Distractions, reflections

With a free day in a Beijing, I wanted to explore the university district. Peking University, Tsinghua University and Renmin University are all at the northwest side of the city. All have sizable campuses. I hadn’t packed my folding bicycle, but a slow and reliable bike was lent to me by a clerk at the hotel. Eric has his own bike, which he says was cheap and is less well constructed than he’s had in Canada.

After we had ridden about 20 minutes, the crank pin on Eric’s bike fell off. He walked the bike some long blocks down the wide boulevards, and then took us down a side street. On almost any small street, he said, we would easily find a bike mechanic.

Eric only paid a few cents for the repair. Remounting the bike and riding a block, the crank fell off again. We returned to the same mechanic, who hammered harder. With the bike repaired, we then set out to see the first campus.

Peking University

From the Zhongguancun part of the Haidian District, we had biked north and then east. To cross over the divided road from the east side of the street, we found a pedestrian overpass. We entered through the east gate of Peking University.

Peking University has been described as the “Harvard of China“. In the southeast part of the campus, the buildings are relatively modern.

The number of parked bicycles seemed relatively large in comparison to the number of students walking around. Class was in session.  Read more... (1360 words, 53 images, estimated 5:26 mins reading time)

Catching a taxi from Wudaokou, we arrived at the front gate of Renmin (People’s) University.

Eric pointed out the main cafeteria, which was quiet on the Sunday evening.

Eric’s room is in International Student Dormitory Building #1. There was uniformed security guards on the ground floor, and Eric introduced me to them. We took the elevator up. The rows of slippers at the door mark Chinese-style living.

Eric’s roommate Jimmy was expecting us. Eric said that his room was messier than usual.  Read more... (309 words, 17 images, estimated 1:14 mins reading time)

With less than two months since Adam had returned from two years studying at Renmin University of China in Beijing, Eric was on his way for the same program of study: immersion in Mandarin Chinese language training.

One of Eric’s friends gave him a last-minute gift: a grille as bling for his teeth.  Read more... (109 words, 4 images, estimated 26 secs reading time)