearance. A Beijing Opera show was being put on on the same night as the ballet. In the dressing rooms, there were plenty of cross-cultural exchanges going on as the westerners marvelled at the complicated make-up of the opera singers and the Chinese smiled at the skimpy dress of the ballet dancers.

The mainly Chinese audience loved the humour, though some older members of the audience were a bit puzzled at some of the antics. How could ballet dancers who had had years of training bump into each other, or lose their place or fall over each other? Those who had paid prices of over 120 USD per ticket must have resented the people who had bought cheaper seats and who filled up the seats beside them, a rather unique Chinese custom. The loudest applause was given to the final encore where the Group performed a traditional Chinese folk dance, yang ge, complete with bright costumes and colourful handkerchiefs.

That was a treat for the 62nd birthday of China - that's right, PRC was founded 62 years ago today! It's sunny with clear blue skies, that's a real treat for the citizens - and tourists - in Beijing. Wish you were here to see for yourself!

Timeout Beijing's preview is here:

http://www.timeoutbeijing.com/features/Performing_Arts/12976/Les-Ballets-Trockadero-de-Monte-Carlo.html
Homepage of the Trocks:
http://www.trockadero.org/

Mooncakes, mooncakes - Mid-Autumn Festival

Today it's the 15th day of the 8th lunar month on the Chinese calendar, when there is a full moon (yes, look outside and see, you may see more than we can in cloudy Beijing). It is the second most important festival in China after Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) and the Chinese have been celebrating this day for moon worship for over 2,000 years. Various events, lantern shows, sacrifical ceremonies, family reunions and gala shows are held, and all accompanied by mooncakes.

Mooncakes used to be a very unhealthy mixture of oily pastry on the outside, a bit like a pork pie, and with a sweet filling of lotus paste, lard and salted duck egg yolk. Actually they were very tasty and very rich.... but full of cholesterol. Various other fillings and outside crusts have developed to suit different tastes and local raw materials, such as red bean paste, mashed dates, and 5 kernels (fruit and nut).......

And now not only are there healthy varieties, and green varieties, but also ice cream ones and chocolate ones, yummy!

However, with inflation reaching China as well, the price has shot up over the years. It really got a bit over the top with expensive fillings such as abalone and sharks fin, and a bottle of wine or other gifts included in the box, which could cost up to 150 US Dollars for a box of 4. And since they are a gift item, packaging gets fancier and fancier.

Employers even bought boxes of mooncakes to show appreciation to their employees. With the property and stock markets cooling, however, people and companies are not so extravagant, and 80% now cost less than 30 US Dollars. I'm not sure how much this large mooncake costs, over 80 cm in diameter and 75 kgs (150 lbs) in weight, and made from 40 kgs of flour (photo from China Daily)!

Of course there are smaller ones, especially if made of gold, or made to look like Chinese chess pieces.

Of course if you are well connected or in a position of power, you don't need to buy any mooncakes, since all sorts of people will be giving you boxes of mooncakes to keep in your good books or to get you to do a favour or to thank you for a favour already done.....yes bribery and corruption packaged in a beautiful box. It is amazing how the traffic on the roads increased in the days leading up to the Festival, as people personally deliver boxes of mooncakes to their 'friends'.

Even the pandas get a special treat at this time of year.

This year I spent the holiday with my mother and since I am not in a position of power, I had to buy mooncakes myself. Actually we ate so many in past years, we don't really like eating too many now. It seems many others also are getting a bit fed up. My friend who works in foreign company said their employer gave them gift vouchers for Wal-Mart this year, which could be exchanged for any goods. And if you didn't want the vouchers, there are touts buying and selling all kinds of surplus vouchers at a discount. Of course for the wealthy and well-connected VIPs, giving (or if you are lucky, receiving) vouchers for the expensive 'hairy crab', a delicacy in season at this time of year, would enable you to get one up on everyone else. It's become a real business for everyone! Thank goodness my mum doesn't like seafood!