Ankur and Genny’s Meandering Tour

Tiananmen square is probably well known for things that the Chinese government denies.  So when you go to a place that has made so much history, and you can't find a trace of it, it makes for a rather unusual and boring experience. 

Instead, there are monuments to Chairman Mao, a few museums, and lots of open space.  We went to one museum - the Museum of China's History.  Boring.  It really wasn't about Chinese History - more like old chinese stuff on display. 

But then we walked north into the Forbidden City.  This place is enormous and pretty amazing.  It just seems to go on forever (and at times it does get a little repetitive).  Each section seems to have a place where there was a prayer (for rain, harvests, etc.) and a fancy temple where the emperor would meet guests.  At the end was a spectacular garden with ancient trees and stones arranged in stellar fashion. 

It's here we started to notice the "buttless" pants on the infants.  The babies wouldn't have diapers, but their pants would have a nice big cut.  Apparently, they train the babies to use the bathroom at an early age by making a pssss noise and holding the baby over a toilet, sewer, etc. (they just hold the baby out).  Eventually you have potty trained babies. 

Squatting.  It's a Chinese concept (or at least it should be).  Lots of Asian countries have toilets with "the hole in the ground".  But I feel like the Chinese take this to a new level.

No chair?  No problem.  We'll squat.

Need a smoke break?  No problem.  Squat and smoke.

Need to cut down a tree blindfolded while eating dinner?  No problem.  Squat. *

When Americans squat we usually end up placing our toes on the ground and our heels in the air.  The Chinese put their entire foot on the ground.  It requires a little more flexibility, but is surprisingly comfortable.  It's their equivalent to a park bench. 

Genny could squat without any effort.  I am not a squatter, however.  My maximum squatting capacity couldn't have been more than a minute.  Fil and Demitri were in between.

Anyways, we had dinner with Demitri and Fil and relaxed outside in the Hutongs and practiced squattting.  Good times.

* = I might be exaggerating.