Monday, November 24, 2003
BICYCLES IN CHINA et Al
See pictures of bicycles in China and the pizza meal.
We have often wondered what damage we'd sustain should we be hit by a bicycle. At intersections with the traffic lights in our favour, we frequently find ourselves directly in the path of oncoming bikes - several aimed at us, riders determined and unswerving. However, we've yet to see an actual collision. Bike riders are very expert - and everywhere.
On all main streets - here and in Beijing and many other Chinese cities we have visited -- there are separate lanes for bikes. Two lanes each way in the middle for cars, one lane each side for bikes, separated by a boulevard often planted with large shrubs and trees. Then there's the sidewalk beyond that. There are always cyclists in the bike lanes, as well as cars which have pulled out of the main traffic because they want to make a stop somewhere at the curb. Early morning, lunch time and dinner are very busy bike times. Often we wait to cross the street for several minutes because the bike traffic is so thick. And they are going very fast, obviously with a destination in mind. There seem to be no recreational cyclists around here. Bicycles are a means of transportation, and an important one in a city where taxis outnumber cars at least ten to one.
Where cyclists need to cross lanes of vehicular traffic, they do so with a nerve impossible to fathom. We have seen cyclists crossing 6 lanes of traffic as if they own the road, clearly expecting cars and trucks to give way. Some how, when we take our hands away from our eyes, we find that they have made it safely to the other side every time!
Cycling solo is the most common sight, but cycling with a passenger riding side saddle on the package rack is also very common. Some package racks sport soft cushions, obviously meant for someone's comfort rather than as a shock absorber for a package. Men ride and women sit prettily with their ankles crossed, side saddle on the rack behind. Women ride with a child sitting astride the rack. Children reading a book, carrying a vase of roses, a knapsack, a bag of fruit. Women in skirt suits and very high heels riding purposefully to the office or to school. Riding a bike at all in a long, side-slit skirt and heels is quite a feat -- but modesty is preserved in an offhand manner which indicates that this art has been perfected. We particularly like those who ride in the rain with an umbrella held precisely over head and shoulders. The variation of this is two riding in the rain, with the umbrella held expertly by the passenger, so as to shield both heads and shoulders. Riding while carrying a large package is also interesting -- a package the size of a computer printer box or a rice steamer. A delicate balancing act - holding on to the package on the rack while facing front to see what traffic may be ahead. And only last night, we saw another balancing act - a man riding a bike, and like a professional waiter, carrying a perfectly level tray which held a bowl of soup and a hot main meal dish. Whether this was his dinner or someone else's we don't know. We admired his dexterity!
And there are lots of three wheeled bikes, many used for deliveries of goods from one of the local stores. But also bikes with small covered boxes on the back for carrying passengers in the car/truck traffic. This we experienced one night in the pouring rain when Keyan insisted we get inside something to avoid getting soaked. We hired two bike cabs and wove in and out of buses, trucks and cars, to a very good Sichuan restaurant where we ate very hot food until our noses ran and we broke into a sweat! Good for a cold wet night. Often three wheeled bikes are driven by an elderly man with his wife and grandchild safely tucked into an open box on the back. Occasionally, it's the wife who drives.
There's a very rigid protocol for parking a bike, once the rider has reached a destination. At the department store near the school, there's a large paved area between the sidewalk and the store where white lines mark off parking spaces for cars and for bikes. An older woman with an armband which obviously says something about bike parking attendant on it, is in charge of how and where bikes are parked. She is very exacting -- all the rear wheels must be lined up, and the handlebars must all point in the same direction. As the owner locks the bike - no one leaves an unlocked bike - this woman comes to collect the parking fee. She's also responsible for the motor bikes, which are parked in a separate line altogether.
At our school, all the bikes are parked in a similar manner, under a covered area just inside the school gate. However, apparently about a month ago, the teachers' bikes were not neatly parked and at a teachers' meeting, Principal Li was very critical, pointing out that it was the teachers' duty to set a good example.
The majority of bikes have 3 gears and handle brakes, a metal mesh carrier on the front handle bar and a carry rack attached to the rear axle. Like the Model T Ford, the favorite colour is black, although occasionally a shocking pink or metallic purple one will whizz by, providing a flash to punctuate the steady stream of bike traffic. Most adults ride a woman's open frame variety, while students seem more aware of the male/female styles and ride the style designed for them. Bikes wheeze and rattle by, often in need of repair, which is the very last resort! Bike repair people, both men and women, have set up shop at every major intersection, and do a steady business. With wrenches and spare parts laid out in front of them, they deftly disassemble a balky machine and make repairs as the owner waits. All the equipment is stored in a metal box which is chained to the nearest pole, and left there overnight. Often riders fix their own bikes at the curb. Last week, we saw a very fashionably dressed young woman pumping up a flat tire -- her high heeled boots with tassels didn't slow her down at all.
