by Keith Adams, Edinburgh branch, in Beijing, 14 August 2012

My last day in the Chinese capital. I’ve been here for a month now, with embedded trips to Nanjing and Xi’an, and I’m not looking forward to the Edinburgh rain. Beijing has been, as always, a feast for the eyes and the taste buds, if not the lungs ; the pollution does vary from day to day but when it’s bad, it does mean persistent coughing.

Each time I return the city seems to have gone through another step function in growth, with new tower blocks sprouting where previously there had been only hoardings bearing often incomprehensible (but, I’m sure, intended to be inspirational) messages - “Drink until the last minute, then meeting !”

But in the face of all of this progress, Beijingers still maintain ownership of their public spaces in a uniquely Chinese way. Regardless of how big the buildings are, or how sophisticated the new shops selling Prada and Louis Vuitton, the locals never seem deterred from populating the pavements with their furniture to sit out and chat, or draping their washing from the roadside trees. Office forecourts are taken over in the cooler early evening for group “tennis tai chi” classes and the parading of one of the newer status symbols – the pedigree dog. I’ve never seen a dog in Beijing not perfectly groomed.

Left to right - my zodiac sign - the Ox ; going by "tube" ; dancing in the park

Left to right - grapes on the go ; musicians in the park ; ready for take-off

And although more often found in the parks, one of my favourite experiences in walking the city is to come upon musical gatherings. These can be groups of musicians playing traditional instruments together or simply two or three older folk ballroom dancing to a scratchy portable CD player. Sociability on the streets for the Chinese is assumed of everyone, and there is something greatly cheering in seeing people so comfortable with and enjoying this communal outdoor life.

No note on Beijing would be complete without a mention of food and as always the new dishes tried greatly outnumbered the old favourites. I asked my son, who lives in Beijing, to take me for crayfish (known as mala xiaolongxia amongst other names), so the following night off we went to Ghost Street to tackle an enormous tray piled with these critters. Cooked whole and a deep red in colour, they were generously steeped in chillies and Sichuan pepper, and (tragically !!) required much iced Beijing pijiu as an accompaniment. No bib, as with lobster, but plastic gloves were provided and we set about working for our supper, by the time we’d finished I was dismembering them with the expertise of a Newhaven – or perhaps Qingdao - fishwife. Absolutely delicious, put them on your list to try if you haven’t already.

The central purpose of this trip was to practice my language skills, to support the Chinese degree I’m taking at Edinburgh University, an objective that only ever meets with partial success. Learning Chinese is a little like playing golf, where the one good hole you play in the eighteen provides all of the motivation you need to get you back on the course the next time. The rare occasion when someone fully understands your textbook Mandarin, and a conversation blossoms, makes up for all the puzzled faces and frustrated taxi-drivers and dark winter days staring at lists of characters. Now I have to pack and I’m sorry to go, but I’m already looking forward to the next time.

Zai jian Beijing !