HEADING BACK EAST
(Journal: Monday Evening and Tuesday, April 16-17, 2012)
Sitting here in the Boeing triple-seven, somewhere over Lake Superior heading NNW on a global arch towards my ultimate destination of Beijing…sitting with the buzz inside me. Not nervous fear or uncertainty; naw, not that. But surely, as I've lived through past journeys to Africa, the Middle East, Australia and into my own spirit and past, this is an energy all too familiar and, of course, very welcome.
Of course, we've all experienced that pre-boarding, pre-"key in the ignition" moment when all-of-a-sudden it seems like the Universe opened up its backpack, reached in and hurled a folder full of last minute work that just needed to be addressed prior to leaving. And so…we do our duty, breathing deeply and giving thanks that the Boarding Call you just heard was for the flight to Poughkeepsie and not Beijing. We do the work; and not only because we're responsible. But … hell, we've got the time and, yep, who else is gonna do this?!
The flight is announced…I show my Passport and Boarding Pass….walk down the long gangway…and finally say: YEEEHAWWWW!! Bring it on! If I could say that in Mandarin, I would. I think that's Universal, though. ;)
Outdoor Cafe SignThe Houhai Lake district in NW Beijing boasts a very hip sensibility. Outdoor cafe tables have been replaced with lounging sofas and coffee tables. And as you can see, this one has a great Mojito!
Dinner was especially delightful with an amusing Chardonnay:
Just
by Paul Sapin
It was the perfect accompaniment to pre-heated chicken and rice, with carrots, peas and dark brown goo. Tasty, though. The SkyChefs must've worked overtime to find that perfect…uhhh…something, that turned plain rice into a feast at 40'k.
Only a Therapist Would KnowEverywhere you walk in Beijing, especially if you wander the streets and lanes outside of the city center, you'll see what I can only describe as "marital propaganda". Whether this man defers to his wife out of fear, or she is biting the "mouth" that feeds her, I'll never know.
Cynical? Naw. I'm blessed to be right here, in this seat, surrounded by Chinese nationals heading home speaking Mandarin all around me….knowing that this is but a micro-taste of what I'm immersing myself into. And I thought jumping into a pool on the lip of Victoria Falls was energizing? Try jumping into another country where there isn't even a frame of reference to translate what anyone's saying. But….ya know what? I love it. Life is a constant movement forward; a creative energy opening, bursting, stretching and growing without the need of our actively turning on the switch. It's our nature. Hell….it IS nature!
I could stay at home and do something else and be absolutely content. But there's always been something inside that has called me out. I used to think it was the discomfort sitting in my own skin: shy fat (read: husky) kid looking to be anywhere other than where he was. But living a second chapter in my life, post-recovery, I now know that I'm absolutely on a journey….deeper and deeper inward. Stepping out of my comfort zone….bring it on. Preparations made but, well, what will I face when I step off the plane…I'm taken care of. The past is prologue, and with humility and faith, I welcome and embrace the adventures in my life.
Night BubblesThe Beijing National Aquatics Center was built for their 2008 Summer Olympics. While activities take place indoors, the exterior glows with the changing light. The design was derived from the natural pattern of lather in soap bubbles. At night, these bubbles glow in cobalt blue.
And so, as I sip my Sapin Chardonnay, typing out the musings at 40'k, I look forward to that second light snack of this flight, knowing we're 1 1/2 hours from touchdown at Terminal 3 of Beijing Capital International Airport…at roughly 11:30pm. After a little, but much-needed, sleep, I'll transfer from that airport hotel to where I'll call home for the next several days: the Westin Beijing Chaoyang. And the funny thing is that I know I'll be exhausted, jet-lagged and in need of a good night's sleep, but….hey, I'm in China, folks!! I could sleep back home. Returning after 11 1/2 years, I'm anxious to see how this city has changed. But, most importantly, if I'll sense any shift in the mood of the people.
Posing for MaoI love running across kids and elders going about their business. In this case, this little girl was posing for her father across the entrance to the Forbidden City. Many citizens pose in front of the boulevard; akin to tourists in front of our White House. I love her cuteness!
Yes, break-of-dawn Salute to the Sun exercises in the park continue, and always will. But that's not the change I'm looking for. Sitting by the canals, shuffling past tourists, peddling in the controlled-chaos of bicycle-meets-car…it'll be the look in their eyes and the cadence of their step. That's how you take the pulse. Ordinarily, I'd stop and engage them…just as I sat with a grandfather/shop owner on Mount of Olives, talking about the challenges of Palestinians in Jerusalem. I may miss those conversations in a land where I can't converse with language; but the heart speaks to the heart. And it speaks loudest through the eyes. I have no doubt at all, sitting here up in the air, that adventures and conversations await….right there, in Beijing!
The Beijing spiritThese slogans are found everywhere: in the underground metro, on buses, on huge light displays near construction sights, and across from the Forbidden City. Roughly translated from it's intent, it means:
PATRIOTISM is the core of the Beijing Spirit.
INNOVATION is the essence of the Beijing Spirit.
INCLUSIVENESS is a defining character trait of the Beijing Spirit.
VIRTUE is a quality of the Beijing Spirit.
After a very exhausting flight and midnight check-in at a great airport hotel, I should never be surprised at the power of a long hot shower….the kind where you just stand there letting the water pour on over and wash the day (in this case: flights) away. 'Night all.
Bird's NestBuilt for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, the Beijing National Stadium is also known as the Bird's Nest. At night, red lights bounce around and across the steel beams. It's an amazing piece of architecture and art.
