Old Peking Tour

I can't overstate how awesome my day was. Today I did something I have been looking forward to ever since I picked up Paul French's book Midnight in Peking. French uncovered the true story of Pamela Werner, a young British girl who grew up in Beijing on the eve of the Japanese invasion. At that time, the city was called Peking. She was murdered in 1937, and the mystery was never solved... until Paul French did just recently. Please go read his book. It's a page-turner, and you will thank me for the recommendation!

The audio walking tour is something I Googled and downloaded on my phone last night. Simple as that. I followed the directions, starting at the Beijing train station, where I coincidentally was dropped off just last week from Moscow. Paul French himself is the audio tour guide, and he explains the sites, both the general historical significance and that relative to Pamela's story.

The first tour stop is a hutong behind the train station. A hutong is a traditional Chinese living space, distinguished by its narrow alleys, communal living arrangements, and close quarters. They are rapidly disappearing from modern Beijing and are something everyone should go see while in Beijing.

Armour Factory Hutong, or Kuaijiachang Hutong, is where Pamela grew up with her father. Pamela's building is still standing! Moreover, the Werners lived on the same street as the famous Edgar Snow. I saw his residence, too, where he wrote the book Red Star over China. I'm a fan of Edgar Snow, so seeing his place and Pamela's was very moving. The hutong itself was typical and quaint. My presence attracted some attention, but the residents were kind and curious.

The next stop, surprisingly close and competely intact, is the Fox Tower and Tartar Wall. This is a beautiful corner of the Ming Dynasty wall, which used to be the outside border of the city. Today, it's in the city center. The Fox Tower is where Pamela's body was found: raped, surgically cut apart, and dragged to the tower. I walked along the Tartar Wall, on top of which Pamela often rode her bike. There is still a little building which once served as a train station, and as French says in the audio tour, it's miraculous that it's still there.

Most of the Tartar Wall has been torn down, so when I reached the end, I turned into what was referred to back in Pamela's day as the Badlands. It's Chuanban Hutong, and it was a lively place that seemed a bit more cut off from the city than the others. In Pamela's day, it was where the brothels, drug dealers, and gamblers were. Hence the name.

Next I went to Suzhou Hutong, where Pamela loved to find snacks. I had zongzi there, my favorite snack of sweet, sticky rice with prunes cooked inside! Pamela ate her last meal, a bowl of noodles, in this hutong. I did the same! Eat noodles, I mean. :)

From there, the tour took me to the Legation Quarter. A legation is the old word for embassy, so this was a very European part of Beijing. It was a quiet, tree-lined area with British, French, and American architecture. Specifically in the French Legation is where Pamela went to ice skate after eating noodles in Suzhou Hutong. Important people and events involved in the book center around the Legation Quarter, but I won't give anything away! It's a murder mystery, after all!

The tour ends at the old Beijing train station, on the corner of what is now Tiananmen Square. This really puts things in perspective, because Tiananmen is the symbol of New China. My tour took me through Old Peking - it even has a different name - so the contrast to me was stark.

Why did I love this tour? I could say that it's simply because I love the book, or I love Old Peking, or hutongs, or finding meaning in the world around me that everyone else seems to be missing. But really, I think the answer is that I feel so connected to history. That space and time and place and life are all one, and every life matters. Pamela died so young. She probably thought she hadn't yet made her place in the world. And what would she have said if she was told that 78 years later, a strange American girl would cry into a bowl of noodles in Suzhou Hutong, eating them in her memory?

This is the entrance to where Pamela lived: behind what is now Chang Chun Printing, at 1 Armour Factory Hutong.

The Snows also lived on Armour Factory Hutong for a couple years. They knew Pamela and her father.

This is the Fox Tower. I took this photo standing in the spot where Pamela's body was found. 

This is the Tartar Wall, which once surrounded Old Peking.

Here's the little train station. Really, it's odd that it survives. It's a quaint cafe today.

The Badlands Hutong! This seriously gave me the chills.

In memory of Pamela, in Suzhou Hutong. So spicy!

A European building in the Legation Quarter.

Apartments in the Legation Quarter.

Legation Quarter.

The old train station on Tiananmen Square.

China Law Classes

The flag pole on Tiananmen Square. I'll be going to a sunrise flag raising in a couple weeks!

