Beidaihe Beach
Trip Start
Jun 18, 2008
1
24
46
Trip End
Sep 04, 2008
Beijing,
China
Monday, August 4, 2008
Our train departed at 9:10, and we boarded at 9:05. We rushed around the whole train station once over looking for Waiting Room 1 only to find one exclusively for the soft berth class. What we realized at the last minute was that we'd paid for the luxury high-speed train that's entirely first class. The train was very plush, and the whole trip felt very 19th century European. Here we were in this comfortable train venturing out into the countryside because the industrially developing country had laid tracks out to the leisure areas.
On the way, I made a xiao peng you, or little friend. This is how you refer to small children who stare at you wide-eyed because you look different. I asked her how old she is; she said 4 1/2. Our conversation abilities ended there, but I sensed that we had a connection.
In less than 2 hours, we arrived in Beidaihe, a beach rumored to be the location of many government officials' summer homes. Immediately we found the ticket window and crossed our fingers hoping there were tickets back to Beijing for later in the day. Our alternatives were a sketchy bus or an expensive 1000 RMB taxi ride. Fortunately, we were able to get some of the last remaining tickets: 59 RMB for a 7 p.m. slow train. We gladly took them.
Once we'd settled our business, Adam asked which way to the beach, and we hopped on a bus. Even though it wasn't incredibly beautiful, the air smelled salty so you could taste that the ocean was nearby. In a half hour or so, we had made it to the beach. We forked over 100 RMB to rent an umbrella and two chairs, but it was so worth it. Now that I'm in China, I do not sunbathe. I cherish my fair skin.
So, although it was not beautifully scenic and isolated, the beach was relatively clean and the water, though not clear, was the perfect refeshing temperature. We lounged around and then ate lunch at a seafood restaurant on the beach. Sure its view probably contributed to the high prices, but seafood in general is the most expensive food. Adam selected our crab live from the tank, and then they cooked it for us. It was a large crab and yet I was still surprised at the 140 RMB price tag. Forgetting all that, it was deeee-licious. And so fresh!
We spent the rest of the afternoon napping in the sunshine and splashing in the water. We laughed at Chinese people for a few reasons... 1.) we played the wife-or-daughter? game with many male/female couples on the beach. Somehow frollicking in the sand and water makes everyone seem less mature 2.) the men wear speedos and the women wear one-pieces. Of all the women, I was wearing the least coverage in my bikini. Of all the men, Adam had the most coverage in his board shorts. 3.) Chinese are fascinated by jellyfish. Somehow they do not sting in China, or maybe they do and people are stupid for picking them up.
Finally it was time to go home. The train ride back was much less relaxing, and it was such a scramble to find seats together. Essentially, everyone is playing musical chairs for the first five minutes after the initial boarding when people push on to the train. It would actually be an incredible logic puzzle if you could abstractly figure out who wants to sit where and with whom. But, of course, that's not how things work. Though Adam and I were separated, I lucked out and sat near a woman who spoke pretty good English. We chatted for a bit, but it was like speaking to my students. Slow and extra careful about word choice, which is mentally tiring. So I was definitely relieved when more seat-moving occured and Adam and I were reunited for the rest of the journey home.
Back to Beijing. Back to the smog. Beidaihe...The end.
