Let’s go

Making new friends at every corner!

Beijing is a very large city and the Olympic venues are spread out in every direction. Even though taxis are plentiful and reasonably priced, the traffic jams can be substantial during the day, especially at peak travel times. The subways are a convenient way to get around and the air conditioning is much appreciated – for some reason taxi drivers dislike any type of air flow in their cabs, and usually keep the fan speed low and the temperature steamy.

We set out for our first event, women’s volleyball, to be held in the Capital gymnasium. After a 20 minute walk to the subway (tuan jie hu stop) we descended the stairs and were greeted by the ubiquitous friendly volunteers and a security check point that x-ray inspected all bags. Then we were off to the ticket booth for a 2 RMB (33 U.S. cents) RFID enabled pass that let us go through the electronic turnstyles. Everything in this subway was new and shiny. LCD screens showed the latest Olympic results and advertised a wide range of products and services. Thankfully, most of the signs were in pinyin, (the roman alphabet transliteration of the Chinese characters-Hanzi) so it was easy to follow directions and place names. Inside the subway cars a lighted panel showed your up-to-the-minute location and progress on a simple electronic map. All announcements were made in Chinese and English- it couldn’t be more convenient. As we quickly move along I think to myself that announcements in the NY and Boston subways are more difficult to understand due to the background noise level and the thick local accents.

The cars were full but usually not too over-packed and we get to the venue after two subway line changes and no wrong moves. As we leave the subway for a short walk to the venue, we all have a feeling of accomplishment and give each other “high fives”. Everyone agrees “that was easy” – shouldn’t be any problem getting home later….

Thanks for the ride!

A shiny new ride to your door.

Day 2 Beijing is Ready

Our 747 makes an effortless landing and we see the definitive puffs of smoke spiral past the windows signalling our arrival. The engines quickly reverse thrust and the brakes slow us to a leisurely pace as we taxi across the tarmac. The new Beijing airport looms large and bright giving the weary passengers a needed incentive to gather up their belongings and march into the cavernous terminal with polished granite floors and a suspended ceiling that seems to suspend even engineering principles. The curved roof lines flow like the back of a large mythical creature and no one misses the symbolism – we are definitley in the Land of the Dragon.

With some foreboding we head to the immigration queues but to our astonishment the lines are missing – so many officials are ready for us that our line is only 2 people deep. The forms are quickly retrieved from our carry-ons and stuffed into our passports. With a quick swipe through the magnetic reader, a quick look at our visas and a pleasant smile our immigration agent waves us through and we quicken our pace to the automated transport car that wisks us efficiently to the luggage claim area. We make a beeline to the carts and roll down the sparking stone floors that are so shiny that they look wet. As we pull up to the carousel our luggage is immediately spotted coming towards us with no waiting! We pinch ourselves in disbelief and load up the carts- to the custom screening area we go. We point our accelerating carts to the green “nothing to declare” aisle and hope for the best. Just as we think we have made it through unscathed a young agent steps in front and politely asks us to put the large camera bag through the X-ray machine. As it pops out the other side we quickly collect it without a word and silently make our way out into the arrival waiting room where hundreds of patient people with a myriad of fluttering signs strain to make contact with the apporpriate visitor.

We however are on our own. No need for an interpreter, no need for a driver – we were going to take a taxi! Two years of studying Chinese would be put to the test, and not on paper. For part I of the trial a cellphone call had to be placed to a Chinese native who would meet us at our apartment. I was warned “that she speaks no English”. No problem I thought 2 months ago when I first made the arrangements – now what was that funny feeling in my stomach – an undigested United Airlines snack perhaps? I preferred not to contemplate the alternatives. I quickly fired up the Nokia and launched a direct call to my unsuspecting Chinese language evaluator. The connection was ringing, then a voice on the other end, my turn now ”Wei” (Hello ) I blurted out – so far so good I thought, my pulse quickened …. “Women dao le.”  (We have arrived” I declared with satisfaction.  As I continued to verify my identity and set a time to meet “liu shi fen zhong zuo you” 60 minutes more or less I saw the relieved and satisfied look on my wife’s face – yes we would have a place to stay tonight! Part II of my exam now awaited me- The Beijing taxi driver…..

“At the Top of the World”

A fragile cover down below