Beijing



 

As I said before: I should not fly from one country to another, only trouble.

This time there is bad weather over Beijing, se we landed at Dalian instead and wait for 2 hours already sitting in the plane waiting for news from Beijng. The films which are offered are not too great and the few viewable are alredy done.

Finally at the hotel around midnight the lady at the desk, ready to go to sleep in her pyjamas right behingd the desk, tells us, that they are not allowed to take foreigners, only with a chinese company I could stay there. Luckily next door is a very friendly hotel which can take me for the night. The nice girl behind this desk is concerned about me and brings food and shows me all the photos she can find of the german soccer team on her mobile and wants to know all the names. Jesus I am so tired I dont get al the names, even Hummels isnt in my mind anymore ... . I figure out that she is looking for attention too. Overtired and a little sick from a flue I cought the last days in Japan I sleep too short in a room next to the counter and all I wish is being somewhere where is good food silence and a good bed.

 The next morning police is coming into the lobby, 5 guys in uniform an 2 others plain-clothed, first it seems that they dont say why they are there, just asking for the owner. Quickly I check through if there might be any reason that they look for me. They seem to do the big security check, apperently unannounced. The owner is a little shocked and nervous, but all is fine after 5 minutes.

I know two police strategies: they let you know, and they dont let you know. Both versions split up in subdevisions of the other kind. In the letting you know, still they keep a secret about what is going to happen, and when they dont let you know they also play with your interest to do it right whatever they are looking for. Best is not to get tangeled up in any of their strategies and being straight about everything and very rooted, but letting them do the decisions, so that even they dont find something or they find out that they were wrong, they have their way out without that they loose face. Anyway, thats always a good strategy to let people their autonomy about their decisions. And definetly no police officer likes to admit that he lost power.



"Are you religious?“ - "What do you mean?“ - "Are you Christian?“ - "Yes,  somehow, I grew up in it.“ - "Ahh, ... .“ - "So?"

In their body language they showed that religion is considered as something you dont have or should not have and it is something they cannot talk about.

"Well", I say, "religion is everywhere and in everything, you cant avoid it, some believe in cars, in trees, in food or in money, so it might be better that you have a religion which offers a philosophical level in which you can discuss everything, including the religion itself."

The three young ladies behind the counter of the small hotel speak enough english to understand it and their bodylanguage confirms.

"So, what religion do you have?", I ask the one who started this, the one who gave me the room late at night when I came and had organized something to eat for me while I had to tell her the names of all german soccer players in her mobile.

"Money!"

There you go, money is what rules the mind in Beijing and in most parts of China it seems.




The founder of the theatre where we will perform is running a high risk. After the shows people are discussing openly and speak more or less their mind. He himself is writing in the program of the festival things which the government doesnt like too much. I even got intruduced to the young guy who is send here to confiscate the program books, but he doesnt know how to deal with me and disappears. Out of a reason I am not told, the books remain in the theatre. All seems not too dramatic, but the boss is more then nervous. A short strong man, almost wide as high, at least his inner strength looks like a cube of 1,50m at each side, not easy to tilt.

People are discussing openly after the shows, some speak their mind so unfiltered that I fear for them and the place. The friction they live in makes them discussing and criticising with a reason.

First thing I spotted in the actual theatre space is a control camera. I bet the signal goes outside as well.

 

 

 








Being sick from all the cold riding through Japan I decide a traditional Chinese doctor is best to take the humidity and cold out of my butt.

"No there is no difference between Chinese human beings and European human beings on a biological level, labnguage is different, ok, and we look a little different, but thats it.", is my reply to the joung lady from the reception of my hotel, who came with me to translate, after she articulated her doubts, if the traditional Chinese treatment would work on me. Giving the confirmation to both the doctor and her, that I had it back in Germany in the past, they are almost satisfied.

"But can you take the "bitter", probably they mean "pain", "Yes, I can take it, for hours I can lay down and you put needles in me and do the cupping."

The treatment works phantastic, the back is not blocked anymore, all feels warm and the pain is out!

To thank the lady of the hotel I offer her to go for lunch with her, which she takes, but accompanied by her collegue, and both choose one of the better restaurants near by and order many dishes. It seemed to be quite normal for them to go with a guest of the hotel. All of them are very very hepful and nice to everyone, and I didnt find out jet on which basis they do work there. They live and eat there.

The hotel is a wonderful place, small and privat, everything is possible there and sometimes they have real good musicians playing traditional chinese instruments.

Contact: thomaslehmen@thomaslehmen.de                                                                              © Thomas Lehmen 2013