The Sojourner

Scenes at the Beijing West Railway Station

It's been a long day for me today.


And what a day!

Last week, I bought seven a round trip tickets to Datong, Shanxi. I told the lady at the counter that I want evening or overnight train from Datong to Beijing. To make everything sure and right, I showed her the Chinese translation of the specific train schedule which was written by my Chinese student.


It was super clear that I want the late evening trip. The lady, who can speak okay English and stood next to me even assured me that the last night trip is the one at 11:39 P.M. I was not sure if 11:39 is P.M., so I asked again if it's evening or morning. Both of them said that it's EVENING.

Later this afternoon today, Dinah called me and argued that I got the MORNING ticket. She was at the ticket agent office to get one for herself because she decided to join us in the last minute. Pronto, I took a cab and decided to go back to the agent where I bought the ticket. While I was in the taxi, I called a Swiss friend, Evelynne, who can speak fluent Chinese and told her about my dilemma. She was very sympathetic and told me that she's coming to meet and help me explain to the agent.


When we were at the ticket office, the ticket lady seemed to be confused of the difference between A.M. and P.M. She told us to go to the Beijing West Railway Station if we want refund or change the time of our departure. Their office, she said, can't do anything about the mistakes.


So, instead of throwing invectives at her, we remained cool and showed our way to the subway station.


Beijing West Railway Station, is, of course, real far from where we were. When we arrived there,  boy, there were sooooooo may humans there and everywhere was soooo crowded and felt like the world is too small for everyone to be accomodated. We queued and was lucky that the English-speaking counter was very fast.


When it was our turn, Evelynne explained our situation and the ticket lady was an angel sent from heaven. She was very accomodating and didn't gave much headache as we expected. Not even a slight of difficulty negotiating nor explaining about the mess. It was done in less than 2 minutes!


Amazing. Just amazing. Simply amazing! We love China. We do. In times like these.




After our ordeal, Evelynne and I decided to take pictures around the vicinity. Our feet led us to the  square in front of the train station where thousands of people were sitting in front of the huge TV screen showing a Beijing soap opera. Those people were waiting for their train schedule to be called. The three-day weekend looks like busy, busy, busy days.


No protests on Labor Day, for sure. All workers are going home, don't ya think?

The expressions of people sitting there and the light from the TV screen that fell on peoples faces were a stunning photo opportunity and I can't help but wonder that the simple pleasures in life are FREE.




Tomorrow, I'll be going to a remote part of the Great Wall where don't have to pay for entrance fee. It's a secret. Shhhhh.....

Dancing Couchsurfers

Earlier this month, I had an amazing, memorable night with my two couchsurfers. Ooopppsss... it's NOT what you think. I'm not a pervert, you know. :)


But, well, I could be. Hahahahaha...


When two American couchsurfers were in the same roof, this is what happened. Extreme FUN. They shocked me with their incredible talent of singing and dancing.


No, they're not crazy but they're sick! Hahahahaha...


I miss them already.



Dancing Couchsurfers from wideye shut on Vimeo.

Ateh D turns 33!

Last night, we went to this Tepanyaki restaurant to celebrate the birthday of a fab sister. Ateh D, turns 33 gracefully and hhmmnnnnn in love.

Well, I reckon about the latter.

I have been to a Japanese resto before but I always had their fried rice. Raw foods are yucky for me. I do love fish but I don't like the smell of it. Yeah, I'm an elitist snob but long time ago, when I was young and already fabulous, I used to sell market / cellophane bag at the market for a cent of pocket money. We were so poor then that all three siblings have to work and help our mother who was raising us singhandedly. That was when child labor was unheard of.

Anyway, I'm not gonna write a sob story about my life. Oh please, I have enough of sob stories and drama.

Back to Japanese food.


I hate sushi and sashimi. Yucks... How could people eat those? Alright, fine, they are healthy food but eating them raw? Whoaaa.... I guess, it's just me. But the tepanyaki last night was real good. I'm glad I tried it. Ate Dani ordered almost everything from the menu. You can order ALL you want in a price of 168 rmb / each. Pricey, indeed, but who cares when you surely salivate and leave with your stomach full and gurgling---wanting for more?  :))

While my friends were continually asking me if I was ok at the beginning of the meal, they stopped finally when the 3rd dish was cooked. I was loving eat that everyone even "donated" their share of shrimp to me. I swear to Elton John, I had 19 yummy shrimps in total! And the tuna was exceptionally good. The restaurant has good quality of beef and seafood. But, that plum wine was aweful for my taste. Well, I'm not a connoisseur and not much of a drunkard either. The rest of the guys loved it though and they even had sake which they imbibed with so much pleasure while one side was talking about press freedom in China and the other side was talking the current state the bday boy's love affair! 

