After a long long day of classes, I escaped Shandong
University’s campus and took a bus to the city centre. Jinan has
a modern feel in the centre around Quancheng square, with a fancy mall full of
western chains and brands, all shiny marble, glass and steel.
Whilst the square itself has some greenery, fountains and is
flanked by canals, the pollution in Jinan makes it seem as if everything is
covered by a grey film.. (Jinan, in the top 10 for most polluted cities in China yay!)
Also note the phallic high rise.
Shopping was my aim, but not here. Instead, I walked across
the square, survived crossing the road and arrived at an old gate sandwiched
between two average looking concrete buildings. Furong Street. Also known as
food street. My kind of place.
The
street is lined with food stalls and restaurants and for someone like me,
completely ignorant of the richness and abundance of Chinese cuisine but
desperate to learn (taste) more, it was heaven. Fried spicy tofu, noodle soup
from Heilongjiang province, octopus dumplings, pig knuckle soup…
Waddling through Quancheng Square however, I experienced
another aspect of China that will probably stay with me. Tai chi, square dancing, kite flying, kung
fu, Chinese badminton, ribbon dancing… There was a huge amount of people just
being.. active. The atmosphere was so lively and energetic it made me wonder
what I used my evenings for back home… Mindlessly scrolling down Facebook and Tumblr? I wasn’t sure what I spent my time on when I wasn’t studying or working
and that thought scared me a little. Was I wasting the free time I did have on
things that left no impression on me? Maybe it isn't that I have no interests but
rather that I don’t make the time to pursue them..
I was also left with the feeling that there was a stronger
sense of community here that I had personally experienced in England..
But rather than being due to cultural differences I
started to realise that it might be due to my own lack of involvement instead..
I mentioned this to my Chinese friend Lydia, noting how I
didn’t think it is even legal to carry a blade longer than a certain length in
England.
“Really? I have a knife! Well three in total but I only
carry one with me. The others are underneath my pillow and mattress. Just in
case.”
She showed me her knives. They are not small. I’m not sure I
would even call them knives.
“Just in case.”
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