Stories from China (Part 2)

This entry is part 2 of 40 in the series Stories from China

May 16, 2023

Stories from China (Part 2)

By Simon J. Lau

On my first day in Beijing, I started with a strong cup of coffee to shake off the jet lag. With that small boost, I set out across the city on foot, weaving through busy streets and quiet side roads. One of my first tasks was getting a local SIM card. The process took longer than I expected, but I eventually walked away with mobile data.

This morning, I ordered what I thought would be a classic breakfast: soup dumplings and a bowl of sweet soy milk. The soy milk was delicious, smooth, and just sweet enough. The dumplings, however, weren’t quite what I expected. Instead of the delicate, soup-filled xiao long bao I’m used to, these were more like soft, bready buns with no broth inside. Tasty in their own way, but not the soup dumplings I had in mind.

However, the real highlight was dinner, where I tried Muslim street food. Ever since my trip to New Zealand, I’ve developed a real fondness for lamb, and many Muslim dishes feature it prominently. On my plate were lamb skewers, both loin and kidney, generously seasoned with cumin and chili, along with tender slices of lamb belly served with a rich dipping sauce. On the side was a simple broth topped with fresh cilantro and scallions, the perfect balance to the smoky, spicy meat.

I’ve also had to adjust to the weather and pollution in Beijing. Around 4:30 PM, I glanced outside and thought the sun was already setting. It turned out to be smog mixed with the threat of light rain, and sunset wasn’t until 7 PM. 🌧️

The Chinese people I’ve met so far have been very accommodating. They can tell that I’m learning Mandarin, and they genuinely enjoy seeing foreigners try to speak Chinese. It seems to amuse them. For instance, today I spoke with a pastry vendor. When she realized I was a non-native Mandarin speaker, she spent extra time explaining her pastries to me.

She then turned to the people behind me, a middle-aged woman and, I assume, her mother, and told them how I was learning Mandarin, even exaggerating how good I was. 😅 The older woman kept smiling at me, giving a thumbs up, and saying in Mandarin, “Excellent! Excellent!” It’s the kind of encouragement I imagine she gives her grandchildren. In any case, it’s nice to meet so many kind strangers willing to help me along the way.

By the end of the day, after all the walking, the food stops, and the small conversations along the way, I had covered over 14 miles. Not bad for day one!