I had the fortune to spend a few days taking in the sprawling city (population over 17 million!)- with no chance of comprehending its scale I chose instead to dip into little pockets of everyday life. For instance, the mobile cart that fixes bicycles which I passed on the way to the Metro.
Strolling through Zhongshan Park next to the Forbidden City where the water in the lake is frozen over. A friend shared with me that when the water in the park near her home froze over, people (old and young) took to the ice in all forms of lashed together skis-chair combinations...
My attention was drawn to a clearing with a small pavillon around which people were milling about.
As I neared, I heard people talking to others about friends/family (?) and referring to sheets of paper upon which people were described. I later learned that its a form of collecting for needy causes. One older man had several of these sheets laminated and laid out on the ground. Unclear whether he gets a cut.
Using a suggestion from a friend, I checked out Cafe Zarah at 42 Gulou Dongdajie in the Dongcheng District. German-owned and expat occupied, it served a lovely lime tea. I sat there watching the busy flow of pedestrians and cars outside and was tickled to hear nearly all the non-Chinese foreigners speaking Chinese with the staff. Many Chinese aren't even phased any more with foreigners speaking their language. They've had even come to expect it - a Russian friend who doesn't speak the language was on the receiving end of many a failed Chinese conversation. Poor Yuriy!
Took a walk in the valley of skyscrapers that is the Chaoyang District. Its probably hard to make out but the tiny beige building lurking in the shadows had the word (e-Tower) written on it!
Here is the CCTV tower next to the burnt shell of its partnering hotel. All around is red metal scaffolding.
Of course no trip is complete without a visit to the Forbidden City - the palace compound of the Ming and Qing dynasties (late 14th century-early 20th century). Breathtaking in size and scale.
I was only able to explore probably 1/3 of the grounds in the few hours I spent there. It looks empty in the pictures but these belie the massive number of tourists that were taking in the sights and photographing like mad.
This young woman also attracted some attention from photographers and tourists alike. I never found out who she was.
And in perhaps what might be typical Beijing Hutong (network of alleys and lanes that connected old style courtyard housing) directions -- I was instructed by a friend to look for the small alleyway between the bar and a tea shop, then continue past the public toilets and snake my way till I reached her door.
Her home has a small courtyard with one side being the bedroom area and the other side the living room and second floor study. Nestled between the Drum and Bell Towers, just off of the famous major north south axis (along which historically significant buildings are found - the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, even some of the Olympic Stadiums) - her home amidst other unrenovated homes in the hutong is a little oasis of breathing space. Particularly the stunning view from her roof terrace.
Her neighbors include an elderly gentleman who built a temporary structure on the second floor to house his pigeons. He dotes upon them several times a day and while I was there, I even witnessed a little pigeon flying. A practice that recalls to me the pigeon flyers on rooftops in Brooklyn and northern Manhattan.
One of my favorite places that I visited was Tiantan or the Temple of Heaven. Although it is a historically significant site (used as a site of worship for good harvests), it is also a very heavily trafficed park.
On the morning I spent there trotting around, there were loads of people engaging in all forms of kinds of activity (badminton, group dancing, hacky sack, walking forward, walking backward, singing, doing calligraphy with water, etc).
Every precious green space or lake that I visited had robust seniors earnestly moving about. It was endearing to watch and made me think about the culture of physical activity and communion that is so necessary as people age. Of course I realize I only observed those who are still fit and active - it was nevertheless a salient moment.
Another fun area to explore is 798 Dashanzi Artist District. Built on the site of a former military factory, it was used by artists for their workspaces. Its design was formulated in East Germany and has a curved then dropping line in the ceiling. It has since become a popular tourist destination with many bars and cafes also cropping up amongst the galleries.
Also made a point to visit the Beijing National Stadium aka the Birds Nest, which some locals have also dubbed 'Scrambled Eggs with Tomato' (because the colors resemble the classic Chinese dish).
The National Aquatics Center whose bubbles press against the surface.
Some other design features include the entrance to the Metro Stop which has traditional and non-traditional forms that line the pathway. Here the escalator is tucked away...
A contribution from a designer friend/professor who distilled the form of someone in the flying crane position for inspiration for the street lamps. He sought a simple and discreet design so as not to conflict with the grander shapes of the stadiums. [As a cost-cutting measure, only every other lamp is lit]
And last but not least - although I enjoyed the hospitality and good food to be found in Beijing including Peking Duck, lots of 'bings' (fried bread with herbs and filling), yogurt with azuki beans (THE accessory in the hands of all visiting the popular Nanluoguxiang hutong shopping area).... my favorite meal was shared with a dear Chinese friend who took me to her favorite 'hotpot' spot near her home.
We ordered the half neutral flavor and the spicy Sichuan style hotpot with various goodies like duck intestine (more delicious than I had thought), greens and veg of many ilk, thinly sliced beef and two types of noodles (sweet potato wide noodles and a special made-to-order flour noodle - see video). Another special feature was the 'dry spices' that is in the small white bowl that contained sesame seeds, healthy doses of chili flakes, cilantro, scallion, peanuts and other stuff I couldn't make out. One takes a ladleful of the neutral soup and mixes it up into a paste and we used it as a dipping sauce. Amazing.
I captured the making of - where the young man energetically and rapidly twisted and spun his arms to pull out the noodles - but sideways. So turn your head and click play if you're interested. She doesn't order these noodles that often cause she feels bad for the exertions that they have to go through...
The messy delicious aftermath.
