Happy 2013 - December 31, 2012

Dec 31, 2012

Happy New Year, as Joy said, the year of our Lord, 2013; as the Chinese (will) say, on February 9, the year of the Snake. Yesterday, December 30, was a day of epiphany for me. I lit out by train from Nanjing to Suzhou, alone with myself. I had thought about the journey for several days without making any concrete plans, that is to say without booking train tickets or a hotel. But finally, on December 28^th, it had to be done. Either I would go somewhere to celebrate the New Year alone with my own company, I or would stay alone in Nanjing. Kevin, my young acquaintance and after-rental service assistant turned friend, encouraged me by helping me plan the Virginia and Valerie China excursion, and I mentioned my desires at work. He volunteered to get my tickets for me but it really is something I must learn to do for myself. Linda, a young energetic and kind colleague mentioned that train tickets can be purchased at the Jin Ling Hotel, in English, with a small added commission of 5 Y per trip ticket. I went there, bought the tickets and returned home to book a hostel. The Chinese arise early, and so did I, on the day of departure, December 30, Sunday, so that I would arrive at the train station early enuf to get my bearings. Kevin recommended a half hour; I got there an hour early, planning 45 minutes early. But the Metro trip only took 15 minutes compared with the estimate of 40 minutes.

The train trip itself was uneventful. But I did see the industrial area south of Nanjing. Though local educated workers are paid enough to live comfortably in suburban apartments, many people come in from the countryside seeking factory work and are housed within the factory compound. They have heard and dreamt of work that allows them to get ahead. But they are paid a pittance in real money, if at all, with the majority being coupons that are only valid currency within the factory where goods are over-priced. They are little more than indentured servants, the real currency being insufficient to result in significant savings.  

And I saw how land is so efficiently used. Rice paddies in fields adjacent to the tracks, soil erosion on the banks prevented with concrete horseshoe shaped plantings. Burial mounds dot the low rises of naturally growing trees, with true natural forests rising from the steeper grades. Where there are saplings and more mature tree growth they are not forests at all, but tree gardens. This is what our landscapes will resemble as our forests are stripped and “developed”; neat rows of tree growth with none of the beauty and tangle of undergrowth, nor the canopy of old growth. There are few birds’ nests, and nary a bird to be seen.

Arriving in Suzhou I was immediately accosted by tour promoters selling tickets to the famous and beautiful gardens I later was later false told at the official Tourism Information office, are closed for the winter. And subsequently for a taxi at 60 Y to my hotel, the address of which Kevin had kindly translated to Mandarin. I knew the offered price of 60 Y had to be greatly inflated and refused, offering 30 Y. He came down to 45 easily so I knew it was a “no go”.

There was a train information officer handy and I asked her, in the presence of the taxi securer, what the price ought to be. She could not tell me that; to do so would have betrayed the integrity of the securer. Nonetheless, she recognized that I knew there was an attempt being made to exploit me. I knew that the train station was in the core of the city, as was my hotel. I also knew that any taxi within the core could not possibly exceed 30Y, so that was the price I stipulated. The securer refused. But the train information person invited me to follow her, and led me to the lane of black, and therefore classier cabs waiting in a queue, as opposed to those driving into the “stop and start” lanes. These black taxis do not display a taxi sign or logo, thus preventing passengers the "shame" of advertising that they are using public transit as by far, the majority of privately owned cars are also black. The driver next in line indicated he did not know where the hotel was and consulted with four colleagues. Confidence in arriving in a timely fashion eroding, I again offered 30Y, but said I required a receipt.

When I got into the cab, I again said I needed a receipt and he gave me one - from the previous passenger - for 32 Y. After we got underway, I asked if the metre was working and he admitted it was. I again said I would need a fa piao (receipt). We arrived at the destination, and I asked for the fa piao. It was 19Y. He happily accepted my 21Y. My thinking was thus. A 10% tip was an acceptable compromise. In the first place he would have been happy to exploit me. Second, tipping is not the Chinese way yet I know that taxi drivers are grossly underpaid and thus also exploited. Still, I do have some discretionary income, but am neither a generous tipper nor stupid. Everything in China is complicated. In Canada, I usually tip 10%; for me 15% is for good service. Overall, the bargaining went thus Taxi – 60-50-45-30-32- with correct receipt 19 Y, with 2 Y tip 21Y total! Perhaps I ought to feel some compunction at having dishonoured my offer of 30Y, but I don't considering the circumstances. In any case, not only was there no argument, but the driver was gracious, helping me with my bags, and ensuring we were at the correct destination by asking a local on the street, and smiling happily.  

