Hello my cherished ones, thank you for reading along. My adventure continues as the skies have opened up and the rain has not ceased for almost 48 hours.  It is shocking to discover that rain is NOT the same everywhere you go, and it seems here to be incredibly insidious.  The small group’s destination today was the Pearl Market, and while it is entirely indoors, I elected to stay at the hotel. Well, that is, I was going to take a quick trip on the subway to the school, and then return and stay in, however, the first 5 minutes of the walk convinced me to return to the hotel, change into dry clothes, boil up a cup of tea and watch a little more TV. And get caught up on yesterday’s shenanigans.

So, in a slightly less all-encompassing deluge, yesterday we set out in two taxis that Shue ordered for us (this is relevant later in the tale) for Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.  This is probably the main tourist destination in the city, and so I did expect to see a more diverse cross-section of humanity.  Eh….. notsomuch. Although at one point I was reading one of the few signs in English that I found, and snapped around in shock when I heard someone behind me reading aloud. He stopped reading when I turned, and I apologized, saying “Sorry!” (how Canadian) “I was just so surprised to hear someone speaking English!”. The fellow and his companion nodded and laughed when I said I had never been the visible minority before.

Perhaps the funniest moment in relation to that was when the 5 of us were standing together taking a group photo.  A lady came up to us, and without a by-your-leave just started photoing or videoing us– not sure which, but she took her time and didn’t so much as crack a smile. Soon after, a fellow approached us, and also took a photo, but he was jovial and indicated he would like permission.  After a few quick snaps and bows, he ran back to his wife/GF and showed her the pictures. She seemed delighted. I happened to pass them an hour or so later and he waved and smiled as if we were old friends, and his companion said “Hello”.  The funniest moment for me was at the sink in a restroom, washing my hands, and the lady next to me caught my reflection in the mirror and turned to me and said “Nee-how”.  I said “Hello” and she shook my hand, smiling and and nodding, and then said “You like Beijing?!” all still shaking my soapy wet hand.  It sounds weird, I know, but it was delightful.

The Forbidden City is beyond description.  There is not a lot that would bring me back to Beijing, especially (although I would return if invited again, happily), but the Forbidden City is a place I would like to pack a lunch and stay all day.  I was relieved that it was cooler, though rainy, as I would not have been able to cope in the oppressive heat and enjoy my surroundings. Essentially, this was once, I assume, an entire village, as it goes on for acres and acres, all cobble stones and MASSIVE stone gates– in fact everything is on the massive scale.  It was one of the few times I witnessed something that I simply could not get my head around.

When it was time to leave, we had a different dilemma.  Shue had warned us not to get tricked by unscrupulous drivers of unlicensed cabs.  Of course, because we had been in the city for 4 days, we were totally jaded.  I am, of course, being a little facetious, but only a little.  The two cabs we arrived in cost 60RBC each (as I mentioned in an earlier post, the cabs are RIDICULOUSLY inexpensive. This is the cost for a 1 hour ride… the equivalent of 12CAD, or, for the 2 cabs, 24CAD, divided by 5 people).  Alright, so there we were, contemplating our options in what seemed to be a likely spot to catch a cab, when a vendor standing on the sidewalk calls to us, offers his card, and says he will get us a cab that will seat all 5 of us. For 300RBC. Horrified, (remember, this is worth about $60) we fervently decline. Just then, a regulation (we thought) cab comes up, we ask if he will take all 5 of us, and he says yes, and then yells at us in English to Hurry Up! (as the persistent honking that is required of any driver in Beijing who is even insignificantly inconvenienced is wont to do).  We all pile in, show him the address of our hotel, and then the screaming really starts. “THIS IS FAR AWAY! $400!”. Now, I am the first to admit, I hate haggling, it’s not my thing, and while I am perfectly capable, I don’t enjoy it. I also don’t enjoy conflict of any sort, and normally someone yelling at me would not invoke my best qualities in response.  This time, however, I rose to the Occasion.  “No way– it only cost us 60 to get here 400 is too much!”.  “MADAM!” he replied “It’s a long way, there are 5 of you! 400!” “No!” was my reply, with a quick glance around at the others who were ok with my bargaining the fare, ” 150, that more than we paid to get here.” “MADAM! It is rush hour!” (it wasn’t) “it costs more to leave the Forbidden City, you won’t get another taxi, ok!?  You pay 375.” And that of course, was my cue to know the game was afoot. “No no no, that’s too much.  200.” “MADAM!!!  There are 5 of you!  This is a long long way! You will not get another cab!! OK OK OK 350, that’s it”.  This was all at a loud and angry volume (on his part), met with stolid Canadian equanimity (on my part), and while I would, in no way, claim I won the negotiations, I did end up getting him to agree to a price of 250RBC, and while still fully double what it ought to have been, came to $50, or $10 each for a 30 minute ride (oddly, much quicker on the way back than the way there, despite it being ‘rush hour’) that was the most entertaining cab ride I’ve experienced, possibly ever.  Once the negotiations were over, “Gary” (yes, Gary) turned out to be quite a jovial character, and was was quite enamoured of one of our group in particular, even declaring his love for her before the ride was even half over.  As part of the fare, he asked for a photo with her at the end of the ride, which we obliged, but only because we were weak with laughter.

Photos of the day, with my thanks to you for reading and laughing (I hope) with me. I hope the weather gods will smile tomorrow when I will feel more energized and perhaps up for some more negotiation.  Sleep well, it’s late where you are.

….and then there was Gary