Getting old? Happy Chongyang Festival

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Cartoons cheer us up

Oh well we all get old someday and in China it is actually a problem: too many “seniors” and it will get worse.

One of those days it was supposed to be “Double 9”, senior day in China. Looks like nobody noticed. I am still waiting for some of my Chinese “bosses” to decide about this year’s Chongyang Festival celebration.
In the meantime, we can enjoy the humor from some cartoonists.
Never too old for a smile!

About Chongyang festival

Chongyang Festival (Double Ninth Festival)
This year it was on October 9; next year,  October 28
There is no holiday for this traditional festival. And nobody except one lady noticed the day.
Held on the 9th day of the 9th lunar month, Chongyang Festival is also called Double Ninth Festival. In Chinese, nine is regarded as the number of Yang (which means masculine as opposed to Yin which is feminine). The ninth day of the ninth month is the day that has two Yang numbers, and ‘chong’ in Chinese means double which is how the name Chongyang was created. It is a day for people to eat Chongyang cake, drink chrysanthemum wine, climb mountains, and pay homage to chrysanthemums.

See more: https://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/holidays/chongyang.htm

Beijing biking scene

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Chinese see biking differently

I already wrote about the cultural gap related to the Beijing biking scene, see:
http://www.unirizon.com/2015/05/05/the-cultural-gap-in-biking-china-versus-europe/

While most Chinese still have an uneasy attitude towards biking (or rather, to be seen biking), some small progress can be noted in the Beijing biking scene. And yes, even the Bush family showed the good example in Beijing decades ago.

I ride my bicycle anytime

Rain, snow, cold or hot, I ride my bike. I get sometimes a lot of staring, especially with my great rain outfit (bought in USA, no such thing here). It protects me fully, even when in a suit.
And well, one must be creative as when I was in Morel’s Restaurant surprised by the rain. Susan improvised a pretty hilarious (but efficient) emergency outfit.
I am a bit paranoid about my bike as many are promptly stolen. The secret is always attaching it to something, and with a serious chain. So my old crappy SUPERMAN retired after four years, falling into pieces. Now a new bike, better quality.
When you attach the bike, you need to attach the frame and for sure not just the front wheel: see what happens when you do it wrong!
And if pollution is really bad, I am well equipped!

Still way to go in the Beijing biking scene

There is progress in Beijing: the amount of bikes for hire is now impressive. See here one of the first batches  in 2007.
As I officially complained about the disappearing bike parkings, I was happy to see since 2011 the white rings on many sidewalks. Oh well, some are disintegrating (rusted) or damaged, but there are now more and more.
Still a lot can be improved, to have more bike lanes and more attention to bicycles: see how even the USA is better than “the bike kingdom China”.
Another dedicated biker is my friend and neighbor Charles, here ready for a major trip to Haidian. But we are more socially friendly than this motorbike with his FUCXOFF plate.

Beijing car accidents and biking

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Chinese drivers

Chinese drivers are generally just bad. Most don’t know how to drive (ever seen one doing a u-turn as it should?), don’t respect anything (laws, other people). They are normally ALWAYS on the phone, even when turning into another direction. Basically all Chinese think they are actually alone on the road and if anybody comes in their way, well, they have priority.

Beijing car accidents: a bit spectacular!

Not to be surprised accidents are pretty frequent but somehow cleaned up pretty quickly.
More difficult to understand how cars can be turned upside down as shown in the picures. OK, on a highway that could make sense, but in the middle of the city like Xindong Lu (near Heaven Supermarket) and Dongzhimenwai (near the EU Delegation)?

Biking in Beijing: dangerous at times but convenient

Being on a bike at least one gets somewhere without all the traffic jams but many cyclists end up hurt or more as nobody respects any traffic rules: cars, mopeds, pedestrians.

I have been pretty lucky so far. One evening I was violently hit on my left side by a deliveryman on his electric bike. His front wheel hit my left boot, absorbing the full shock. I managed to still stand while both are bikes were on the ground. The guy was pretty scared I would call police. We finally found a piece of wired to put the boot together and so I went to a networking event. Oh well, I actually hated those boots… So no big deal.
And yes, at least I try to be a little on the safe side: with my helmet (always) and gloves, in case of hitting something or falling down.

Old China Hands at end Golden Week

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Our Old China Hands Lunch at Morel’s Restaurant

There was some doubt at first for our Monthly Old China Hands Lunch: the first Friday of October was on 7 October, being the last day of the Golden Week holidays of 1 October. Maybe many people would not be in Beijing, and other doubts.
Well, as I always say, the strange days indeed bring a lot of people!

We were over 30, a nice and enthusiastic crowd from all corners of the world. According to the participants, a success as always. Our Belgian ambassador and his wife also gave us the honor of joining, among some other well-known faces of Beijing. Two journalists had to skip at the last moment due to urgen matters.
Next Old China Hands lunch will be on 4 November.