Sake? I hate it, too. Hahahahaha... I'm not really made for those kind of stuff. Just give me margarita or mojito or long island and I'll drink them up until I see everyone walking upside down.

 We started at 8:30 pm and went home at ten minutes to midnight. Huh, we surely ate all the stuff we wanted to eat.

As soon as I arrived and smelled the peach rose smell of my apartment, I headed to the bathroom and made a splash sound of thunder. Imagine not. The rest was really disgusting.

 

Queer Comrades

The AD says:

CHINA’S LEADING QUEER WEBCAST LAUNCHES ITS THIRD SEASON 

BEIJING – In 2007, a couple of young Chinese gay men started the country’s first independent video podcast dedicated to discussing the issues that effected them and other members of China's LBGT community. Since then their online talk show “Tongzhi yi fanren” has earned itself quite a following,  and kicks off its third season with some new surprises.  

“We started out as volunteers who wanted to raise more awareness in China surrounding Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) issues. Now we’re working full time under the Beijing Gender Health Education Institute and we’re supported by the Ford Foundation,” says Xiaogang, co-creator and co-host of the show.  

“We’re immensely proud that at this moment we’ve already produced 35 talk show episodes and have attracted more than 5 million hits. And yet, there’s still so much to show and discuss.” 

As Chinese society becomes more diverse and tolerant, LGBT culture is booming in big  cities like Beijing. “Tongzhi yi fanren” will continue to use its own mix of entertainment and free-wheeling discussion to document the intricacies of the burgeoning LGBT community, as well as the challenges many of its members still face. 

What’s new this season? 

“We’ve changed our English name from ‘Queer As Folk Beijing’ to ‘Queer Comrades’ and decided to go for a fresh new look,” says Belgian-born Stijn Deklerck, producer of the show. 

“But that’s not the most important thing. We’ve created our own website, we’re setting up a Chinese LGBT video archive, we’ve added a news-section to our show and we’ll start working with a brand new female co-host.” 

All will be revealed in the first episode of season 3, which will document in reality TV-style how the new lesbian co-host was selected. The episode will be launched on Monday, April 27, on the video section of the new website  HYPERLINK "http://www.queercomrades.com" www.queercomrades.com – and will be simultaneously uploaded to other major Chinese video websites such as sina.com and 6room.cn.

THE LAUNCH PARTY (April 25, 2009)

TUN bar was full, as in, super crowded by homos and homo-friendly nenderthals. Destination, Beijing's foremost gay bar, must have been empty last night---even heaven, purgatory and hell! We were all at Tun, to welcome the opening of Queer Comrades, formerly known as Queer As Folk Beijing. 

And whatta night! Every continent was fairly represented and the joyous laughter, competitive flirtiness and dangerous cruising defines the athmosphere of the fagulous night! And oh, yes, it was so much fun than going to the Destination a.k.a. Desperation and listen to the routine music every weekend. There should be more of this in the future. Not necessarily in TUN. Any place is welcome, but, I do kowtow, that it would never be in the distant West of this city. If that happens, gay life in Beijing in dead! LOL...

So, what transpired during the launch last eve? If you are gay and missed the event last night, then, ask yourself again, "Am I really gay?" 


Answer: Yes, you still are but your gaydar needs serious repair.

Ate Danica, Javi and I arrived a bit late. We had our dinner at Kro's Nest beforehand and sashayed down the road from Gongti to Sanlitun like a beauty queen. Well, except Javi. He walked heterosexually. Hahahahahaha....


The first episode of Season 3 was introduced when we arrived. I looked around for  familiar faces and saw tens of them. Customary besos and chikas were in order to start the night, of course. I saw Ben and Ryan and gave them my housewarming present, an ashtray attached with a shiny, shiny, shiny penis. Although it's a medium-sized thingy but it's a good conversation piece when visitors pop up your apartment.


 As the night progressed, I saw Ben holding the phallic with pride and glow in his eyes as he roamed around without fear. Hahahahaha...  I also gave Ilsa one. Althoguh he's not into that phallic thing, but the ahstray will serve her purpose undoubtedly.


I didn't pay much attention to the details of the first episode because I was busy whoring around with friends but I do remember that they had this segment where it showed the gay wedding that happened in Tiananmen Square on valentine's Day this year. A gay couple and a lesbian couple defied Chinese tradition and proclaimed their love to the very historic place where the cry for freedom was shut out in 1989. 


I have the feeling that China might have same-sex marriage law more ahead than the Philippines. Though the latter is very accepting as to homosexuals in public, still, the damn, old Catholic Church is a force to reckon with. But, who knows, Spain did it amidst public controversy. Hope springs eternal, as they say.


