Ari’s trip was short and fairly full. My friend Ari and I first met way back in college when I was 18. We have stayed in touch ever since although he moved away from Austin for graduate school, residency, a job, more graduate school, more residency, a job, and then back to Dallas where he currently lives and works. Since I arrived in Beijing for good in late April 2010 many friends have shown interest in visiting. I welcome everyone. My adventures here never cease. Ari’s work slows a bit in February so he booked his flight and made his way across the globe. We enjoyed visiting the obligatory sites that include the Summer Palace (via subway) as well as Houhai. We also visited Nanluoguxiang Hutong, Tien’anmen square, at least one grocery store, a hospital, a pharmacy, Hooters, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and a few other places. We enjoyed Beijing duck (in Beijing, China,) pulled noodles, fresh dumplings, Beijing beer, and some (out of this world) green beans called Ganbiandoujiao.
I believe that the ski lift cable car up to the Great Wall came in a close second to the toboggan ride down from the Great Wall for Ari. The trip to and from the Wall included three public buses, a subway, and a private car ride. Ari arrived during the Chinese New Year celebration. That means that many fireworks punctuated our evenings every night of his visit. Now… I am ready for my next visitor!
I never tire of experiencing holiday fireworks. Twelve months ago today, while my month long work trip to Beijing winded down, I listened to suggestions of friends about experiencing Chinese New Year in China.
I figured that I would be able to be here again in February 2011 or maybe later to find out for myself what the talk really meant. Today, February 3, 2011 at 12:52pm in the afternoon I sit in a Starbucks and type into my notebook computer. I hear sounds of fireworks exploding outside. Fourteen hours ago with the temperature dropping below freezing, the buildup to midnight intensified. Nearly everywhere I looked I saw smoke and the bright colorful lights of fireworks. As midnight approached the intensity and the explosions increased and a continual display of brilliant colors continued at an intense pace until way after midnight.
The day for me started before noon at a Starbucks near Wangfujing. I scheduled the meeting of a new friend from Detroit who just (five days earlier) moved to Beijing for an 18 month assignment with her company. I put in some computer work before Julie arrived right after noon. We made the introductions, proceeded to a late lunch of local Chinese food, then met up with Anthony before heading out to a 7pm meet-up group of couch surfers. The meet-up at a subway station north of Houhai probably included one hundred people. We watched fireworks and visited for 20 minutes before walking 5 minutes to a local restaurant that we completely filled. With fireworks constantly exploding everywhere outside enjoyed wonderful Chinese food, beverages, and good company. After dinner the crowd proceeded to an area around a Bell tower to watch fireworks until after 11pm. Closer to midnight the group separated a bit and some of us rode buses to the Workers Stadium area to watch more fireworks. At this time (close to midnight) a person in Beijing could not look anywhere and not see fireworks. The massive display I saw was like nothing I have ever experienced in the past.
