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English Version 4
Saturday 05.04.08
07.00 p.m.
After a heavy sleep I wake up early and can’t sleep anymore. The day
before rushes in on me and has to be considered and digested.
There are 3 computers with internet access. One in the restaurant, which
isn’t open yet, the second in the “local office”, which isn’t open
either and the last… I’ve sat at it for a moment before, but it seemed
incredible slow. When I now take a closer look I find out there’s a
USB-port. After 5 min I give it up. I manage to get a message that my
brother has tried to access Messenger and what his address is.
Unfortunately all text boxes are in Chinese, so I don’t know what my
answers are – presumably wrong.
I leave to have something to eat. Angela has told me a lot about street
kitchens and which things she usually buys there, and that one have to
estimate the hygiene standard, but if you watch out, they’re all right.
I try a long winding oil fried kind of bread – it doesn’t take up much
space in my stomach. Then the big pancakes with eggs and spices and
spring onions. They’re tasty but very greasy and feel heavy inside. Such
one will probably last for half a day. Maybe with another one as a
reserve. I watch a man buy one first. Oh.. it’s 3 RMB. When I want one
and ask “duoshao?” (how much) she holds up 4 fingers, but I correct her
with 3 fingers and get it for the right prize. (2.10 d.kr.)
When I come back after having walked almost all the way round the hutong
(which takes around an hour) the computer in the office is occupied by
three girls. Damned.
01.15 p.m.
A disaster has hit me. My USB-stick has been infected by a Trojan horse,
which at leat partly has ruined the library structure. I don’t want to
format it, in case it can still be saved, so I put the newest photos on
my MP3 player, which has been meant as an extra memory all the time.
Go to find a Chinese map, one where the names are written in Chinese
characters. I need it to show to people who can read Chinese, and there
are a lot of them!
On my way I come across a shop that’s selling memory cards. It’s on Tian
An Men. They have USB-sticks too. After some negotiations I get it for
90 RMB, which is way too much, but I need it badly.
The map I get hasn’t enough details, but I don’t have all day.
A shampoo I get, but a deo…. It’s not used in China? So I don’t have to
either?
I was thinking of going to The forbidden City today, but it’s already
01.30 and they close at 4 or 04.30 p.m. It also looked like there was a
long queue when I passed. I’m learning to find my way here in the centre
of the city. Then I’ll be ready to see the attractions, when I turn back
by the end of may.
01.35 p.m.
Was disrupted by a bloke that had experienced something like me with a
USB-stick. He had a data recovery made in a computer store in Delhi, so
I rely that the pictures (it weren’t that many) are not lost yet, but I
havn’t got time for that today.
I’ve washed, so when I’ve bought the necessary supplies and have packed
I’ll be ready to go into the unknown.
Just now I’m sitting in the restaurant again.
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| A tricycle can be used for all | Who said safety? |
06.00 p.m.
I was for a trip to Temple of Heavens. Unfortunately I was too late, the
park was soon to close and all seemed to be under renovation.
Some comments on the traffic: When the first chock is over, there is
some meaning in what seems meaningless. What is so different from our
part of the world are the unwritten rules concerning turn to the right
and the left. You always turn right no matter what colour of the light.
Are there cyclists going straight – and there are – you interlace with
them, but in a way where cars are more important than cyclists. But
everyone accepts the game and play. If you have to go left (and in most
crossings there are a period with left-green in both directions) you
keep on going as long as you have a chance of getting to a certain point
BEFORE those going in the opposite direction waiting for green. They
have to wait. As soon as the light gets green for left-turns pedestrians
and cyclists start moving to the middle. All this if there’s not a man
with a flag and a whistle. Cause he can overrule it all. So he’s to be
obeyed. And if you don’t he’ll let you know! You get used to it rather
easy. But the weaker road user the less hurry to get somewhere first.
08.25 p.m.
I've been shopping. Vacuum packed chicken bones (very small chickens),
an instant dish which, according to Angela, only needs hot water,
bisquits, different sweets, 2 bananas and last 0.5 kg of something
looking like thin lasagna sheets, but sweet as honey. 1.5 l of water I
had already.
I've found out how to get out of town tomorrow. It ended up looking easy.
But that doesn't mean it will be....
I discuss such things with the man in the "office".
He's also helped me with questions like: "Where does this road lead?",
"I want to go to..." and "Can you tell me how to go..."
Just now I'm thinking of other useful sentences.
His english isn't very good and he seems a little dum, but he's
extremely helpful.
The days in Beijing:
45,69 km
12,66 km/t
3:33:32 tim