Real Beijing, you can't hide from me

Since July 23, the Beijing government has been restricting car traffic and temporarily closing nearby factories. It was supposed to be the final step in the long process of turning Beijing into a pollution-free, 1st world by the start of the Olympics, or at least making the city seem modern for a period of time.

Unfortunately, in the four days following the restrictions, the pollution was as worse as ever. There was one clear day, and it's been terrible ever since, although there are clear skies this morning.

Beijing's obsessed with modernizing the city in skin-deep, cosmetic ways. First, there are the ostentatious flower displays that I've written about before, which this week got even more ostentatious. Now, there are 3-foot tall bell-shaped faux-wooden flower pots filled with tons of soil.

As well, though I haven't seen it myself, but the New York Times reports that the police are erecting barriers in front of "unsightly" storefronts near tourist sites. (link)

I don't think it's rash of me to say that these special Olympic reforms probably won't influence the city much more strongly than the usual economic growth that's been steadily modernizing the city.

Because even though it's pretty now, real Beijing is still there. It's probably harder to find than it was 3 or 4 years ago, when I'm told that locals regularly spat on the floor every minute or so, during meals at restaurants.

Every time I walk from my apartment to school, I pass a couple of shacks- one of them sells fruit and vegetables, and in the identical shack opposite to it is where the family who runs the shack lives. They have two little boys(yes, a lot of people get around the one-child policy here, either they don't register a kid, or they pay a fine).

The 5-year old is fully-clothed 25% of the time, pantsless 25% of the time, and fully naked about 50%, or every other time I pass the shack. In full view of his parents, brothers, and all of the workers and students commuting to and from my apartment.

Three days ago, he popped a squat on the dirt next to the sidewalk, and, also in full view of parents and passers-by, appeared to be preparing to defecate. Despite the cultural significance of observing this event, I was unsure of the manners in stopping to confirm that this kid was doing the unthinkable, and walked by.

On my way to class this morning, he was at it again, and I can now confirm that the naked kid takes dumps in public and in full view of his parents.

Beijing can announce as many policies and erect as many walls as it wants. And foreign tourists will probably hardly notice between Beijing and other modern cities. But the culture/charm/weirdness of Beijing is still there: Beijingers still spit, even-numbered cars drive on wrong days (come on Beijing government, drivers barely obey traffic lights as it is), and naked kids still take dumps in public.