Beijing, Beer, and Bamboo

Did I mention there is construction going on all over the city. One can imagine after 10 or 20 years how much more modern and exciting the city will look. There are still ghettos right underneath some of these new towers, but increasingly those are being replaced. I wonder if there will be a glut in new office space sometime, but it does not seem much of a concern for now. Beijing is the capital of China, as well as the host of the 2008 Olympics. The city seems like its hurrying to look like the capital of the national and economic power that it is.

Finally, the semester is over. I finished my final exams. I showed some improvement over the mid-terms, especially since I knew better what to expect.

My classmates and I had a big dinner together at the cafeteria to celebrate as well as to say goodbye to some who will be going home. We ordered lots of food and there was Chinese beer. I do not like to drink, but there was sufficient pressure from enough people to get me to have a couple of cups. I have never seen any other beer served besides Yanjing Beer. I think it tastes much better than your standard Bud, but I feel beer is bad for my health so I try to avoid it.

Since we were in Intermediate-1 last semester, the people that stay including myself, will advance to Tigao-ban or Advanced Class. Advanced Chinese will prepare students who are interested in further study at Chinese Universities. I will be taking it to improve my Chinese. However, if I get the scholarships I hope to get, these classes will be useful for further study in China.



I was walking on the street the other day and saw a man selling what looked like Bamboo on the street for people to eat! I thought Bamboo was uneatable. I later found out that he was selling something called Ganshe, which looks like Bamboo, but is soft and chewy. You can not really eat it though. You chew on it, suck out the sweet juice and spit out the leftover into a bag.

The guy selling it would cut off a piece for you, weigh it and cut off the bark. The small piece I bought was only 3 RMB, or about 36 cents. Kids seem to like it as a snack. I tried it so I could have the experience. But it was so sweet I did not have more than a few bites.

I went to a recently opened Wal-Mart in Beijing recently. It looked like a regular Wal-Mart to me from the blue and white colors, big aisles, and atmosphere. Is Wal-Mart Blue a color? The language on the signs were in English and Chinese. Most of the items were pretty cheap even compared with prices in the US. For example, seat cushions could be bought for only 9 RMB or $1.08.

Most of the stuff sold at Wal-Marts in the states are made in China anyway, so I did not see anything special. EXCEPT, the pig snouts available in the meat section. Is there anything you would rather have for dinner than a crispy pig snout with your noodles and soup? Actually I have no clue how they might be used in a meal, but I hope I never get caught off guard and eat one. Who knows, I might have already.