I just finished my first week of law classes at Beijing University. I'm with a group of about 25 American law students, most of whom are from Missouri. They have never been to China before, unlike me: this is my fifth time in Beijing, I speak Chinese, and I'm fairly knowledgeable about Chinese history, politics, and law. It's exciting to see my classmates here begin to understand why China is the way it is today from a legal perspective.

We have class for three hours each morning. We focus on one aspect of Chinese law per day, and we have a different professor for each class. The professors are Chinese and teach law at Beijing University. This is the best law school in the country, so the lectures are very good!

The gist of what we're learning in class is that China has a long history and strong legal tradition, but they started over in 1979, borrowing concepts new to them from Western legal systems. The law today is kind of a jumble, and the difference between the written laws and practical application is very great. I spent this past year, however, writing about China's proposed judicial reforms that seek to establish greater judicial independence and form a more cohesive system. The professors have a lot of faith that the legal system will improve, and I believe so, too!

In the afternoons after class, we go on sightseeing trips. So far we have seen the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, Tiananmen Square, and the Great Hall of the People. Next week we will focus our trips more on Chinese law, touring law firms, observing a criminal trial, and visiting the Supreme People's Court.

After three weeks of class and an exam on Chinese law, I will begin a legal position at the Beijing office of a large, American law firm - I'm really fortunate to have been chosen as a summer associate with Sheppard Mullin. This is an amazing opportunity, and I can't wait to begin!

The Summer Palace, built for the Empress Cixi.

No Showers on this Train

This is me with my friends from Holland and our Russian compartment-mate Viktor.
This is day four without showering, by the way.

Raise your hand if you shower every day!

I didn't raise my hand, and not just because I'm painstakingly typing this post out on my phone. No, I don't shower every day, and I'm not just talking about on this trip. (I actually broke my high score last week for showers in a single week: eight, woah!)

I usually shower three or four times per week, believe it or not. Yes, I'm talking about when I'm in the U.S., working and going to school and living my life! It just makes things so much easier. It saves time, energy, water, my sanity... I recently read an opinion piece about showering every day being a white, American thing. I totally get it. (I am white and American, for the record.)

Anyway, I thought I would shower once in London, once in Moscow, and then resume my normal (3-4 times per week) routine in Beijing. But because of my change of travel plans in Cologne, I got so many unexpected showers. I thought each one would be my last, yet they kept on coming.

But my Saturday afternoon shower in Moscow truly was my last until tomorrow when I arrive in Beijing. I'm on train with a rotation of other people sharing a compartment with me, and it is not so bad. I mean, I feel fine. I feel clean enough. Dry shampoo works really well. Baby wipes work really well. Soap and water: great stuff right there. Showering? Not necessary.

The four of us shared this space! Just wanted to also point out that I'm repping Lexis Nexis gear: the notebook and travel mug.

I could stay on this train indefinitely (and would if I could), and I would only ask for these things: unlimited books for when it's dark out and I can no longer see the landscape, a cup of coffee with cream each morning, and one shower per week.

The train bathroom. There was one of these on each end of the train car. The sink is to the left.

The Railway out from Moscow

Not bored at all.

I'm on the Trans-Manchurian train from Moscow to Beijing. (It's the same as the famous Trans-Siberian, except it goes into China.) This is the main event I've been looking forward to since I left the states. Since then, I've been running through Europe, and it's nice to finally sit back, relax, and enjoy not having anywhere to be or anything in particular to do.

The train is cozy and warm, and there are plenty of things to do to break up the day. Just standing at the window watching Russia fly by makes the time pass quickly. And then there are breaks for tea, snacks, and meals; reading and writing in my compartment; and scheduled train stops to stretch, buy food, and breathe fresh air all make the day pass quickly.

My compartment-mates will be with me for the first three days. They are a couple from Holland traveling just like I am,  and an older Russian man going to visit family. They are each very nice and friendly, and they make the day enjoyable.

Our first stop! Fifteen minutes of freedom!

A Soviet Celebration

St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square, with signs and decorations for the parade.

I lucked out on this trip because not only was the weather beautiful and perfect, but also Moscow was celebrating Victory Day. The whole city was decked out with lights, flags, posters, and ribbons for the May 9 parade. People from all over the country and world were in Moscow for the occasion.

