Kathy & Paul's Adventures Abroad

A typical Beijing street

Yesterday we left here at 4:30 p.m. to go to the Lotus Centre to shop. Rush hour is 5:30 to 8:00 p.m., and we arrived at Wudoakou subway station around 5:00 p.m. The street vendors were out in force – some had bike carts, some used tables, and others displayed their goods on blanket sheets on the sidewalk. This area is teaming with stores, shopping centres, and even a traditional market, which means small stalls lined up side by side in a lot next to the subway.

The streets were full of life, people hurrying home to and from the subway, buying food, watches, shoes, jackets, and more. There was an energy, a pulse that can only happen in a city of fifteen million people. While crossing the street Kathy said “This is insane!” To explain, we were two lanes off the curb but not yet to the centre line of the street, stood between lanes with several people and a young girl on a bike, as buses passed in front and behind us. There were also people stood on the centre line of the street, and between lanes on the other side of the centre line.

What happens here when the light changes and the walk-light comes on, people start to cross and at the same time you get from the side streets a wave of cars, scooters, bikes and buses turning right unto the main street. This wave meets the wave of people and bikes, and a giant game of Chicken is played out. This game is still in play when the light changes again.

Since we are new to this game we got caught in the middle of the street, standing on the line between lanes. We made it safely to the other side of the street as the game continued to be played out behind us! If this sounds insane then you get the idea.

Like true Beijingers we continued on our way and went shopping!!!