Displaced Montrealer: Beijing

Beijing is massive, supposedly when including all its municipalities it is the size of Belgium with a population close to Canada's. I felt more at ease here, the city has evident signs of Soviet influence: large boulevard style streets and imposing Stalinesque government buildings. Here we were introduced to something known as "language rape". What at first we took as overtly friendly students who approach you with the same barrage of questions over and over we later realized that they simply want to practice their English on us. This happens 7 times a day, precisely.

So where is the communist influence here I wondered. I mean consumerism is flourishing, there is an influx of the west and people seem much more content than I would have imagined. So what if I can't yell out "long live freedom and democracy!" in Tiananmen square. I'm talking shit, but it seems this pseudo-dictatorial rule has some pluses, basically things get done, and they seem to get done fast. Beijing has to finish all its construction for 2008 Olympics by 2007, emissions have to be drastically reduced, every taxi driver will have his license revoked until they can pass an English exam – this could never happen in our bureaucratic west.

The city has some great sights, one of the highlights being the nearby great wall of china. Dan managed to drop his camera of the wall and had to get the police to scale the surrounding hill for him – this can only happen to Dan. Four people died but thankfully Dan got his camera back. On the wall my Mongolian blood stirred egging me to jump to the other side and run - Sash held me back.

We befriended a local chill bar, like the lovechild of Bifteck and Gogos, where some Chinese took a liking to us and made us down consecutive glasses of beer (Gambi !) while they rocked out on the bar and got really fucked.

Also, we consumed a delicious Peking duck, silk worms, snake, and snake skin (the last 3 I don't suggest, I'm guessing Chinese don't even eat this given that when Sasha was struggling with his snake on a skewer local bystanders simply looked on with squirming expressions).

Next, a hard sleeper train to Xian - the old wall enclosed Chinese capitol. This was the site of a quite surreal Dziong family reunion. My dad and brother where there for 2 days so a celebration was in order. 3 bottles of the finest AK-47 Russian vodka were consumed resulting in my father articulating to us how our meeting was meant to be and how it is all due to our Asian ancestry – a father's drunken banter. Checked out the terracotta warriors, walked the city wall lined with red lanterns, and enjoyed the muslim hot pot on the streets.

A few days later we headed west by train to Chengdu. A greener city with and a slower pace maybe influenced by the local Panda reserve – admittedly cute little guys who liked to pose for our cameras. Checked out the Buddhist and Taoist temples and went for a day hike on a nearby mountain. The city is rather cosmopolitan and a good place as a base for trips into the surrounding areas. A lot of foreigners seem to congregate here.

I parted with Sash and Dan and flew east to Wuhan to see my brother who manages an English school there. I got a chance to help him teach 14 giggly kindergarten teachers which I thoroughly enjoyed. People were extremely nice and helpful here. Particularly this one women Karen who skipped her school and convinced her friend to do the same (her friend was the world champion of monofin swimming, random) to take us on a tour of the city. I also got to experience KTV for the first time which is a must, the Chinese have a great uninhibited way of partying; and they love their whisky mixed with green ice tea especially when Backstreet Boys resonate throughout.

I made my way to Macao and fell in love with the city.

dan sleeping on the bus.

Sash and food.

I enjoyed these Beijing phone booths, and the colors.

The week we were in Beijing this lady had these rolls out on the street all day - only once did the sun peak through the smog in the week we were there.