It was quite the military event. The public parade - as opposed to the invitation-only, official events on Red Square - consisted of hundreds of tanks rolling through the city streets. The parks celebrating Soviet history and culture also had many war machines on display. Seeing the city in this state of excitement was an insightful glimpse into the minds of the Russian people today.

The military parade!

Although the parade was the main event for the city, my favorite part of my visit was a walking tour of the major sights. I learned some interesting things. Red Square got its name not because of Communism, but because in Russian, "red" also connotes beauty. St. Basil's Cathedral, the iconic and colorful onion domes that come to mind when you think if Moscow, is much smaller than you might expect. And the Kremlin, which simply means "fortress," is a group of buildings inside a walled area. Also, Moscow is a city that encourages classical learning. It has a massive library that embodies that ideal.

Russian flags and Soviet hats everywhere!

Finally, the metro system is so impressive. It's efficient, fast, easy to use, and crazy cheap. If you want to know Moscow, take its metro and just observe. Each stop is different and is a feat of architecture and design. Russian people on the metro are characteristically stoic. And the patriotic music piped in is just the icing on the cake.

I highly recommend a visit to Moscow. You won't be disappointed!

Victory Park.

Tashkent Food

Who wouldn't?

It's difficult to find traditional Russian food in restaurants in Moscow because when people go out to eat, they want foreign specialties. I ate a Russian meal at a kitschy Soviet-style cafeteria, but most of my other meals were fairly normal.

Near my hostel in Moscow was a trendy food stall area with stands from all over the world. Irish, Italian, Mexican, French, Chinese, and many others were represented. It was classy, and the food quality was great.

I stumbled upon it my first night in Moscow. At the back of the room, I saw a stall called I <3 2009="" actually="" amusing.="" and="" are="" best="" but="" camca="" capital="" central="" china="" cooked="" cooking="" course="" cyrillic="" difficult.="" dumplings.="" excited="" fact="" food="" friends="" friendship="" had="" i="" in="" is="" like="" menu="" moscow="" my="" not="" of="" often="" ordered="" our="" out="" owners="" p="" russian="" samsa="" so="" some="" sounding="" speaking="" tashkent.="" tashkent="" the="" they="" thought="" to="" together.="" trouble="" try="" uzbek="" uzbekistan.="" was="" we="" were="" western="" when="" which="" workers="">

On my last night in Moscow, I was a bit rushed for dinner before I headed to the train station. I went back to the same food stall area, hoping to find a French sandwich to take with me. But the menus were all in Russian, and sounding out the names lead me no where! So back to the Uzbek stall I went for something delicious I know how to say: plov!

The workers were delighted and bemused at my return. I wished I could tell them I just <3 p="" tashkent.="">

Plov in the foreground and samsas in the background. The ceramics are of old Uzbek men having tea!

First Day in Moscow

It's my first day in Moscow, and I'm thrilled to be here! I'm trying to conceal my enthusiasm, however, because smiling is not the done thing. Smiling is weird and suspicious and crazy.

One great outlet for smiling is the hostel where I'm staying. There's a good mix of people here, mostly from various parts of Russia and Asia, generally. 

Specifically, I met two medical students, one from Beijing and the other from Dagestan. Because Saturday is Victory Day, a huge celebration here, they wanted to discuss what U.S. students are taught about World War II.

Basically, they take issue with the idea that once the U.S. entered the war, it was the U.S. contribution which ended it. They believe Russia contributed the most, and the U.S. didn't really do all that much, only swooping in at the end and taking credit. They expressed this not with anger, but with sadness. They want respect from the U.S. Speaking of which, they are irked that no U.S. representatives will be attending the big celebration. Why can't we all get along? :)

I didn't start this conversation about WWII, and I usually don't purposefully enter into these types of things. But I appreciate the fact that I'm often the only American in sight when I travel to places like Moscow on the eve of Victory Day, or Lanzhou, China, for that matter. I guess people can tell I'm open-minded and respectful of their viewpoints. I want others to be the same.

The library, which represents the Russian classical style of learning. 

Derailed!

Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.