And with the arrival of the cold weather, bike riders are just more determined. Long down filled coats have replaced short jackets, and hoods, scarves and gloves provide some protection from the chilling cold and wind. We suspect boots will appear once there's some snow on the ground -- although snow is quickly swept up by the street sweepers, who are a determined brigade. Keyan and her daughter Dou Yan live 20 minutes from the school, and ride every day. It's not unusual for Keyan not remember where she's left her bike, since she travels with it from school to her parents and to the nearby stores and to our apartment. Often she leaves it somewhere for a day or two! Eventually sheís reunited with this most important form of transportation.
At the end of October, all the major streets in town were blocked off one morning, with spectators craning one way and the other, waiting for the thorough bred cyclists to stream by, participants in the Toyota Cup, held here every fall. Sleek racing bikes with lots of gears, narrow rims and tires, turned down handle bars, colourful spandex on all body parts and, of course, helmets. These were the only helmets we've seen in Huairou.
It's clear that the bike was made for China ...and China was made for the bike.
NEWS FLASH!
HOME STYLE PIZZA ARRIVES IN HUAIROU!
Italian pizza is the current food rage in these parts. We've been several times to Pizza Hut in Wanfujing Street in Beijing, where a menu of pizzas and accompaniments caters to Chinese tastes. The last pizza we had there was topped with slivers of ostrich meat. This resturant is always packed, with a waiting line at the door.
And there have been several rumours that a pizza restaurant existed here in Huairou. Three times we've set out to find this restaurant, and three times we've been disappointed. The last time, there were 7 of us, celebrating a student's birthday. We were sure we would find it. When we arrived, we found that it had once been said restaurant, but was now an after hours bar! Thwarted once again, we headed off to a very good dumpling restaurant around the corner.
Keyan and her daughter have been the leaders of our search, and after the last disappointment , Keyan announced that she thought she could make pizza at home. We had been to Pizza Hut last Saturday and she now had a general idea of how this could be done. Last night was the debut.
With flat breads from a local street vendor and a large-sized pancake maker with elements in the top and bottom, closing like a clam shell, she proceeded to create. On went the ketchup, followed by cooked shrimp, ham, onions and cheese. In 10 minutes, we had pizza. And very good pizza at that! Dou Yan in typical teenager fashion announced that they weren't any where near as bad as she had expected. Quite a compliment. We ate with our fingers, while Keyan and husband Xiankui used chopsticks, a feat we watched with great admiration. Xiankui was somewhat hesitant to sample, declaring that he didnít like Western food, but at the very end of the meal, he made fast work of a couple of slices.
See pictures of bicycles in China and the pizza meal.
We have often wondered what damage we'd sustain should we be hit by a bicycle. At intersections with the traffic lights in our favour, we frequently find ourselves directly in the path of oncoming bikes - several aimed at us, riders determined and unswerving. However, we've yet to see an actual collision. Bike riders are very expert - and everywhere.
On all main streets - here and in Beijing and many other Chinese cities we have visited -- there are separate lanes for bikes. Two lanes each way in the middle for cars, one lane each side for bikes, separated by a boulevard often planted with large shrubs and trees. Then there's the sidewalk beyond that. There are always cyclists in the bike lanes, as well as cars which have pulled out of the main traffic because they want to make a stop somewhere at the curb. Early morning, lunch time and dinner are very busy bike times. Often we wait to cross the street for several minutes because the bike traffic is so thick. And they are going very fast, obviously with a destination in mind. There seem to be no recreational cyclists around here. Bicycles are a means of transportation, and an important one in a city where taxis outnumber cars at least ten to one.
Where cyclists need to cross lanes of vehicular traffic, they do so with a nerve impossible to fathom. We have seen cyclists crossing 6 lanes of traffic as if they own the road, clearly expecting cars and trucks to give way. Some how, when we take our hands away from our eyes, we find that they have made it safely to the other side every time!
Cycling solo is the most common sight, but cycling with a passenger riding side saddle on the package rack is also very common. Some package racks sport soft cushions, obviously meant for someone's comfort rather than as a shock absorber for a package. Men ride and women sit prettily with their ankles crossed, side saddle on the rack behind. Women ride with a child sitting astride the rack. Children reading a book, carrying a vase of roses, a knapsack, a bag of fruit. Women in skirt suits and very high heels riding purposefully to the office or to school. Riding a bike at all in a long, side-slit skirt and heels is quite a feat -- but modesty is preserved in an offhand manner which indicates that this art has been perfected. We particularly like those who ride in the rain with an umbrella held precisely over head and shoulders. The variation of this is two riding in the rain, with the umbrella held expertly by the passenger, so as to shield both heads and shoulders. Riding while carrying a large package is also interesting -- a package the size of a computer printer box or a rice steamer. A delicate balancing act - holding on to the package on the rack while facing front to see what traffic may be ahead. And only last night, we saw another balancing act - a man riding a bike, and like a professional waiter, carrying a perfectly level tray which held a bowl of soup and a hot main meal dish. Whether this was his dinner or someone else's we don't know. We admired his dexterity!