It is difficult to know where one is expected to bargain, and where the prices are “firm”. I know that the local Suguo (like a small Safeway or Sobey’s) offer firm prices as do the restaurants and street food vendors, tourist spots and upscale clothing stores. But at all of the street markets and most of the independent stores, bargaining is “de rigueur”, and several sellers admired by ability to bargain effectively.   

I have been tempted to do some crocheting or needlework to while away some time. What extra time, I ask myself in saner moments? I saw some lovely chenille type “wool” priced at 20 Y/skein. She was willing to sell it for 15Y, but then I thought, hell, I’ll never knit/crochet it anyway. In desperation, she pulled out a sample of what the scarf would look like, already made up. At the time, she was teaching her daughter to knit, and I admired her learner and her teacher, “nide mama hen haude lau shir” (Your mother is a very good teacher.) And she was, patient with the clumsy and slow work of her learner, yet a fast knitter in her own right. She asked 50 Y for it, and happily sold it to me for 45 Y.  This tells me the price at 20 Y a skein was grossly overpriced.  But her work was worth at least the price of a skein. 

On the trains one is allowed to carry 2 bags weighing not more than 20 kg. Each. With the clothes I have purchased here in Suzhou, I needed something to carry them in. I bought a Ferrari knock-off athletic bag. The seller started out asking me 60 Y. I smiled, offering 30 as I walked away. She called after me 50 Y. I paused, again offered 30 and took another couple of steps. Then she called after me, ok, 40Y. And I bought it, knowing locals would probably only pay 25-30, and that I have bought the same thing in Canada at a ValuVillage for about $2.50 (20Y).   I don’t mind being exploited a little, but I refuse to be bilked unmercilessly. “You bargain well,” she commented admiringly. “Where are you from?” But I told her it was my papa who taught me to bargain.  As a knock-off, the bag is not worth more than 30, so she made a good profit, and I got the kind of bag I needed.  It is not, as the vendor claimed, piao leung, pretty, but it is gong dzou, it works. I am much less concerned with beauty than most; very beautiful, “hen piao leung” is absolutely the top selling feature - best quality is second.

I needed an extra bag in which to carry my unanticipated purchases of clothing.  The pants I bought were ``on sale`` at a department store.  They had the original price marked, and the discount was applied at the till.  I asked for an extra 10% off, and got it!  I had tired of being told the stores have no women`s pants with my gigantic waist size (34``) so asked if they had men`s pants in that size.  The clerks searched diligently and came up with 4 pairs, 2 blue jeans and 2 brown pairs.  I had to buy the 35`waist in order to skirt my hips on the way up, but at least now I have some jeans to wear. The clerks were laughing hysterically at me as I left with my men’s pants.  Any inkling of homosexuality is met with derision; young women dress to the nines most of the time, in stiletto boots, and faux fur trimmed ski jackets or with lace frills.  Mr. Yang, the tailer, will make me some dress pants for work, minus the lace, thanks very much!  I also bought a fuchsia sweater that I could not resist on the way out the door.

My celebration of the incoming year was pretty low-key.  After watching a movie, I started to hear the familiar, pop, pop, of distant firecrackers at about 11:15.  The Chinese invented gunpowder, and have not forgotten it a day since, I’m sure.  Every wedding consists of fireworks at 6:30-7:00 a.m. when the groom picks up his bride for a day of photos, etc., and again at 6:30 at night as the reception commences.  I went out to see what there was to see.  A young man was talking yet another picture of his beloved, and I offered to take their picture together.  I wished them Happy New Year, and struck up a conversation with the young lady.  Her fellow asked, “Do you know each other?”  “No,” we agreed.  I think he though me strange.  But that’s ok.  He is definitely not the first if that is the case.  I walked about a km, hearing periodic pop, pops.  Finally, in the distance, was a tremendous fireworks display that went on for at least 15 minutes, starting just before midnight, usually 3-4 at a time.  I surmise that wherever the fireworks were occurring was also where all the people were as the streets were mostly empty.  All the food stalls open till 10:00 usually, were gone, the gates down on all the store fronts.    I returned to my room and drank the ½ cup of bijiao I’d bought earlier, unable to find any western liquor or wine.  Although I’d paid 10 times the price of the cheap stuff of 20 years ago, it did not taste any better.  My goodness, it is awful stuff!  Next time, I’ll try to remember to go without if it is my only recourse. 

Overall, though I am not learning as fast as I’d wish, I can again carry on a basic conversation in Mandarin.  However, the ability to explain anything complex or solve any difficult problems eludes me.  Still, I am not dissatisfied with my progress as I can at least, make myself understood in what I do try to communicate.