Training in the Park

Training in the Park
21-05-2008
Location: Beijing
Written by Koen van Westbroek, translated by Ester van Dam
All pictures except last 2 by koen van Westbroek

ofcourse we do a lot more the shopping and sightseeing. We came to China to train with Xu Laoshi in TianTan park.
The day usually starts with greeting our teacher and the other students, then it is time for stretching, usually followed by Qi Gong. Xu Laoshi often checks our hands and/or legs after Qi Gong to see if they are nicely red and warm. Then he will decide what we are going to do that day.

The things we train are:


• The eight postures


This excist of walking in circles around a tree holding our hands in different postures. There are 8 postures and per posture you have to walk both left and right way around the tree. This is mostly to build up strength, relaxation and body structure.

• The eight palms
With this execise we walk again around a tree, only less circles in only one posture. The focus is on changing directions, the changes exist out of several technique that exist of punches, kicks,pushes etc.followed in a sequence

• Chen Style TaiChi 24 Form
Unfortunately we do this not often enough. It is a shortened form from the Chen Style TaiChi system. This system characteristics are its fluent movements and the use of Fa li= explosive force in the forms.
• A Bagua Form (Sipingquan)
This is a straightlined Bagua form, without any of the characteristic circle walking. We did not have enough time to learn the whole form so I (Koen) have only been able to learn a small part. Hopefully Ester will learn more, so when she returns can show me the rest. I definitely want to keep practicing this for the next time.

• Push hands (Tui Shou)

We practice a lot of push hands. We have been shown many techniques but also engage in free push hands with the students of Xu Laoshi. The students I had to push against are becoming bigger and better all the time. Xu Laoshi wants us to push according to the Dutch competition rules. Chinese style push hands allows almost anything you can throw, move, grab and apply qinna (joint locks).


We can see that the Chinese students find all these rules pretty strange and now and then couldn’t help it to use a small joint lock. I find Chinese style push hands much more interesting so on Sunday I started pushing back according to the Chinese rules. My opponents were very enthusiastic and it became a totally different game. I flew through the air several times and landed on the floor.



That it can be a bit rough was shown by my arm that evening. It was portraying all possible shades of blue.
On the photo you can see what can happen when you do an afternoon of Chinese style push hands..

Too bad it was the last training day for Natasja, Maarten and me. There is a saying goodbye dinner planned at Xu Laoshi’s house on the last evening. Ester has the luck that she stays two more weeks

Hohei Lake and Badaling

Badaling
date: 19-05-2008
Beijing


















Yesterday we had another “restday” so a good opportunity to go for a visit to the Great Wall of China! It was only an hour when choosing the luxurious option of a non-stop airco bus. This would cost us only 12 yuan according to our Lonely Planet. We got up early and happily went on our way, after taking the underground to the stop Jishuitan we searched for the bus station from where bus 919 should take us to Badaling. How easy is that? Not very as we found out after searching for what seemed forever. It turned out that there were many buses with the number 919 but that were all the wrong 919’s. Tja not all is what it appears to be. There was one girl who spoke good English and she assured us that we just had to come on her tour. The bus to Badaling wasn’t going according to her… Right where have we heard that before, I remember an incident in India where the taxi driver assured me that the hotel I wanted to go to had burned down and no other hotels were available except of course an hotel of friends..I told the girl that I was sure that the bus was going and that she was lying. After a bit more of patiently looking around we found the right bus just around the corner. We were the only non-Chinese on the bus and were most happy that our perseverance paid off. We had to run for a seat but we succeeded.
The bus drove out of town quite fast and it was surprisingly quiet on the road. After exactly one hour we had reached our destination well so we thought. It was the end stop of the bus but it looked totally different from what I remembered. We had some lunch and then set of to find the wall. It turned out that we were at the Badaling bus stop from where it was a little further to the official entrance. There it did look familiar.
Last year I had been there for the first time but it still looked beautiful and like good fun. For Koen, Maarten and Natasja it was the first time. We walked for a few hours until we could go no further. That was a good place for a rest and of course for some action pictures! One of the sales people started to sing the well known Kung Fu tune.


They all were very interested. When Maarten spontaneously started to do some TaiChi, a man that was passing almost joined him. There was a very good atmosphere there. After a while it was time to go back, too bad it was fantastic on the wall, such an amazing view and fresh air at last!










Back in Beijing we discovered that the lakes that we had planned to visit that very evening where basically at our feet. An English lady who works as a doctor and lecturer in Beijing had advised us to go there the day before. We met her when we were looking at our map and she asked if we needed any help, before we knew it we were chatting away and she told us that it was very nice to go to the lakes in the evening and eat something or have a drink.



It was a beautiful evening and we were there already so we went for a nice walk. It was so quiet and chilled out for a place in the center of town. There were people chilling out everywhere.

Some were fishing with gigantic fishing rods others were sleeping or playing cards.
On our walk around the lakes we saw two Beo birds in separate cages. They could imitate just about anything in a perfect way. From a person clearing his/her throat to complete sentences in perfect Chinese. What really surprised us was the sound of a claxon of a car it was so realistic we were looking behind. They also started to laugh at each other as if they were two old friends giggling over something funny. It was unbelievable realistic.
There were many people swimming in the lake, there were big signs saying that this was absolutely not allowed but apparently it wasn’t enforced. That is kinda relaxed here, many things might not be allowed but are quietly “gedoogd” we would say which means ignored and in an not official way tolerated.






