Eric's Beijing Diary

Well, I finally bought a bicycle today. I have been looking since I came here. I was told when I came that the going rate for a new bicycle was 150 RMB. But the students told me that I could not get a "regular" bicycle. They told me that I needed something sturdy. Very strong. An extra heavy duty bicycle. I looked at several "regular" bicycles, but the students were quite definite in expressing their concern, "This bicycle cannot support you!" OK, OK, I got the point. But the large frame bicycles are quite a bit more--close to 400 Kwai. Basically, when you buy a bicycle, you have two options: You can buy a new bicycle and get two very strong locks. Or you can get a a very old bicycle that doesn't appear to be worth anything, and then you only need one lock. This is what the students told me. Well, I decided to get a "one lock" bicycle, because it's cheaper, and because I think life will be a little less complicated if I don't feel like I have to bring my bike up to the 14th floor every night. I noticed a very, very old bicycle at a bike shop yesterday. It was a large frame bicycle, so I thought the students would approve. The guy wanted 90 RMB for it. I thought that was kinda high for a bike that old, and so did the students. I told them I would come back today. Well, the guy was still holding firm. To be honest, I didn't want to spend a lot of time arguing about a couple dollars, so I told the guy to throw in a basket (he had already offered to give me a lock). He finally relented. The students think I got taken, and so do I, but I am a foreigner. That’s life. I made sure he made some minor repairs, and gave him 90 RMB. Almost twelve US dollars.

I went to the temple fair yesterday. The students had wanted to go last Saturday, but I talked them out of it, because it was pretty cold and windy, and CNN was forecasting warm weather for Monday. Well, it really was nice yesterday. But very, very crowded. Lots and lots of people. When it gets that crowded, you sorta tend to become one unit. Masses of humanity pressed together moving through the exhibit area like a giant snail. In a situation like this, sometimes it is easy to forget that everyone of these folks is a unique, dynamic individual with his or her own hopes and dreams and ambitions.

One of the events at the fair was a giant human maze. You had to find your way to the center, where there were a bunch of little prizes. It was pretty confusing, but I made it, and got my ball point pen. OK, with a little help. I met an elephant at the fair. He was a very large elephant. Fortunately, he was a kindly old elephant. He picked me up with his trunk, and held me up in the air while he reared up and stood on his two hind legs. It wasn't a long ride. Just long enough for a picture.