Wackedy wack blog

Another Country Heard From

Another friend reminds me how blogs are supposed to work. I'll get around to it, I promise. Maybe. I mean, probably. I did finally get a kind of CMS working without a database so anything's possible. The problem is, there's a lot of content. And it doesn't generally lend itself to synopsizing. But I'll think on it, maybe GUIDs, maybe another CMS mod. Meantime here's more content.

Today was quiet. Hiked to the office, played with the kid's, taught 'em my mutation of ~Head, shoulders, knees and toes~, hiked home. Stayed in since, testing the VPN, wrote it up, ate from the fridge and freezer. So now I violate my neurosis and tell you about yesterday.

What else did I violate? Well, hard to say. I've mentioned our draconian contracts, but I haven't done anything to violate mine for weeks. The purpose of the Beijing mission yesterday was absolute violation of someone else's. But he hasn't been getting enough work to live on. And he thought he needed another body to get his luggage on the train. And I've been itching to see Beijing. So missions accomplished.

Up 630ish. No need to get out of bed. Napitate, we said 10. That means 830 to start stretching, cooking et cetera. Do so. Arrange cookies, ChiPhone, apple, tickets, cigs, head down. He's waiting. We thought we might have to look for a cab. One is sitting out front. -Tian Jin Zhan. -Wei? Show the picture we sensibly brought. -O, Tian Jin Zhan. This is the life off a furryner speaking Mandarin. Or Tianjinese, we don't really know what's what and that's doubtless one cause of confusion. I'll list a few more when I get around to writing my thoughts on linguistics. But now, story time.

Station in 15 minutes. By a most circuitous route. Didna tell you about walking there Tuesday, did I? And now my neuroses prevent it. But I walked back last night so you'll have the process in reverse. Now know that it is a very straight shot from my flat to the station but the cab can't go that way: pedestrian mall. He knows the way though and no reason to think he hasn't done it as efficiently as possible.

So we have time. Have a smoke. Try to get a seat. Try try again. Running man goes in quest of food. I mention the cookies and apple but he comes back with sesame bread. I rarely refuse anything anymore. Eat our bread. Train time.

Somewhat mad press. I take the right column, he the centre. I'm through and waiting minutes. No big. His mission really, I'm happy to tag along. We're in car 5. Rather opposite from the direction information pointed us but no big deal, we find it easily.

The train gets up to 300KPH. Qualifies as high speed in my book. Accelerate for 15 minutes, have some more bread, decelerate for 15 minutes, we are in Beijing. Somewhere in the middle a gentleman hands us this document:
Respected foreign friends,
   US government says that there is no human right in China. It is absolutely rights and I have confirmed it on Oct. 12, 2009.
   My name is Chunhui Zhang, disabled. Around 7:00 a.m. in Oct.12, 2009, I was standing in Xiang Wu garden, which is opposite to Nankai middle school, Nankai district, Tianjin, Xing-nan police station in Nankai district sent a police car and two policemen got off the car want to take me to the police station. Police car License plate Jin A2353. Their reason was that there are letters, such as the United States, Taiwan and Tibet on my handbag. In addition, they asked me why I was standing there.
   How ridiculous it is. I have no right to stand in the garden? It is indisputable that US government says there is no human right in China. Then, I emphasize that you have intruded my human rights and I will sue you. At last, they give up taking me away. But, the policemen enforce to tear off the letters on my handbag. I hope you respected ones to spread this issue out.

Well, I do what I can. Perhaps you know how much I respect the Dalai Lama. Perhaps you know how much I respect this man's bravery, to be handing this out on a train full of cameras and not a few police. I haven't corrected his grammar and perhaps you know how much that pains me. This is a very interesting event. Paying taxes in Merka I was buying bullets to put in innocent Iraqi heads. Paying taxes is China am I now paying to harass cripples? My Mom's a cripple, you may know, this ain't cool. But the Malaysians don't seem to have their act together and I really do NOT want to move to Poland in November, so what's a wonder wanderer to do? Proceed to Beijing FTM.

Head out of the station. I want to see that the subway is here. It is. He wants to catch a cab to the airport. We do. Half an hour, we're there. Share a final smoke, keep him company through check-in, bid adieu. Find the airport end of the subway system. 25Yuan? Jeez Louise. Well, the cab was 260. But regular subway's 2. Whatever, 25Yuan is less than $4 US, remind myself what NY costs. Into town. Read the map. I could take the subway all the way back to South Beijing Station. But I want to see Beijing. And I just spent 25Yuan darn it. Not another 2! Idiot. I start off in the wrong direction. I didn't bring my compass. I can navigate by the sun a bit, but I need it to move through the day, I'd be far afield if I'd relied on that. Luckily I recognize the character for North from my map on one of the street signs. I knew from the sun I was going either north or west, this confirms the latter. Hang a right. See it all. Don't think that's possible, four times the size of NY. But somehow my three hour hike does encompass Alien's Street, the counterfeit district and Tienanmin Square. Alas I am now short on time. So I cave, pay my 2Yuan and experience the real subway. It's good. Clean, fast and like most Asian trains in my experience, safe.

Now I'm in Beijing South with time to spare. Ate my cookies on the hike. Get some fries. Follow 'em up with the apple. Hit the street for a smoke. Train time. I wait at the wrong entrance. Recover, board, long smooth acceleration again. No human right activist this time.

Back in Tianjin I walk the river to the mall, the mall to the stairs, the stairs to the Cathedral and pause for some barbecue. It's been weeks. Why? I'll try to get around to telling you but right now it's bedtime.