Voices

Nothing quite like a Beijing morning

By Ben Lim Chiow Ang (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-07-20 07:48

In today's fast-paced society, it is considered a luxury to stop and take in the sights, sounds and movement of our surroundings.

If we care enough to stop momentarily in our tracks, we will appreciate the essence of culture, that is, unique lifestyle, in a country.

White-collar professionals and students walk briskly, outpace one another and negotiate the human obstacles along the way with delicate balance as they head toward the subway station.

I really marvel at the sight of well-groomed working ladies in high-heeled shoes walking at a pace that can compete with an athlete.

As the train comes to a halt, the well-formed queue breaks up and mayhem breaks out. Unwittingly, you are part of the syndrome, "if you can't beat them, you might as well join them". Within seconds, the train is packed like a tin of sardines.

Notwithstanding the improved ventilation in the new train, your olfactory sense will be put to a stern test in the sweltering summer heat in Beijing. Miraculously, hundreds of thousands of commuters survive the ordeal every day.

When I made an exit from the subway, I was greeted by the breakfast sellers with their conspicuous push-carts. They are selling food like hot cakes as passers-by grab a piece of pancake and a cup of fresh soya bean drink as they continued their march toward their respective destinations.

As I continued my brisk walk, I was enticed by a loud sound on a par with the China-made vuvuzelas that were made famous during the 2010 World Cup. The upbeat music blares from loudspeakers outside a nearby beauty salon. The young and hip employees are having their morning cult-like ritual of synchronized exercise.

This practice of synchronized roll calls is known to have the effect of boosting the morale of the young staff. Their well-coordinated hands-legs movement is certainly pleasing to the eye for passers-by in an otherwise business-like street in Beijing.

Just before I reached the intersection of a traffic junction, my eyes are invariably drawn by a queue outside a shop. Initially, it took me some time to realize that the swarm of mostly homemakers, grandmas and granddads was actually waiting for the supermarket to open for business.

To be honest, I am a bit puzzled that most, if not all, supermarkets open for business after 8:30 am. Doesn't it make strategic sense for the supermarkets to open their doors as early as 7 am to cater to the morning crowd since they stock up on perishable meat and fresh vegetables? Maybe, someone should advise the supermarket honchos to come out of their ivory towers and see what the morning crowd is really like at their own supermarkets.

Then, I was stopped in my tracks by Beijing's favorite son, a puppy. It has been reported that the doggie population in Beijing has reached an astronomical figure.

I wonder whether, with Beijing's recent announcement that it is considering to lift the ban on big dogs in the city, competition for premium space in the congested so-called pedestrian walkway will heat up. Big dogs too may soon be competing for space on the sidewalks with the parked vehicles, unlicensed street vendors with their own marked-out territories selling all sorts of merchandise, and the alfresco dining, both licensed and unlicensed.

In the tranquil early morning where most of the retail shops have not opened for business, you can admire the well-drawn graffiti and sketches on the shops' shutters that are testimony to China's creativity.

Finally, I arrive at my destination but not before I see an awesome view of the giant "public car-park" that is the Second Ring Road from the edge of a strategic road bridge.