It's (finally) beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

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Season's Greetings!

Just a short one to basically round up before I go on holiday. Last weekend was a taste of the old stuff and we went to listen to an old-style Rockabilly band. And I am amazed to report that Elvis is alive and well, and in Beijing! He's had a bit of work done but he sounds as good as ever. All the girls were rather taken with him and I did have a fight on my hands to make him my own. I felt I deserved him most though cause I did get all dressed up for the occasion...

So, as it's officially freezing now (we had out first snow day on Monday), I'm escaping the winter and heading to Singapore and Malaysia for Christmas holidays. Singapore to see some old friends, and Sarawak to see Bornean Bearded Pigs. I'm heading to Bako National Park, Malaysia's oldest National Park, to see Proboscis Monkeys, Hornbills, pitcher plants, mud skippers and trek the natural beauty of Borneo. I leave tomorrow so I just wanted to wish you all a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

Eat much. Laugh often. Hug a loved one.

P.S. I'll leave you all with a taste of my favourite comic strip, Christmas style...

Improv - The Art of Making it Up as You Go Along

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A weekend of creative arts and performances, Saturday night was the Beijing Improv troupe's show "Ice Cold and Unscripted", which gave me my first chance to see Vinny do his thing. The first rule in Beijing is if Vinny invites you something then, GO. And since I've not been to an improv night in years I wasn't going to miss it.



My neighbour Cyril survived his month long journey through Kazakhstan and the frozen wastes of Siberia so I dragged him along too. He bought me a furry hat (how did he know about my fetish for furry hats?) and combining it with the wig I bought that afternoon with Tash at the Russian Markets, I looked a true Ruski.

My mission to go incognito that night failed miserably. Those who knew me wondered where all the hair came from, and those who didn't wondered "who's the girl in the fabulous furry hat?" Well, I may have added the 'fabulous' part, but it IS fabulous. The Improv was great, and Vinny is a very talented man.





Afterwards, we went to see a great band "Dead Roses" with a very charismatic lead vocalist in a stunning little silk dress with great pink pumps. I was also introduced to cheap drinks at the Boat Bar (inventively named as it's a bar in the belly of an old boat) and sauntered all the way home when we couldn't find anything else open.

That night, I also had my first taste of my 2 minutes of fame. I met a few new Couch Surfers at improv, and while speaking to one he sort of squinted at me and said, "Hey, aren't you the girl on the cover of That's Beijing?" (which is quite impressive as I was in disguise). Yes, the new issue of the magazine is out and well, I'm one of the people on the cover. The link to the cover and summary is here (click the "Current Issue" tab near the top and scroll down a little) and the article is here.

At Improv and at Swing class on the next Monday, people were coming up and saying they saw me in That's Beijing which is very cool but what do you say to that? I get all shy (don't laugh) but now reply with "No, that's not me, that's my Evil Twin." It always gets a laugh and usually follows with, well if she's the evil one, what do you do?! I am, I tell them, a Saint. God bless you my child.

But I know that I won't ever get too impressed with myself though, cause I have people to keep me grounded. Like one particular Couch Surfer who I've met him plenty of times but always get the blank look from. This weekend I was once again introduced to him (for the 5th time) and, as always, I looked for a hint of recognition in his eyes... and still got none :)

But Sunday night was the Swing dance competition! It was a fantastic night, with Beijing's only Swing Big Band playing live, though I have to admit I very nearly chickened out from going. I somehow got the notion in my head that I was capable of joining the Jack&Jill competition, which was an individually judged free dance competition where you swap partners every song. I was assured it was more about having fun and just enjoying it than technique but the more I thought about it (after I agreed to join) I was not confident enough in my improv skills to do it! So, in preparation I took a workshop on Sunday morning at 10am (which was killer as I'd only got back from the night before in the wee hours), tried to perk up in the afternoon, donned the Red Dress and hit the club Salsa Caribe. Watching the intermediate and advanced dancers compete, and watching the demonstrations by the judges was my favourite part. It's amazing to watch the pros at work! I have videos here, you have to check it out.

