2006-09-15

Today I’m happy.
I think that’s really cool.

Things that have made me smile today:

- Walking past a patch that used to be a lake. Now someone’s tilling it. That’s Chinese efficiency my friends, and yes, totally unrelated to the bureaucratic hamster wheel that is usually associated with that phrase. The other day, I think I even smelled Chinese chives.
- There’s a small baozi/basic breakfast stand I pass every day on my way to or from Beida. I almost always get either breakfast or lunch there – take-away baozi for 3 RMB, yummy and filling – and so does Hannah as well, even though she’s got her favourite noodle place as well. But the people at the baozi stand have become increasingly friendly, to the point where they’ll nod back if I say hi, and they double-pack my baozi without asking. And this morning, the baozi lady was positively friendly! I said thank you, she said you’re welcome, and smiles were exchanged. It’s amazing how a little friendliness can brighten up your whole day. I was positively skipping all the way to school.
- Seeing the on-campus dorms and thanking all my lucky stars I don’t live there. I’ll take pics next time, seeing as I have classes in the same building from now on.
- Getting the elective classes I wanted, quick and with no problems at all.
- Finally buying a table lamp, so I’m not destroying my eyesight in the sterile, blue hospital phosphorescent light that is in my room.
- The prospect of a pizza that’s purported to be almost up to Western standards. Just thinking about it is mouth-watering.
- I have an awesome flatmate, and not just cuz she now knows about the blog and will surely read this.

- And last but not least, I have wonderful friends. Fact. I miss you guys.

In other news, I had my first class in the class I switched down too. Good God. It included non-stop chanting, requirements to frickin memorize the text, and such easy exercises and quizzes I was almost bored to tears. What can I say.. I did ask for an easier class, and I sure got what I asked for. The homework is substantial though, and we still use the same book, so it’s just the classes that are going to be pretty boring, but again, that is kind of what I asked for. I do miss my old class and teacher though, they just seem like a much more fun bunch than these.
Hmm. I’ve already forgotten what we had for homework. Dammit.

Also, as I’m beginning to feel (or fervently hope, at least) that I’ve now passed the worst trial by fire bit, other people are beginning to experience bad days. Way too difficult classes, classes and elective classes clashing, personal problems – NO GAS AND NO ELECTRICITY THE ENTIRE WEEKEND – broken phones, friends coming over, and uh, yeah, did I mention no gas and no electricity the entire weekend? (Gas and electricity are sometimes paid for by using refill-cards, and the place where you can do that just closed for the weekend.) This all happened to Patrik today by the way.
With all my bitching about finding an apartment and dishonest landlords, I’m really beginning to appreciate mine and Hannah’s all the more. The location is really more than perfect, it’s growing more liveable by the day (even if I still have problems turning the gas on to take a shower) – it’s beginning to feel like, if not home, than at least an abode, a safe haven. I feel like we’re getting the best of everything – a quiet, truly Chinese neighbourhood, Beida next door, and the lively Wudaokou area a decent walk away. And our landlord is really a nice person, comparatively speaking, even though he’s incompetent and always late. But nice, and that should count for something in this country.


2006-09-16, 08.30 AM

I tried typing standing up in my kitchen, with my laptop perched on my washing machine, but it was bloody uncomfortable and I can only be so nice to my friends. Patrik spent the night on my sofa – not snoring, to his credit – but since we all, Patrik, Hannah and me went to bed about five hours ago, I can understand why nobody else is up yet. We all hung out at our place until Hannah was practically asleep, Patrik pretty mellow as well, and I was still bouncing around. He contemplated the pros and cons of finding his way home to Wudaokou from our place, in the dark, at almost 4 AM in the morning, and made a wise decision.
But let me backtrack.

Pizza time: yes, I will talk about us eating pizzas in detail. You don’t know how much you truly miss a good pizza until you’re in a country where fyllemat consists of noodles.

I woke up absolutely ravenous after an afternoon nap – I’ve hardly eaten anything this week, because frankly, I haven’t had much of an appetite. The thought of a pizza changed that, though. So me and Hannah went to this place just up the road from us, reputed to actually have real, Western pizzas. (I wouldn’t be so foolish to presume I know anything about Italian ones, but having tasted Domino’s, I also really don’t care) And boy, did they ever. The place was crowded with westerners – Americans, mostly – and was run by a really friendly American, who spoke very good Chinese and had good taste, if the interior was anything to judge by. Chinese restaurants never quite get the interior right.
We each ordered a Medium pizza (You could choose from Slice, Medium and Large, which we thought was ridiculous. Oh so wrong we were.), and did expect something a bit bigger than average I guess, and I don’t know if me emphatically stating “Bigger is better!” and gesticulating wildly to prove my point have anything to do with it, (I was hungry and wanted a pizza. I’m entitled to act like a crazy person then) but the pizzas were fricking HUGE. They made every pizza I’d ever seen – yes, even American ones – seem like croutons in comparison. And they were absolutely DELICIOUS. Thick crust, yummy tomato sauce and filling, and just so so good. Quantity and quality! To be honest, it was probably one of the top five best pizzas I’ve had my entire life, and that’s saying something, and for 60 RMB, we have food for the entire weekend. Top that off with a stor stark for 5 RMB (cheapest so far in all of Beijing), drinks for 25 RMB and that real friendly American running the place, and I can see this place has potential as
a) pizza place (a duh is superfluous here)
b) a pre-party place
c) a brunch place – see below

Because you know what else they had that made me and Hannah squeal like girls in a shoe shop? Hash browns for 5 RMB on Sunday mornings.
Hash browns.

Times like these, I love Beijing.

Bar time

After that pizza, we felt in desperate need of a walk. So we strolled on over to Wudaokou to check out a bar called Lush, that we’ve heard a lot about. It was just around the corner from Patrik’s, so we picked him up as well. Poor guy, there’s not much you can do in a pitch black apartment.
Personally, the coolest thing about Lush was its location right above a bookshop – you went through a bookstore to get there. The place itself was much smaller than I thought, way too smoky, and again, only westerners (except for the bartenders). The drink list contained annoying innuendo such as “Oral Pleasure” and “Wet Chocolate Dreams”, but unlike in Sweden (where one of my favourite drinks is called Orgasm, yes haha, it warrants a joke every. Single. Time.), there’s nothing more to it than that, except being amused by the bartender’s Chinese pronounciations.
We hung out there for a while, and then outside a club called Propaganda, and then sauntered back to mine and Hannah’s place. All in all, a fun night in BJ.

(better without context)
“If you get spanked with a Canon EOS 350, you’ll be in Heaven!”


Oh and btw: If you want to comment, scroll down to the bottom of the post and click on “x enjoyed the dumplings”, and then “Post a comment”. That will take you to the comments section. Try it, it’s fun!