First Month in Beijing - Another wall

Modern - rather monstrous - office buildings, intersected by 12 lane motor ways, dust,... and walls... everywhere walls. In the heart of Beijing, walls enclose the imperial palace - the forbidden city. Walls surround residential compounds, university campuses, construction areas and public parks. Remaining traditional (courtyard) houses are hidden behind walls. Beijing's circular subway 2 follows the old city walls, torn down in the 60s with scant ruins remaining. Just North of Beijing, ruins of the Great Wall are resurrected again. New walls are also built to hide entire city quarters that are old and badly maintained.
Beijing's may not the prettiest of cities, but I enjoy Beijing more and more. I discover what's behind another wall; and more and more doors open... I find parks and courtyards, temples, ancient structures, and peaceful hutongs (old alleys)... Beijing reveals itself incessantly.

Then there's this proverbial wall... I may look like I'm Chinese - causing some confusion with the Chinese I meet -, but to me China is like ... uh... Chinese. Taxi drivers still deliver me a the wrong places - because I mix up the four tones. In restaurants I unwittingly order endangered animals, obscure body parts and organs... Culture shock? - No, not really, I cope with it. Cultural and linguistic hurdles add to Beijing's mystery. On a practical note; it also fills up my calendar,... as I am in Chinese class five hours every weekday. Worse, I am starting to feel the stress of lagging in my research work, for which I have little time left... Some things never change, not even in Beijing.

Beijing,China,life