Now In Beijing

Just ten minutes from Tiananmen Square and the resting place of Mao Zedong is a street lined with alleys and the hotel where I’m residing. A two minute walk, out my accommodation, to the right finds me in a bar/restaurant/hostel that caters to westerners. The American breakfast I had this morning was pretty good so I returned for dinner. The excellent wifi doesn’t hurt as well.

Latin rhythms and reggae fill the air and over power the contemporary Chinese tunes faintly blowing across the street. Beijing is a modern, clean, sophisticated city and compared to most other places I’ve been in China it’s like being in a different country.

When I arrived yesterday (Saturday), via train ride from Xian, I was very happy to be greeted by my friend Jenny who I met in India almost two years ago. She’s a part of the new China. Young, very intelligent, multilingual, well traveled, etc.,. Having been on the train for 13 hours with broken sleep and fighting a cold it was nice not to have to think upon arrival. She graciously figured out which bus to take from the station and patiently helped me locate desirable accommodation. I couldn’t have asked for a nicer introduction to Beijing.

Beijing is a cool city regardless of whatever one’s opinion of China is. There’s plenty to do here and I like the vibe. It’s a good thing considering I plan to spend over a week in the city before heading to Mongolia. Tiananmen Square is probably the coolest square I’ve ever been to. I suppose it’s all the history that’s unfolded upon the premises that leaves a significant impression. The square is sandwiched between the Mausoleum where Mao Zedong sleeps and the Forbidden City. The vastness of the area offers a nice open feeling with a strong breeze powerfully flying the red flag of China at the North end.

I also find the people in Beijing to be a little more open and friendlier than in other regions of China. I suppose it’s the rhythm of the city that offers something new and fresh at any given time. Whatever it is, it’s nice.

In the evening Jenny and I walked around Tiananmen Square and talked about China and traveling. Jenny is a traveler herself with a passion for India and dreams of visiting many other places.

Today, Sunday, I can’t say I did much. Jenny met me in the afternoon and we went to pick up my ticket for the train to Mongolia but the office was already closed. I must pick up the ticket tomorrow or I’ll lose it so I that’s my number one priority right now. Unfortunately, Jenny wasn’t feeling well. I hope I didn’t pass along my cold. We called it a short visit and I toured a railroad museum later in the afternoon. It’s likely one of many museums I’ll stumble upon while in Beijing.

For now I feel like I’m starting to catch a second wind. I feel considerably better this evening and am confident I'm on the backside of the cold I contracted. A sore throat that kind of plagued me for a week seems to have abated. Last night I slept great. Sleep is always the best medicine when I’m Ill.

As of late I obviously feel like I haven’t been making the best use of time so I intend to get a little more organized about what I’m doing. I can go like a mad dog and do a lot in a given amount of time but at some point I get tired and come down with a case of the lazies. Fortunately the lazy feeling never lasts too long. I see many miles of city walking in the immediate future.