But I spent the evening getting more and more nervous. Everyone else was dancing in the breaks but I was only a beginner and too nervous to move out of the shadows. I did pluck up the courage to ask Vinny for one dance but by the time the Jack&Jill was about to start I was a ball of nerves. Luckily, extra people had joined the competition for fun who had never had any lessons so my first partner was a Couch Surfer who took me for crazy fun spin around the dance floor. After that, I was fine and I even got to dance with some of the more dashing and talented men from class, so that was a definite bonus. They are so good they even made me look half decent and I made it to the second round which I was quite pleased about! It was great to watch the more advanced guys just winging it and having a great time.

It was a great night and walked out on a cloud. I've been told I've got an unusually optimistic view of Beijing for a normal Beijinger but when there's nights like that to be had, who wouldn't love this city? You just have to get out there and do it and that, ladies and gentlemen, is the lesson I learned from tonight's tale...

Out with the old and in with the Lu Kewen!

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Right after posting my last update I went to the Australian Embassy to vote in the Australian Federal Election. And I gladly did my civic duty, supporting 'Kevin 07' as the campaign was called. It was also a great excuse for some out-of-town friends to come to Beijing on the auspice of voting, and (hopefully) have a party in celebration of the outcome.

Election night was also all I had hoped for, and more! A landslide victory in every sense, it is only the second time in Australian history that a Prime Minister has lost not only his government but also his seat. That was a gift we had hardly dared hope for. It flies in the face of any government who think people won't seek a change when the economy is strong; watch out the rest of the world! The people have spoken!

We partied it up in the new Irish bar 'Paddy O'Sheas' which is opposite the Australian Embassy and had full election coverage. The China branch of the Kevin 07 support faction had arranged for Australian beers to be available. It really was like being at home: in an Irish pub drinking Boag's! (Yes, Boag's not Coopers people! Next someone will tell me Crownies over Cascade. Madness.)

So, we all watched Howard bow out (rather gracefully I have to admit, which I had to admire him for) and then Lu Kewen as he's known here came on the screen and there was a roar from the crowd! It was a truly magnificent moment, and I remember thinking at the time that I don't think I've ever seen an Australian crowd so excited about something that didn't involve men moving a ball around. Don't get me wrong, I'm missing my football and cricket, but it was nice to have something so momentous to celebrate.

And celebrate we did! It was an awesome night, but because we are 3 hours behind the East coast we started the election watch at about 6pm and when I was exhausted and wondering what crazy hour of the morning it was, I looked and it was only 11pm. It was a big but early night for me.

The next day, the only thing anyone was good for really was more sitting round and chatting. So I took Claire to a little Chinese institution I've been meaning to try for ages, the 'e For Time' Teahouses. With many branches around Beijing and China wide, it's usually an entire floor of tables and booths, with games and magazines available. But the best part is you pay RMB18 at the door and then can have unlimited tea, coffee, ice cream, bubble tea, juice, yoghurt and even a few unidentifiable drinks. There are also snacks available without limit (though I had to spend a whole RMB1 on popcorn, tsk) and Claire took full advantage of it all! We sampled all their wares and whittled away the afternoon. This is another new institution I can definitely get used to...

The Language Issue

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It was a week of farewells. I was sad to say goodbye to a friend who has been in a remote area of China these past four months, and has now gone home, but we showed her a good time while she was in Beijing! For one thing, we went to an awesome live music venue, 2Kolegas, to see some great Chinese punk bands. She's now enjoying the comforts of home so I look forward to seeing her when I'm next in the 'Berrra. I also had a work dinner to farewell our outgoing CEO which was a lot of fun, and I was mercifully "killed" in the first round of Murder in the Dark, which was a little complicated as I was a "murderer" too. Hmmmm.

Last weekend I found my long-searched-for sanctuary in Beijing: a coffee lounge called "Waiting for Godot". It is my getaway from it all and great for those time when you want a little down time. I also explored more, and found an great new market where I bought bicycle "mitts" (they're like fur-lined oven mitts that fit over my handle bars). It's amazing the difference they make! I think I'll be able to ride through winter now. But it was coming back from that market that will forever stick out in my memory.

