Saving the best for last

My time as Beijing continues to be among the best of entire trip (although I feel fortunate to have so many experiences vying to be on that list).

I haven't even written about the great fun I had at the dumpling-making party I stumbled into my first night in Beijing, or catching the live, free outdoor performances of the Beijing Screenings soundtracks (I heard soundtracks but saw none of the films -- they were difficult to find, and once found, were only in Chinese with no English subtitles). I've neglected to write about my first taste of duck (of the Peking variety) in twenty years. The days have just been too full!

In large part, the fun of Beijing is due to the company I've had here. I've fallen in with a group of fellow travelers who include Daniel (my train companion from Xi'an), four Germans (Anna, Annabelle, Ben and Maria), and another Daniel (from Madrid). Together, the seven of us rented bicycles yesterday for the 1.5 hour ride to the Summer Palace, in the northwest corner of Beijing. Getting all seven of us organized and then finding seven bikes to rent was a bit of a challenge, but once we got going, it was great fun. We were a cycle gang of sorts cruising down the bike lanes, Spanish, German and English flying as fast as our pedals.

We named our little festival of nations the Seven of Nine Million, after a song that Ben referenced, with the lyric 'there are 9 million bicycles in Beijing.' (Bonus points to whomever correctly IDs that song and artist. It may be in German, I'm not sure...)

After arriving and strolling the grounds of the pastoral Summer Palace, Anna had a special treat for us. She'd been to the Palace before and knew a spot where we could swim. It was a secluded rocky beach quite a distance from the main attractions and the hordes of tour groups, and appeared to be a favorite for a number of elderly Chinese men in old-school swimming trunks and swim caps. We'd all brought our swimming suits along, and when we first hit the water -- wow! To swim like an Emperor! You would expect it to be lovely, but this felt spectacular. After spending the day pedaling, walking and moving through Beijing's smoggy atmosphere, the water was clear, cool and utterly refreshing. (The clear days that greeted my arrival in Beijing were in part due to recent rains; as the days pass without rain, the smog intensifies.)

After swimming, we spread ourselves out along the rocks of the beach to dry. Daniel noticed a sign that, in large English and Chinese print, read: 'SWIMMING PROHIBITED. DRINKING WATER SOURCE.'

Um, oops. As we read the sign, there were dozens of Chinese men in the water. Hopefully, we stupid foreigners will be forgiven. Even as we apologize to the good people whose water might taste a little more like... a festival of nations.

Our bike ride home, after watching the sun set across the Palace lake, was punctuated by a dinner stop in a tiny road-side restaurant, where the food was delicious (garlicky potatoes and fried, spicy tofu that rank among the best meals of my trip) and cheap! The entire bill, for seven of us to eat so well, came to about $10. The 1.5 liter Tsingtao beers cost a ridiculous $0.40 each. Most importantly, it was a great end to one of the best days of my trip.

This afternoon, I bid farewell to Daniel (who returned to Nanjing, where he is working as a teacher for his friend's 7 and 9 year old kids, while their dad is the Art Director for a forthcoming movie starring Jodie Foster being filmed in Nanjing) and Anna (who is off to Shanghai). Thankfully, our experiences together feel indelible in the way that travel friendships can uniquely be.

It occurred to me just a couple of days ago that this trip will, in fact, come to an end. What once felt distant (my flight home) is now only a few days away.
As excited as I am to see friends and family, I am sad to sense the trip coming to a close. I feel newly comfortable here, at peace moving through these streets in a way that has only come with time, and I am not eager to say goodbye to all the fun, laughter and friends I've found in China.

The rest of today, I plan to relax, check out a nearby market, and find some tasty street food at the nearby night market (which is a total tourist trap, but memorable). Tonight I have my sights on tasting snake (one of the few 'exotic' foods pitched at tourists at this market that is authentically Chinese). And tomorrow, the Forbidden City!

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P.S. I have managed to land a party for Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, and might even attend it with the members of the cycle gang who are still in Beijing at the time.