Distractions, reflections

Many people go to China to see ancient classics, but I would rather see the works produced by contemporary Chinese artists. As the major leisure activity on this trip to Beijing, Eric and I went to the 798 Art Zone. We took a taxi cross town that dropped us by the large numbers at the north entrance on the west side.

Just inside the gate is a large billboard mapping out the district. The area isn't completely filled out yet, and it would still take more than a single day to see everything.

Also knowns as the Dashanzi art district, the original buildings are 1950s-era Soviet and East German designed factories.

On this sunny day, there was art both inside and outside the buildings.

Continuing on my round-the-world trip from Tokyo, my next stop was Beijing. Beijing Capital International Airport is modern, with long walks and grand halls (like most airports). One signal of being in China was a display of temple bells.

Eric met me at the airport, and got us a taxi to the hotel. I had been corresponding with Dr. Gu, who I've met at ISSS and IFSR meetings, and he lives in the university district. From the hotel, we walked around a bit looking for restaurants, until Eric took control and got a taxi over to the area across the street from the front gates of Renmin University. We went Eric's favourite dumpling place.

I'm getting too old to rough it -- particularly in China. I had booked an apartment at the Beijing Somerset Zhongguancun, taking advantage of a corporate rate. In daylight, it's clear that this is a western-style hotel.

When I left Tokyo in August, I took the bus from Shinagawa to Narita airport. On this trip in, I came from the airport on the Japan Rail Narita Express train. This Saturday afternoon departure had an easy schedule out and I felt adventurous, so I tried the third (slightly cheaper) option: the Keisei Skyliner. My luggage is on wheels. I dragged the bags the few blocks over to Tamachi station.

I was entertained by the smoking area in the middle of the block, away from anyplace a pedestrian would object.

I presume that the translation of the caution is literal.

I rode up the escalator into Tamachi station, bought a Japan Rail ticket, and went down to the train platform.

With all of our official duties for the week done (and the symposium continuing in Japanese), Jennifer, Marja, Gary and I went for a leisurely sightseeing trip through Shinjuku. As we changed trains at Shinjuku station, I noticed a farmers market operating in an underground space.

A short ride on the Keio New Line saved us some walking to Tokyo Opera City. Gary and I looked over the plaza from the mezzanine level while Jennifer and Marja fought jet leg with some caffeine.

We played with the toys at the NTT InterCommunications Center.

After a full date in a workshop at TiTech, the group walked out together to the metro station and took the trains to Jiyugaoka. We wended our way through some shopping streets, and Jim led us to the entrance to an upstairs restaurant.

We were seated around a long table. We westerners are thankful for the space under the table for our legs.

The seafood to be grilled came in multiple baskets placed on the table.

In advance of a formal workshop on services at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, we took an opportunity to have some informal meetings on systems science. Jennifer had flown in from the UK, Gary flew in from Kentucky, and I flew direct from Toronto.

The trees on campus were barer than when we had visited last August.

Jim treated us to lunch at a nice restaurant in Ookayama.

After a morning visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, I rode the metro west one stop back over the Sumida River to Suitengumae. While I was looking for the office for a business meeting in Hakozaki, I found a mom-and-pop beef bowl restaurant for lunch. I noticed that some people took their lunches to the park for lunch.

From the park looking east, the river must be behind the office tower. The area is pretty much all high-rise.

Just to left is a plaza, with a few coffee shops and a travel agent. More office towers are visible in the background.

With an open morning to beat jet lag, I decided to do some sightseeing. Last August, we didn't have enough time to make the trek east across the river. I took the metro out to Kiyosumi-Shirakawa. Coming out of the subway station, I was impressed by the clear directions to the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo.

The signs lead back to some small streets. The Shirakawa area is a east of the Sumida River, so it seems more residential and out of the way for tourists.

In another city, walking through back alleys might feel threatening, but in Tokyo, ever block is neat and well-kept.

Turning around a corner, I found a neighbourhood temple.

As a first -- with meetings at universities in Tokyo and Helsinki less than a week apart -- the best way for me to travel was to book a round-the-world ticket, with a stopover in Beijing to see Eric. The first leg of trip brought me to Narita. When Diana and I came to Japan last summer, we landed in Osaka and returned to Narita on the bus, so this is my first time on the Narita Express train.

The plane arrived just at dusk, so there wasn't much to see outside the train windows in the dark. I had reservations at the same hotel as in the summer, so I knew that I would have to change trains at Tokyo Station.

From there, it was only a short hop over to Tamachi Station. The station gates are up over the tracks. Walking south, there's a small cluster of restaurants down the escalators.

Diana and I tried some of these restaurants last time. The map of the surrounding area provided by the hotel listed an additional cluster of restaurants and shops a little further south in Shibaura, so I went there looking for a noodle shop.

I don't know as much about Chinese history as I should, so live theatre is a great opportunity (and excuse) to learn more. For both cultural and educational reasons, I was curious about A Nanking Winter. This production at Factory Theatre, based on Iris Chang's study of The Rape of Nanking, combined the stories of the obsession and personal problems of the author, with the atrocities commited during the Japanese occupation of the city.

We make it a point to see Asian-Canadian / Asian-American theatre productions when we can. When we first moved back to Toronto, the community was fledgling. Now, it's a normal part of the Toronto theatre scene.