biking east
keshiketengqi – balinyouqi – wangniuteqi – chifeng
early morning view on keshiketenqi from my hotel room - clouds lingering,but the weather looks nice enough to continue
patches of sunlight into stunning scenery
the first foreigners I encounter, more than a month after leaving beijing, step out of a minivan just as I pass by. they seem to be in a hurry, not really noticing me, rushing to set up their cameras. after the train has passed by and shutters have rattled, they explain me they share an obsession for steam trains, and that they've come from all over the world (australia, oregon, mexico, scotland) to this particular valley between balinyouqi and wangniuteqi to take pictures of the "last regularly operating steam train in the world".
typical postprandial scenes around my plate of jaouza in the only 'restaurant' of a small roadside town.
what is on the pictures: little curious george at my lunch table, his parents pointing at the classic "are you married" in my rough guide glossary, and the girls of the town probably with similar questions behind the plastic curtain.
what is equally there, but not on the pictures: a bunch of the town's bullies (usually the ones in camouflage pants or with the dark sun glasses) rushing in and out, bringing their friends over to my lunch table, shouting "hello" in my ear, louder every time as if I'm too stupid to understand, tossing my rough giude around, shoving a cigarette up my mouth, grins on their faces, a shout-laugh-cough hybrid to break the uncomfortable silence once in a while. eventually they end up shuffling back outside, to 'check out my bike'. thumbs (with ferocious nails) go into my tires to check the pressure, clumsy hands grab the frame to check out the weight, brakes are tested, gears shifted in the process.
how many times I started biking and rattled along for a stretch because someone had shifted my gears while I was eating or taking a break? just one example of I never ever encountered in any other part of the world.
it's in the 'cultural hints' section of every guidebook on china: any kind of privacy is a precious ore here, a pushing elbow is more vital than an outstretched hand in this overcrowded society, lack of respect for goods and mental health of your neighbor is socially accepted. still I never really got used to it. no way I can explain in a friendly way I prefer them not to touch my bike. no way to laugh it all away with a buddy. china can be a slap in the face at times, especially for the lonely non-mandarin speaking traveler.
what I did learn though was to avoid the guys with the dark shades and the US army wear. women, children and elderly people usually were better bets, for directions, or for a simple chat. never really understood those army camouflage pants anyway - the guys who wear it usually stand out more than boy george on a clan rally.
leaving towns and bullies behind, alone again with the road, thinking of whether or how all this realtes to the environmental disaster I am biking through...
I could follow some chinese episodes of kuifje (tintin) just by walking through the streets at night and peaking into - everyone seemed to have it on. along with hu jintao, preparing the nation for the festivities of the 55th anniversary of the people's republic
early morning view on keshiketenqi from my hotel room - clouds lingering,but the weather looks nice enough to continue
patches of sunlight into stunning scenery
the first foreigners I encounter, more than a month after leaving beijing, step out of a minivan just as I pass by. they seem to be in a hurry, not really noticing me, rushing to set up their cameras. after the train has passed by and shutters have rattled, they explain me they share an obsession for steam trains, and that they've come from all over the world (australia, oregon, mexico, scotland) to this particular valley between balinyouqi and wangniuteqi to take pictures of the "last regularly operating steam train in the world".
typical postprandial scenes around my plate of jaouza in the only 'restaurant' of a small roadside town.
what is on the pictures: little curious george at my lunch table, his parents pointing at the classic "are you married" in my rough guide glossary, and the girls of the town probably with similar questions behind the plastic curtain.
what is equally there, but not on the pictures: a bunch of the town's bullies (usually the ones in camouflage pants or with the dark sun glasses) rushing in and out, bringing their friends over to my lunch table, shouting "hello" in my ear, louder every time as if I'm too stupid to understand, tossing my rough giude around, shoving a cigarette up my mouth, grins on their faces, a shout-laugh-cough hybrid to break the uncomfortable silence once in a while. eventually they end up shuffling back outside, to 'check out my bike'. thumbs (with ferocious nails) go into my tires to check the pressure, clumsy hands grab the frame to check out the weight, brakes are tested, gears shifted in the process.
how many times I started biking and rattled along for a stretch because someone had shifted my gears while I was eating or taking a break? just one example of I never ever encountered in any other part of the world.
it's in the 'cultural hints' section of every guidebook on china: any kind of privacy is a precious ore here, a pushing elbow is more vital than an outstretched hand in this overcrowded society, lack of respect for goods and mental health of your neighbor is socially accepted. still I never really got used to it. no way I can explain in a friendly way I prefer them not to touch my bike. no way to laugh it all away with a buddy. china can be a slap in the face at times, especially for the lonely non-mandarin speaking traveler.
what I did learn though was to avoid the guys with the dark shades and the US army wear. women, children and elderly people usually were better bets, for directions, or for a simple chat. never really understood those army camouflage pants anyway - the guys who wear it usually stand out more than boy george on a clan rally.
leaving towns and bullies behind, alone again with the road, thinking of whether or how all this realtes to the environmental disaster I am biking through...
I could follow some chinese episodes of kuifje (tintin) just by walking through the streets at night and peaking into - everyone seemed to have it on. along with hu jintao, preparing the nation for the festivities of the 55th anniversary of the people's republic
posted by Jan at 21:19
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