Teenagers in Love

This is not the same city i visited in 1995. 85% of the world's largest cranes reside in Beijing right now--situated around the 2000+ buildings that are coming up as i type this. i'm in Haidian, the 4th outer ring of the city--close to Beijing zoo and the University of Beijing. All around there's a sense of purpose, a giddiness, a warmth, resolve, and wistfulness. i walk around, blending in with the masses.

Things:

-The perpetual grey skies prevent sunsets from blanketing the city. It's like living under a perpetual gigantic exhalation of cigarette smoke. Cloudy, not transparent, thick and heavy.

-I jumped out of my seat tonight at dinner. The culprit: a strange sea mollusk hidden in noodles--mistaken for a frog carcass. i worried it might have been leftover bits from the frog congee at this morning's breakfast buffet.

-Handsome men with stylish haircuts a la Shinjuku 3-chome, Tokyo.

-"Boiled Dork and Beans" a hot entree at the breakfast buffet at my hotel.

-Black sedans galore. Audi, BMW, Buick, Lexus, Acura, Volkswagon, Mercedes...

-Smiles and laughter all around. This energy in this city is like a teenager in love. Giddy, wide-eyed, hopeful. Also, this city feels wistful. A feeling of intensely missing someone you never liked all that much.

-Restaurants that descend into futuristic subterranean caverns. Icy blue transparent glass floors, concrete beams, black marble, plasma TVs on the walls of private dining rooms.

-Chubby pre-teen boys chugging coke, wearing Simpson's t-shirts and baggy skater jeans.

-An indifferent young woman standing outside a cracked sidewalk restaurant. She wears a long red dress, greeting people on the sidewalk, pointing to the menu board. Her hand lightly grips a fly swatter, waving it around like it was a long stemmed rose, pointing occasionally at the menu...Phad Thai, pineapple fried rice, fried bananas.

Beijing is vibrant and alive today. i am completely exhausted. i hope i'll get more than last night's four hours of sleep...