Katie Goes...

I forgot to tell you about last weekend. It was absolutely BRILLIANT!!!!! We went camping up North in Qinhuangdao, which is about 20 minutes South of where the Great Wall goes into the ocean. Evidently they've "rebuilt" part of it, so it looks more like a tourist attraction. Seems a shame somehow. We never made it that far, but stayed at "the beach house". :) The boys actually rented a house for a year in this town that takes 4 hours by slow train to get to. It was pretty cold, but we had the best time. Continuing the fierce card game from the previous weekend took up most of Friday night, that is after we left "Golden Age", a bar that would have to come straight out of a cheesy 80s movie if I hadn't seen it myself. There was a big 360 stage and different girls singing Karaoke to the "audience". Finally a guy singer came on- evidently some "hot commodity" around town...red shirt, open at the collar, gold necklace...awesome. And...

The cabbage and cigarette smell threatens to overwhelm me as I'm sitting in the private car, being driven to the "Shunyi Clinic" in the Northern part of town. It's the satellite clinic for the hospital and is 10 miles from nowhere. The wind is maniacally whipping past us, as are all the other cars and even old men on bicycles because I am being driven by the slowest driver in the universe. We really should have started yesterday if we wanted to be on time, but it's still an adventure and finally we turn onto a beautiful tree-lined drive next to a river. We pass the obligatory public exercise equipment put there in a "Get China Fit" movement, which are, like most of the time, empty of people working out. Finally we reach our destination and it's a tiny but spotless clinic with two of the Doctors I sat next to at the baseball game a few weeks ago. Amazing how such a big town can be so small. It's extra lucky that I know one of the Doctors because ...

I've always had an affinity for trees. And I've claimed the tree in the back of my apt. as mine. I'm on the second floor and just off the living room is a tiny "porch" with windows looking out onto a tree, streetlamp, bushes, and small walkway. Beyond that are highrises and a new building site. When it rains, a puddle forms just under the streetlamp which reflects the light and the raindrops falling in concentric and constant circles. That's when I listen to jazz and have a cup of tea and it feels like I'm in Brooklyn in the '30s. I do have an overactive imagination though... At the moment, while writing this, my roommate is practicing his guitar in the other room and the distant sounds of traffic drone on in a soothing, city lullaby. I believe I am content. :)

So the sore throat was indeed tonsillitis! But, happily, my gig went great last night, and I am working for a hospital. some of my best friends in Beijing came to hear me sing last night, and it made it that much more special. I learned a new song called "Black Coffee" and man, does it throw down the blues. There just isn't anything like being onstage singin' that song with a trumpet, sax and stand-up bass behind you (and having on fabulous new shoes!!!). It was great. I rode Blue Betty to and from the club through the warm Spring night and it was just magical. Now I have to go take my antibiotics and get to bed. But this weekend is a train adventure to some new town...so, more soon!!!! xoxoxo

This weekend I must say I got a little homesick for the mountains! We went "camping" in a little mountain farming village about two hours north of Beijing (but between the bus and taxi, it too almost three). But the way there led us through a winding mountain road. It reminded me of the Blue Ridge Parkway, but with way less traffic rules. :) There were actually stars!!! I could see many constellations and the great rock faces of the surrounding mountains looked like snow in the moonlight. I arrived with the "second shift" and our friends there were already well into some intense games of "A**hole" (it's a card-game, Mom). We had an incredible dinner and went back to playing cards into the wee hours and I don't think I've laughed so much in a long time. The next morning we went hiking through some amazing gorges and more stairs than I would ever care to climb again at one time. but it was a brilliantly beautiful day and we hung out on the rocks...

My dear friends who are sweet enough to read this blog, I have just had one of the most amazing days of my life! If you were to just look at it on paper, it might seem rather ordinary, but it was/is pure magic. You know that feeling when you get your first apartment after college? Or that first job? I feel like this is the first time in my life that every single aspect of my life is my own, and absolutely new. It's just brilliant. Maybe because basic things are challenges here, but yesterday I got a phone (for $20 yeah!) and today I got a bike and an apartment!!!!! Whoooo Hoooo! Thank god my friend Tommy was with me for the bikes, because my Chinese is totally Bu Hao! He got a black bike and I got a powder blue bike with a sticker that says, "Betty". So, I took Blue Betty out on the town and rode for miles (i LOVE that Beijing is flat :) and it was truly amazing. I really felt like I was part of this town today, riding around either dodging cars like Frogger, or cycling ...

This is the entrance to the club, Block 8, which is way cool. Then I take the 701 bus from the Hospital to the club. Busses are great here...except in the rain. The next pic is the road to the club. Around the corner is a restaurant called "1001 Nights"- cute little kid. I've made some great friends here. This is the opening of my friends club called, "The Saddle"- OLE!!!