Beijing - first impressions

It’s been more than three weeks since I arrived in the “Northern Capital” (Beijing), the “striking metropolitan core of the Middle Kingdom” or the nucleus of the “ailleurs absolu” how one of my beloved history teachers used to call China (quite right he was, actually, at least with regards to this very expression… ;)

Well then, let me share some of my first impressions about China and the little Swiss’s life in it. Let me do it the bullet point kind of way, as all other ways would go beyond the scope of a posting that is still digestible for the reader..

Beijing – the city:

At least all the Swiss among us may understand what I mean by: Beijing is HUGE. The size of the municipality is roughly the one of Belgium and the Swiss population would be just about enough to establish a neat little neighbourhood; let’s call it “Switzerland town”..

What truly intrigues me, however, is less the size of Beijing than its dynamics; the incredible pace at which this city grows, is being remodelled or even “reinvented”. It somewhat feels as if water was being poured on a cyst after a long drought (which would stand for the introspectiveness that characterized Beijing until very recently). With the 2008 Olympics – some refer to it as the “holy grail of Beijing city planners” – the transformation of the city has been envigored, letting the forest of cranes grow even further.

The Beijing Urban Planning Exhibition we (let me introduce some of my Beijing mates: From the right: Gürkan (Turkish intern), Mats (Czech intern), Keeshav (Indian intern), Pierre (Indian working for AIESEC), Mishie (Aussie working for AIESEC (see second pic)), Aude (Swiss intern) and I) went to gave a good, and truly stunning overview of the projects that are going to be realized until 2008.

Even though I knew that this Exhibition was part of the Chinese PR strategy until 2008 I must admit that I was thrilled and stunned by the amount, size and quality of the projects that ought to be realized. You might want to check out the Olympic stadium (build by Herzog & deMeuron Architects) which looks like a huge nest and will host up to 100’000 people: http://www.thebeijingguide.com/olympic_construction/
olympic_stadium_1.html or http://www.chinese-tools.com/beijing2008/national-stadium.html

As stunning, impressive and thrilling some these projects may be, they also
raise some questions. Numerous neighbourhoods, including hutongs and other parts of the “original Beijing” are being bulldozed so as to give way to fancy, shiny skyscrapers. Apart from cultural heritage that is destroyed, also the sustainability of these projects (some with telling names such as “the new aristocrat”, etc.) may raise some questions. Looking at the construction sides I cannot help but being reminded of what we have seen in Thailand before 1997. However, I continue being torn into two, the fascination about the quality and dimension of the ongoing work on the one side and the above mentioned downsides on the other.

Traffic

- Compared to Switzerland: a total mess. But, hey, compared to Switzerland where drivers are fined for not wearing a seatbelt, where pedestrians would stop in front of red lights even though it was 2am and no car to be seen at the horizon and where 85% of all cars are no older than 5 years, everything seems messy.. ;)

- Compared to Colombia Chinese drivers are lame, and eternally contained ducks. The most impressive special thing about Beijing is consequently not the traffic jams you get into during rush hours, the irrational lane-jumping of drivers causing traffic to break down, or the disrespectful way of how people drive, but the fact that drivers, cyclists and pedestrians always stay the calm. One day I was sitting in a taxi that pulled over without caring about bicycles. A cyclist bumped into the rear end of the car and fell. Even in such a situation: not a single four letter word. The cyclist, almost bashfully brushed off her jacket, checked if all joints were still in order and then drove on… How am I supposed to learn all the Chinese four-letter words in such an environment..!?! ;)

- Public transport is very cheap, even for Chinese standards. The ticket for the bus that takes me to work every morning costs 1yuan (which is about 10 Euro cents); the subway (there’s 3 lines in Beijing) 3yuan, a rickshaw (some are really tiny and I would probably have to take a deep breath in order to fit in; too cold in winter) about 4yuan and a taxi about 20 yuan (about 2 Euros) for a ten kilometre drive.

Oh well, I guess I'll have to leave it there for the first posting and write about the exotic food, the people, the language that has twisted already numerous tongues, work and people another time..

Receive a hug from a little swiss, all happy in big vibrating Beijing. ;)