Beijing: Temple of Heaven

My parents arrived in Shanghai on Thursday afternoon and by Saturday morning, we were boarding a train to Beijing. To be honest, I am not a big fan of flying, which is why I simply adore using public transportation in China. We sped through the countryside at over 300 km/hour and arrived 1300 km away in just under five hours (think Boston, MA to Charlotte, NC for our American readers). Unfortunately, the weather was less than cooperative for our visit. We were welcomed to Beijing by rain and temperatures hovering just above freezing. North of the city, it even started to snow.

My family was determined not to let the weather ruin our trip and after layering on a few extra pieces of clothing, we headed to the Temple of Heaven. We were clearly not impressed with the less than ideal conditions.

The Temple of Heaven was an imperial sacrificial altar during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The emperors would visit this location in order to pray to the heavens for a bountiful harvest. Today, the temple is surrounded by a large park where locals come to practice tai chi and a community band leads impromptu singalongs with tourists.

After a few hours of wandering the grounds in the rain, we ducked into a Szechuan restaurant where we warmed up over hot tea and spicy food. My mother even had the pleasure of selecting a live fish for our meal. Though I doubt pleasure would be the term she would use.

Street Eats: Jian Bing

My parents are currently visiting us in Shanghai and we have been having a blast showing them our beloved city. After a family run through the park, we hit up the street vendors for a quick breakfast. So what tasty treat did I share with my parents? Jian Bing or a Chinese pancake.

To make this Chinese breakfast staple, the cook ladles batter onto the hot griddle and allows it to form into a thin pancake. Then an egg is scrambled on top. A hint of garlic, some chili sauce, a generous scoop of bean sauce, and cilantro are added to the inside of the bing. Finally, a piece of fried dough is placed in the center for a little added crunch. The cook then rolls up the bing and cuts it in half as drool drips off your chin.

Jian bing was such a hit with my father that we visited the same vendor again the next day. I wonder how many more of them we will consume before their trip comes to an end?

Water Calligraphy

Water calligraphy is one of my favorite activities to witness in China. During the early mornings, older men and women gather with large paintbrushes to draw Chinese characters on the ground, using water instead of ink to draw their lines. The writing is often political in nature but can also be ancient poetry or proverbs. I find it beautiful that they generate these masterpieces while fully aware their strokes will fade away within minutes. They seek to create their art, not record it.

I apologize for the insanely poor quality of this photo. I shot it while I was jogging in Xujiahui Park. I promise I wasn't just trying to snap photos of men bending over.

Dear John

Since I'm obviously not afraid to talk about body fluids on this blog, I thought it was about time I brought up the restrooms in China (and I wanted to see how many different words I could think of for latrines). Let me introduce you to the squat toilet.

This thigh burn inducing bowl is prevalent throughout China. In an international city like Shanghai, Western style hoppers can be found at many restaurants, malls, and hotels. When in a pinch, Starbucks is always a good bet to find your traditional American privy. But in general, the majority of lavatories in China look like these. Even in hotels.

The Beijing Tourism Administration gave the john above a whopping two stars. I give it zero.

For months, I avoided using these facilities at all cost. I used the handicap accessible stall (which thankfully always has a full size seat) when available. I slipped into Western hotels. I urged our driver to break speed limits. I begged my bladder to pretend it belonged to a camel. 

But finally, I gave in. At 4am, after a night of dancing, while teetering in heels. Perhaps not the best time to test out whether my thighs were strong enough to support a proper squat. But I did it and have successfully used these porcelain thrones on a few other occasions since then. I'm still not a fan but at least I no longer run out of the bathroom when I encounter one. Unless the person before me had poor aim, then I run as fast as my stinging thighs will allow.

Chicken Plucker

Some of you may have seen this picture when I posted it on Facebook earlier this week. This my friends, is a chicken plucker.

The recently deceased chicken is placed inside this cylinder which has rubber fingers attached to the inside of the barrel. When it begins to spin, the fingers pluck the feathers from the chicken. The rather bloody feathers then come out the bottom shoot and you are left with a featherless chicken.

Anyone want me to bring one back as a Christmas gift? Anyone?

Election Day

On my eighteenth birthday, my dad woke me up bright and early. But instead of giving me a carefully wrapped present, he drove me to our local voter registration office. My father wanted to instill in me the value of having my voice heard, and from that day forward, I have voted in every general election. Today, millions of Americans will head to the polls to cast their votes in the 2012 general election and for once, I will not be one of them.

Thankfully, an absentee ballot will keep me from being disowned by my father for failing to make it to the polls on Election Day.

Voting from abroad is a rather easy process. First, Matthew and I submitted our requests for absentee ballots to New York State through the Overseas Vote Foundation, a non-partisan organization dedicated to assisting U.S. citizens register and vote from abroad. While we no longer maintain a physical address in NY, this is the last state we voted in and therefore, we continue to be registered voters there. A few weeks before Election Day, we received our absentee ballots in the mail. We simply filled them out and then were tasked with returning them to our county board of elections. We chose to have our ballot delivered by diplomatic pouch (mostly because I thought it made us sound important), but could have had it delivered through international mail or a private courier service such as FedEx or UPS. For us, it was easiest to drop off our sealed ballots at the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai and allow them to take care of the rest. 

While we may not be the U.S. this year for the election, I'm happy to know that my vote will count from abroad. And I'm sure my father is too.

I'll Miss You Bellies

Now that cooler temperatures are finally upon us in Shanghai, I have to bid adieu to one of my favorite summer fashion statements: the male belly shirt. I wish I had more photos to share with you, but alas, it seems we will all have to wait until next summer for more midriff magic.

(photo courtesy of my friend Jen)