Coming back from the Market, I took a rare trip on the subway (I cycle everywhere). I stepped onto the subway carriage and stood patiently with my purchases. My mind was on the labyrinth that was the market, so when the girl next to me said something to her friend it took me awhile to register what she said. I got the distinct impression she was talking about me, though she was looking out the door. I'm not entirely sure what she said since I wasn't really paying attention, but I heard something about pretty, so I guess what she said wasn't bad. Anyway, she said something else which I also had the gut instinct was about me but this time she was looking at her phone, and I wrote it off as my addled brain playing tricks on me as I couldn't really recognise the words she was saying. The girl with her then said "Which station is next?" and I realised that I could understand them, but not pick out words, because they were speaking Cantonese.

They then discussed (in Cantonese) how many more stations to go, and I smiled to myself because they obviously would never think that I could understand what they were saying. Basking in the warmth of, for once, being able to follow someone else's conversation, we stopped at another station and I moved to let someone in, nearly stepping on the toe of the second girl. I apologised (in Mandarin) and while looking at me a little wide-eyed, the girl said to her friend (in Cantonese) "She's speaking Chinese!" obviously thinking I wouldn't understand her. I couldn't help myself, I grinned broadly and said (in Mandarin) "Yes. And I speak Cantonese."

Well, their jaws both hit the floor! The girl astonished replied (in Cantonese) "We also speak Cantonese!" to which I replied (in Cantonese), "I know. I'm from Hong Kong," grinning like a Chestershire cat.

After a long moment, the first girl dropped her head and covered her face with her hand in embarrassment. "She understood me," she said quietly to her friend. The irony of the fact I could understand that statement too was lost of them both I think, though I had a little chuckle to myself. I wanted to say "don't worry about it" but thought that any further comment would probably make her feel worse. There was an embarrassed silence, while they processed all this and I was trying hard not to laugh. I was enjoying myself immensely! It was one of those very rare times when I was the one person who understood exactly what's going on and what everyone was saying, and I was going to savour it! We pulled into my station and I turned to them both and smiled. I said "Goodbye" (in Cantonese), and they both meekly replied "Goodbye" (in English). I couldn't keep the grin off my face all the way home.

But it's made me think of some of my other favourite language issue moments. I've never been annoyed or upset about them cause frankly, they're petty darn funny (I think anyway). For example, I bought some corn the other day and asked her "Zheige yumi, duo shao qian?" ("How much is the corn?"). The young girl looked at me blankly and I smiled, and repeated it slowly. She then realised I was speaking Mandarin and told me the price. As she was putting it in the bag she turned to me and said very slowly and deliberately "Nii shii naa guo renn?" ("Whaaat couuuuntry aaare youuu frooom?"). My Mandarin is a little rustic but I'm not feeble!

The slow talking has happened a few times, most recently at my now favourite Muslim restaurant. The first time I went in (and all in Mandarin) I ordered, had a discussion about does this dish have a lot of oil, told her I don't like oil, and can they recommend a tofu dish? I went with their suggestion, ordered another vegetable dish and the food was great. I wanted to learn how to say it the tofu dish so that I could order it next time so I asked her what the dish was called. Completely seriously she says "Zheige jiao dooo fuuuu" ("It's called toooofuuuuu").

But my favourite (other than the subway moment) was the other week when I was in a tea house and I hailed a waitress. "Can I please have a menu?" I asked her in Mandarin. She looked blank. Totally in Mandarin, I tried asking a different way.
"Do you have a menu?" Still blank.
"Menu?" She started to look around for someone to translate.
"Can I order?" I asked, now running out of ways to ask the same thing.
At that point she said very calmly, "Dui bu qi, wo ting bu dong ying wan" ("I'm sorry, I don't understand English"). I actually dropped my head in my arms for a moment to hide my laugh.
"I'm not speaking English," I told her in Mandarin, "I'm speaking Chinese." Another half a second and the penny dropped. "Ohhhhhhhhhhh!" she said walking off to get a menu. I could just about hear her saying to herself "Why didn't she say so in the first place?"

You have to love this city!