I'm in Berlin for the day, and this is a wonderful surprise. I like Germany: I have been to Munich before and loved it. But Berlin has a completely different feel to it, I discovered. It certainly feels German, but it's a more modern and open feel than Munich. I really only had the afternoon to explore, so I went on a great walking tour of the city that focused on the most important sites. It was a good use of my limited time, and I learned so much about the general history of the city.

Berlin Wall.

How did I end up spending time in Berlin? I had to abandon my Warsaw and Kiev plans because I was not going to make the connection in Warsaw after the train strike in Germany. I discovered I wouldn't make the connection after boarding the train to Berlin from Cologne. While on the train, I weighed my options of flying from Berlin to either Warsaw or Kiev to pick up with my trains there, but at that point it seemed futile, especially since there are travel warnings for Kiev and I would be spending a day there.

The new plan is to fly to Moscow tomorrow. It was an easy decision, as you can imagine! Part of me feels like I'm "cheating" by taking this flight, but it's not really about that. I do wish I could see more of Eastern Europe, but it's not happening on this trip.

I'll be arriving in Moscow a day earlier than planned, and I'm excited to have a bit more time there. I'm also going to be meeting up on Saturday with a friend of a friend who lives in Moscow, so I hope to get a unique perspective from him.

Goodbye, Germany! :)

Train Strike in Germany

My lovely seatmate on the way to Brussels. I tried out some German, she tried English.

There's a train stike happening in Germany, which would ordinarly be bad news for a train traveler. But I suppose this is the adventure of traveling: that you can't predict what will happen next.

I took the Eurostar out of London, and the plan was to arrive at the Brussels Midi station and make a quick connection on to Cologne. Well, I arrived in Brussels to find no platform listed for my Cologne train. It was a short time-frame anyway, so I ran to an attendant for help. He didn't have much to say, except to try platform 5. At platform 5, they said to try platform 11. Time was running out! On platform 11, I happened to run into a nice man from Prague in the same predicament, and he had more information. Our train to Cologne was delayed, and the train was skipping the Brussels Midi stop! I followed him onto a local train, where we got off two stops later and rushed onto our Cologne train. Quite exciting, but the excitement doesn't end there.

Outside the Cologne train station.

In Cologne, I found out my overnight train to Warsaw was canceled. I tried to keep cool even though missing one train might mean missing all the others down the line! The man from Prague said, "Your train trip is stacked like a house of cards." Sure is. Anyway, I waited patiently in line to find out my fate: I can take a train, a bus, and another train into Warsaw tomorrow, and get there about an hour before my train from Warsaw to Kiev. Pros: they gave me a hotel room here in Cologne and I'll get to see more of Germany on my way, instead of sleeping through it. Cons: I don't get to spend the day in Warsaw and I'm nervous because I have to pick up my Warsaw ticket at the Warsaw post office when I arrive, and hopefully still make it onto my train!

Stay tuned!

To and From London



Icelandic cake for breakfast on the flight to London.



There's no better sight than seeing your little red suitcase on the baggage claim at the airport. I took an abnormal route from the states to London and had to switch airlines in Toronto. When I began my trip, I asked if I could check my bags all the way through to London, and the answer was "yes." After I gave over my bag, the airline said to make sure I check if my bag gets dropped off in Toronto, because I might have to pick it up there are re-check it. Wait, that means the answer to my question was "no." Whatever. Well, the bag wasn't in Toronto, and I didn't see it in Reykjavik, either. I was sort of hoping it was lost and they would have to ship it to Moscow for me - so I don't have to drag it around. But there it was, in London. 

London from south of the river.

In London, I met up with Mark and Alice. Mark is the brother of my coworker. They were so kind and took me all over central London in the afternoon. Unfortunately, I'm not that knowledgeable about British history, so I can't say that I truly appreciated what I was seeing, but it was still fun and exciting. Next, we went out to a pub where we ate dinner with Mark and Alice's friends. It was neat to be in a foreign city surrounded by friends - and travel friends are the best. It seems like you get to know them so quickly, and you forget you met them just an hour before.





Eurostar train to Brussels.

The next day I had to pick up my Kiev - Moscow train ticket at a Russian travel office, so that took most of my morning, but I got to see a new area of the city. I then had a delicious, slow lunch with a friend I met in undergrad who is studying in London. From there, I took the Eurostar out of England, through France, and into Germany!