Being in Beijing

China is a difficult country to traverse if you don't know the language. Though the people can be friendly, it's no good if you can't speak or write or at least point to a Chinese (Mandarin) translation.

Beijing is a cultural hub, a melange of western influence, modernization and a fervent adherence to Chinese traditions. And it's most likely to be more spruced up for the Olympics Games (2008).

When I was backpacking China about a year ago, I stayed with an expatriate who was living in a Hutong - a room in a rustic community alleyway, an ancient Chinese concept. I had reached Beijing unprepared and was lucky that he gave me a handy book with useful Chinese phrases. Without it I would never have made it back from The Great Wall.
Even then, since each word (depending on the tone in which you say it) can have about five different meanings, I made much use of my index finger and universal sign language. Eventually, I did learn to say: Hello, Thank You, No (don't have/don't want - most useful when vendors have you by the nape), Understand, Today, Tomorrow, North, South, River, Metro, some of the numbers and 'Wow', and got by quite all right.

Chinese cosmopolitan cities are bargain heaven. If one has the time and skill, bargaining at their markets can be a satisfying experience. They'll bring you alive since you have to be on your toes all the time. On one occasion, I was given a fake 100 Yuan note, and being the naive traveler (the perfect victim), I didn't notice until much later that the paper felt a lot different from a real note. Hopefully they've brought a crackdown on that scam by now.

It was blazing hot in June, but that didn't stop me from making the regular touristy visits to The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and of course, The Great Wall.
There are various points of entry to The Wall, but I, intrepid explorer, decided to skip the organized tourist destination to go off the beaten path. So, I hopped local buses and hitched rides to a secluded section of The Great Wall of China. It provides a spectacular sight and a hike that isn't for a weak heart. But, without my handy Chinese translations I would most likely have ended up in Mongolia.

It's a pity there has been such a stir between Tibet and China. But if I were going to the Games I wouldn't fret too much. If the Olympics don't work out, one can always be appeased by the Peking duck and Congee.

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