Beijing Local Custom Tips by kdoc13

Being an American with a large gut and a penhant for loving room service, I was quite surprised to see the amount of exercise that occured on a daily basis around Beijing. The photo I have posted here is of morning Tai Chi being done (by two groups) at an office next to the hotel I stayed at.

But it wasn't just there. It was everywhere. I couldn't sleep well, so I would go to a nearby park at sunrise. There were large groups in the park as well. I am lazy, so I was very happy to watch them exercise each morning while I tried to figure out why bacon in Asia tasted different from the bacon at home.

Needless to say, in the morning, you can find people doing Tai Chi almost anywhere. Some of the hotels even have their employees do it. I was told by the people at the Gloria Plaza that they could find someone to assist me in learning it while I was there, but I declined (see the reasons listed above.) Still, it is low impact, but highly beneficial. If you plan on staying in Beijing for a long period of time (long enough to learn the moves) I would highly reccomend it as a good source of exercise. First, because in the morning the haze and the heat are less and it is just easier to breathe, and second because it seems like it would be a good way to meet the locals and learn about the culture.

Leave a Comment

What a strange, mysterious and beautiful place Beijing can be. It is a huge city full of modern skyscrapers and technology. But how strange is it to see in the heart of the downtown area people riding their bicycles in the streets. It could be that I am just an American who is not used to it....yeah that is probably it. But still, I can't imagine anyone in New York City, or London, or heck even Tokyo riding a bicycle in the middle of the busiest road, pulling a huge cart behind it, and no one complaining. Here it is just a natural part of life, and one I thought was great.

It is very Chinese to see that. I was on the second ring road and even saw a guy pulling a cart behind some sort of mule (Will add that picture elsewhere). I love the idea of a taxi having to lag behind a guy pulling his cart on a bicycle and no one in the taxi being upset with the delay. It is just daily life, two people going about life in the way they do. It may be slow, but it works. And that is great, so much better than the rush of life in america.

But, bikes are everywhere and can even be rented through some hotels. If you are driving, they seem to have a sort of privilege on the roads, and get a lot of leeway from the drivers.

Leave a Comment

If you have read my other pages you will know by now that this comes up on almost each one, and Beijing is no different. Well, maybe a little different. I only saw one of these the entire time I was in Beijing. And that was such a relief.

For the uninitiated, the Asian style toilet is supposed to be more sanitary than the western ones. However they are a little confusing to the barbarians from the west. So, here is a little primer on the privies of the far east.

Most importantly, bring toilet paper and towels with you as they are not always provided in public facilities! The other thing to remember is that some places charge for use of their facilities, so bring change otherwise you may be on the outside looking in. This is especially true in Japan, not so much in China.

First thing to know, the front of the toilet is the raised curved part below the tank in the picture here. You stand with legs on either side of the basin and drop your pants around your knees. Next, you squat over the basin, and go about business, making sure to keep your balance while you do.

The next part is the trickiest, to flush the paper or not. There is some debate over this. Many Asian style toilets will have a small trash can next to them with a plastic bag in them, I have been told this is where you place the soiled paper. But I have also seen ones that don't have this little can. If that is the case, I have assumed that it is ok to flush the toilet paper there. I am waiting for someone with more experience to correct me on this, so far none have.

If you are in some places in Asia, there may be a pair of slippers outside the door. This is so you don't dirty your own shoes.

If you are at the home of a person who has an Asian style toilet, don't be afraid to ask them how to use one, it is not uncommon, and you won't lose face for doing so. For further instruction, see the web page linked below for general instructions.

Leave a Comment

Website: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~AD8Y-HYS/movie.htm