And there are lots of three wheeled bikes, many used for deliveries of goods from one of the local stores. But also bikes with small covered boxes on the back for carrying passengers in the car/truck traffic. This we experienced one night in the pouring rain when Keyan insisted we get inside something to avoid getting soaked. We hired two bike cabs and wove in and out of buses, trucks and cars, to a very good Sichuan restaurant where we ate very hot food until our noses ran and we broke into a sweat! Good for a cold wet night. Often three wheeled bikes are driven by an elderly man with his wife and grandchild safely tucked into an open box on the back. Occasionally, it's the wife who drives.
There's a very rigid protocol for parking a bike, once the rider has reached a destination. At the department store near the school, there's a large paved area between the sidewalk and the store where white lines mark off parking spaces for cars and for bikes. An older woman with an armband which obviously says something about bike parking attendant on it, is in charge of how and where bikes are parked. She is very exacting -- all the rear wheels must be lined up, and the handlebars must all point in the same direction. As the owner locks the bike - no one leaves an unlocked bike - this woman comes to collect the parking fee. She's also responsible for the motor bikes, which are parked in a separate line altogether.
At our school, all the bikes are parked in a similar manner, under a covered area just inside the school gate. However, apparently about a month ago, the teachers' bikes were not neatly parked and at a teachers' meeting, Principal Li was very critical, pointing out that it was the teachers' duty to set a good example.
The majority of bikes have 3 gears and handle brakes, a metal mesh carrier on the front handle bar and a carry rack attached to the rear axle. Like the Model T Ford, the favorite colour is black, although occasionally a shocking pink or metallic purple one will whizz by, providing a flash to punctuate the steady stream of bike traffic. Most adults ride a woman's open frame variety, while students seem more aware of the male/female styles and ride the style designed for them. Bikes wheeze and rattle by, often in need of repair, which is the very last resort! Bike repair people, both men and women, have set up shop at every major intersection, and do a steady business. With wrenches and spare parts laid out in front of them, they deftly disassemble a balky machine and make repairs as the owner waits. All the equipment is stored in a metal box which is chained to the nearest pole, and left there overnight. Often riders fix their own bikes at the curb. Last week, we saw a very fashionably dressed young woman pumping up a flat tire -- her high heeled boots with tassels didn't slow her down at all.
And with the arrival of the cold weather, bike riders are just more determined. Long down filled coats have replaced short jackets, and hoods, scarves and gloves provide some protection from the chilling cold and wind. We suspect boots will appear once there's some snow on the ground -- although snow is quickly swept up by the street sweepers, who are a determined brigade. Keyan and her daughter Dou Yan live 20 minutes from the school, and ride every day. It's not unusual for Keyan not remember where she's left her bike, since she travels with it from school to her parents and to the nearby stores and to our apartment. Often she leaves it somewhere for a day or two! Eventually sheís reunited with this most important form of transportation.
At the end of October, all the major streets in town were blocked off one morning, with spectators craning one way and the other, waiting for the thorough bred cyclists to stream by, participants in the Toyota Cup, held here every fall. Sleek racing bikes with lots of gears, narrow rims and tires, turned down handle bars, colourful spandex on all body parts and, of course, helmets. These were the only helmets we've seen in Huairou.
It's clear that the bike was made for China ...and China was made for the bike.
NEWS FLASH!
HOME STYLE PIZZA ARRIVES IN HUAIROU!
Italian pizza is the current food rage in these parts. We've been several times to Pizza Hut in Wanfujing Street in Beijing, where a menu of pizzas and accompaniments caters to Chinese tastes. The last pizza we had there was topped with slivers of ostrich meat. This resturant is always packed, with a waiting line at the door.
And there have been several rumours that a pizza restaurant existed here in Huairou. Three times we've set out to find this restaurant, and three times we've been disappointed. The last time, there were 7 of us, celebrating a student's birthday. We were sure we would find it. When we arrived, we found that it had once been said restaurant, but was now an after hours bar! Thwarted once again, we headed off to a very good dumpling restaurant around the corner.
Keyan and her daughter have been the leaders of our search, and after the last disappointment , Keyan announced that she thought she could make pizza at home. We had been to Pizza Hut last Saturday and she now had a general idea of how this could be done. Last night was the debut.
With flat breads from a local street vendor and a large-sized pancake maker with elements in the top and bottom, closing like a clam shell, she proceeded to create. On went the ketchup, followed by cooked shrimp, ham, onions and cheese. In 10 minutes, we had pizza. And very good pizza at that! Dou Yan in typical teenager fashion announced that they weren't any where near as bad as she had expected. Quite a compliment. We ate with our fingers, while Keyan and husband Xiankui used chopsticks, a feat we watched with great admiration. Xiankui was somewhat hesitant to sample, declaring that he didnít like Western food, but at the very end of the meal, he made fast work of a couple of slices.
All text and photography © copyright Harkaway, 2003 - 2004
