The Tragedy in Tiananmen

Much has already been said in the 20 years since the Chinese government’s heavy crackdown on a series of student-led demonstrations in and around the area of the Tiananmen Square in Beijing. A good part of my past month or so had been spent digging up those materials, reading and watching everything I could find about the events leading to June 4, 1989, the day when tanks rolled in crushing bodies underneath them, and the military fired at the protesters made up mostly of unarmed students and workers. Until now, 20 years after, the death toll remains a mystery. The Chinese Red Cross initially reported that 2,600 died, but retracted allegedly under pressure from the government. Some journalists estimated that the number could be as high as 7,000. The official tally, however, concluded that less than 300 died and 7,000 were injured.

(To read the rest of the entry, click here.)

Drunken Night

I was so wasted a few nights before we left Beijing. We had a dinner party thrown for us by the Beijing team because we were about to leave. I didn't know there was going to be one until I was herded into the big dining room. All the while I was thinking, somebody should have told me so I could have dressed nicely. Sigh.

Boating with the Girls

This is how I spent my last night in Beijing. I will be posting the video version of this soon.

With the Team

The Forbidden City. Again.

This is my second visit to the Forbidden City, also known as The Summer Palace, also known as The Palace Museum. I went with ChenYing, SunRongLi and XiaoDing. As I had already taken a lot of pictures the first time, the goal now is to be IN the pictures.

This is Home for Now

I'll be staying with the team in this semi-hotel for a little less than a month more. I love the fact that my room gets cleaned every single day without me having to lift a finger, that I turn the aircon on and off and not worry about electric bills and that if there's anything wrong I can just open my door and yell, "fuwuyuan" and somebody would come running to see what I want. I'm spoiled rotten....

The Fishing Expedition

The Forbidden City

Or The Palace Museum. I don't really know the difference. Anyway, I spent my last day in downtown Beijing going to The Forbidden City (or again, it could have been the Palace Museum. Please don't think I'm very very stupid). It was huge, as expected. I got lost. It rained. I got soaked to my skin. Oh well. It was fun too.

Pearl Market "Penthouse"

It is almost inconceivable that on top of the busy Pearl Market is this deserted place.

Blue Zoo Beijing

Troy and I went to Blue Zoo Beijing on my last Sunday in downtown Beijing. I took loads of pictures. Here are the better ones...

Mostly Brushes

I can't remember exactly what the big shopping place is called. In Chinese, it's something like PanJiaYuan. I don't know what it means. Troy just calls it "the place to buy antiques." Of course most often, they're not real antiques. This is where he bought his "antique" box, by the way.

My Room in Troy's House

Troy surprised me with the real Yakult one night. Yummy!

My room was the messiest place in Troy's house. Which now brings me to say how very nice Troy is to let a complete stranger live in his house, feed on his food and just disrupt his peace.

Crashed Eggs on the Street

That pretty much explains everything. I was doing my usual exploration of the neighborhood when I came upon a sudden yellow on the street. I whisked my camera and started shooting as curious Beijingers looked on. I regret not taking more pictures....

Exploring Beijing Alone

I started exploring on my own yesterday. I was able to go to a big appliance store and nothing else. It rained so hard that I had to go back home dripping wet. I tried again today. These are the products of my aimless stroll.

Beijing. Day 2

a charming little place that serves Malaysian cuisine

We first had lunch in Cafe Sambal, a charming little place that serves Malaysian cuisine. Then, we went to a huge bookstore that actually have books in English! Finally! They also have books in other foreign languages as well. We then went to a huge shopping mall that I described to Troy as 'extravagant'. There are no shopping malls of this calibre in Tieling!

It was very smoggy (which is normal Beijing weather because of the pollution) humid so Forbidden City was reserved for another day. We did go to Tian'anmen Square for a walk. I couldn't take good clear pictures because of the smog so these are the best I could do.

Is Beijing Ready for Me?

No seat! But a nice man gave me one. He had to fight an evil woman to let me have it. It was a long and loud argument on why I should be given the seat and not her son (she was already sitting. She beat me to HER seat). In the end, I got the seat.

I survived the 7-hour train ride. Beijing doesn't have a choice. It'll have to be ready for me.