Eric's Beijing Diary

Tsukareta. Flew in from Beihai yesterday, then tried to catch the bus to Tianjin. Missed it. Got up at 4 to leave by five and catch the early morning train by 6. (Would you believe I hired a black taxi without even knowing it? I saw some taxi's sitting outside the North Gate, and I asked one of the drivers if there would be taxis at 5 in the morning. He told me that he would make it a point to be there at 5. He was driving a red car that looked like the old Xiali cabs, and I didn't even notice that it didn't have a meter until he dropped me off at the train station.) Met three other friends at the train station. When we got to Tianjin, we had to bargain for a taxi for a two hour ride to Da Gang.

My Chinese daughter got married today. I have never been to a traditional Chinese wedding before, so I was going to sit in the back and observe, but her dad insisted on seating me in the front with the family, so I just watched everyone else very closely so that I would know when to throw the rose petals. Curious. She had a different dress on every time I turned around--three of them, I think, before the thing was over. I'll have to ask her about that. I don't know if that's part of the tradition--if there is some meaning to each color, or what. Anyway, it was a warm, festive occasion. For Cathy and Olen, it was the third time they had "tied the knot." The first was at the government office. The second was at the church wedding last week. Some people (like Rachel) settle for the official "wedding." But for most people, there is usually a family celebration. In the countryside, the wedding can last a whole day, and it is definitely the one that counts. In fact, there are folks in the countryside who don't even bother with the official wedding.