So, the night continued with performances from two absolutely fabulously drag queens who stole the night with thunderous applause from the audience who never seemed to get enough of them. The crowd went crazy and ballistic as the two acknowledged their appreciation with natural charm and hint of flirtiness slash naugthiness. With such voluptous and generous amount of cleavage shown, who could ever blink? Only losers, for sure.


Then, a dancerous performance from the representatives of les community. Boy, they were hot and they got moves enough to seduce the entire population of curious women out there. They're FIERCE!!!! With those "inviting" moves, Justin Timberlake will end up begging in the subway in New York City. Ok, not really. I'll bring Justin back to my place. Bath and feed him and slave him to my libido's content. Hahahaha!!!


Then, there's ZIYO, a Chinese band which slowly making a name. I heard about them before but never seen them performed. Last night, I heard them and they seem to be cool. Their song, "I Love You But You gave Me an STD," bagged me up to the bones and can't help myself misbehaving to John, who was sitting next to me. :)) 


After three huge barrels of mojitos and loads of fun, I finally bade goodbye to friends at 1:00 a.m. The morning is still young, I know, but someone was waiting for me and I have to go as quick as Cinderella. Besides, I still have to wake up early and earn a living.


Work's a bitch, ya know.

Finally, they're here.....

Yeah, they're finally here in Beijing!

And they're in Qianmen, the fnancial and business district of old yore and now transformed into a hutong-like village only that it's sooooo chic and gray-looking street.

H & M's opening in Beijing is two years late of their two Shanghai branches.

Well, better late than never. They will open their 2nd Beijing branch in Joy City in Xidan on April 30.

Ate Danica and I were one of those huge crowd who turned up on one of Europe's largest fashion brands opening yesterday. Despite the rain and the coldness, a lot of humans invaded the three-storey shop which has more women's clothes accessories than men's. Yeah, it was frustrating. While the women literally indulged themselves into a sea of choices, the men were just going back and forth half of the perimeter of the first floor.

When I grabbed everything I want, I lined up to the dressing room. The queu was unbelievably long and slow. I saw this lady who fitted 14 clothes and she only decided to buy 1! What the.... Imagine the time she consumed wearing all those dresses, skirts and jeans and imagine how pissed off were the ones queuing up for a long time.

I fitted 10 apparel and bought 7 of them.  It took me only 10 minutes to fit them all while the falling in line took me 45 minutes! And when we finally queued up to pay, we waited for another 30 minutes.

But, anyway, it's good to know that in H & M sizes, I am SMALL. :))

And I got this bootcut jeans that shows the world's extremely bubbly butt ever---mine, of course! Hahahahahahaha...

Jeff on the saddle

I was told / reminded that I promised him this, so I gave him the ride of his life in the saddle on his birthday!

Then, two of my friends trying hard to be a professional singer belted out a song at the top of their lungs. Guess, who made a guest appearance. :))

The view from my window

This is NOT the view from my apartment window but I do see this from Monday to Friday without fail. This is the view from my classroom window.

When the sun rises, the golden rays reflect to the skyscrapers around the area and it looks wonderfully stunning! Everything looks calm, quiet and ready for the new day! 

On a rare weather like this, you'll find yourself looking out the window and your thoughts wander with the clouds up there!  

Pingyao at Night

You can't wholly appreciate a place until you see it at night. There's something mysterious about darkness that transforms the place and---even people. Darkness seems to bring out the best and worst of places and people. The lights flicker with vibrancy and unexplainable beauty that trigger the flesh and the naked eye to excitement.  

Darkness, I believe, is made for us to see the other side of everything. No exceptions.

 

Pingyao in the Afternoon

Pingyao in the morning is as magnificent as Pingyao in the afternoon. Every minute strolling around is just photographic even if the sky was a bit grey. If Pingyao were human, he'd be a camwhore--like me.

 

 

Pingyao in the Morning

Pingyao is a small ancient county within the wall. Going around the ancient, narrow streets gives one a feeling of it's ancientness and wonder at the genius of Chinese architecture. While walking here, I wondered if one of my very great, great, great, great, great, great, etc... ancestors have ever been here before. Immersing yourself far from the maddening crowd of the busy downtown streets, one would have this feeling how people lived in the past: simple, quiet and even fancy. The courtyard houses are treasures of an old generation that has to be protected. It is good that UNESCO decided to declare this as a National Heritage for its "outstanding example of a Han Chinese city of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (14th-20th centuries) that has retained all its features to an exceptional degree and in doing so provides a remarkably complete picture of cultural, social, economic, and religious development during one of the most seminal periods of Chinese history."

Morning in Pingyao is an experience to be savoured, remembered and worth documented. Enjoy your walk.