Eventually we sat down at a very characteristic and fancy looking hot pot restaurant to have dinner. It has to be said it was just fantastic from beginning to end. We sat at beautiful wooden tables in a traditional amazing looking courtyard it was just from out of the movies.
The beautiful copper traditional hot pot was heated up with small coals instead of those rather dangerous looking gas bottles under your table. The food was delicious and the ladies of the restaurant did their very best to show us the art of hot pot. It was by far one of the best and most magnificent places where we have eaten. I mean even the toilets were immaculately clean and with a wonderful fragrance of incense. That is quite remarkable here.
We were asked to fill in a questionnaire about our visit and they were very happy with all our
Enthusiastic comments but it had been super and we could not think of anything that needed improving. It was not too late when we got home but I think we might have all been a little bit tired after all that walking. It was another unforgettable day of which there are many here!

Xiang Shang

Fragrant Hills

Date:15-05-2008
Location:Beijing,China
Written by Ester van Dam
Yesterday Xu Laoshi and LiWen ( Xu Laoshi’s wife) took us for a visit to Fragrant Hills. After a long taxi trip we got off at Beijing Zoo from where we took the bus to Xiang Shan, the Fragrant Hills. After a bumpy ride of at least 45minuts, we were out of town and we saw the first magnificent mountains. At the foot of the hill/mountain there was a beautiful park with typical Chinese pavilions and gardens filled with flowers.

We had a picnic by the lakeside that was just straight out of painting. Xu Laoshi gave us a demonstration of Fa Li before we went on.




A winding path took us higher and higher up the mountain (oke for Chinese it might be a hill but for Dutch people this was a small mountain), it was so beautiful, a lot of big pine trees with white bark and fragrant blossoming trees who wouldn’t be enchanted! Then there was the breathtaking view! Eventually we stopped to have another bite to eat after which we would go to the top of the mountain. We didn’t have to climb at all because there were steps hacked into the rock, only 650 steps or so…
Xu Laoshi stayed with the bags while Mrs. Xu took us to the top. She basically ran up, her physical condition is very impressive! Halfway Maarten and Natasja decided that they would go down again because they had aching knees, it were a lot of steps I have to admit that. After that Mrs. Xu decided that we could speed up and she went even faster. We reached the top in no top which turned out to be a very good thing as not much later a thunder storm started.

The view was not as clear as it normally is but it was still hauntingly beautiful. The mist made it maybe even more atmospheric. We could have guessed it, even here there was a little souvenir shop, imagine having to climb up all those steps for work every day! You do get very fresh air and that is a luxury here. Of course we just had to make some pictures that will be posted soon, action pictures too! After staying on the top for a little while we ran off the mountain again to join the others. They had had an amazing TaiChi demonstration of Xu Laoshi that they could not stop talking about. Luckily Maarten filmed it all so we also get to see it later on. Soon after it started to rain, as fast as we could we walked down the mountain and just when we stopped at a toilet it started to rain like crazy. As if someone up there had left the shower on.

With quite a significant group of Chinese we waited in the toilet building. Ofcourse they liked to know here we came from and everybody was most interested and friendly. It was kind of fun and cozy apart from the rather strong smell of urine that was not to be ignore.

Finally the weather cleared up a bit and while it was still raining softly we walked to the bus that was already waiting as quickly as we could. I don’t want to be a wimp but I must admit that it was kinda nice to sit down ,really we weren’t tired at all it was that jujube juice that I (Ester) drunk that made me yawn endlessly. Jujube juice is a perfect drink before you go to bed Xu Laoshi told us and he was right. That night we slept like babies and believe me the mountains of China are just magical and not to be missed!!!!

Wild Animals in the streets of Beijing!

Datum: 11-05-2008
Locatie: Beijing, Qianmen
Written by Ester van Dam, poodle picture by Koen van Westbroek

Because of the relentless rain and cold weather it was not possible to train today. I set out to finally buy a warm coat, a beautiful fake 100% plastic jacket. Luckily it was cheap and will remain a- probably- will- be -left –behind- emergency- only- jacket.
The most exciting event was to happen after the shopping, when we stood eye to eye with a rare, free running Beijing poodle. The creature was trimmed, blow dried and curled perfectly , had orange ears and a blue tail, the rest of it being immaculately white. The owner beaming with pride walking beside it. This was absolutely a picture moment! Koen set of to capture the beast on film…just when he caught up with it and kneeled down to save this apparition for future generations, the poodle turned out to be a lot less Barbie then he /she looked. It nearly attacked Koen, barking loudly in a deeply annoyed tone and revealing its teeth. Imagine being hospitalized with rabies in a Chinese hospital because you have been bitten by an orange eared, blue tailed poodle…. Luckily barking was all it did and after showing its grief the deeply insulted poodle ran off. All ended well and we had to laugh even more. We have a picture to show for it, on which we also discovered its nail where painted in red-white and blue….
Even when it rains, Beijing is definitely not boring!
We had a bite to eat and are now hoping for sunshine in the morning. That it would be colder in Beijing than in the Netherlands surely must be a mistake

The Summerpalace

The Summerpalace
written by Koen van Westbroek
translated by Ester van Dam
All pictures taken by Koen van Westbroek except for the cat picture
date: 08-05-2008
location:Beijing



on the 5th of may Xu laoshi and Victoria (one of his Chinese students) took us to the Summerpalace. Xu Laoshi came to pick us up in the morning and then we walked to a parking place where Victoria was already waiting for us with a very luxurious car. We squeezed ourselves in the back and managed to get the door closed with all 4 of us in the back seat, it was cozy to say the least.
The Summerpalace is a beautiful place and there is so much to see that you can go there many times.





I think Xu Laoshi wanted to show us as much as possible because we went through the palace very fast. Maarten and Natasja had to catch up now and then as they kept finding new things to photograph or film.




Victoria had a very large backpack and some sort of portable cool box with a battery containing a very large elaborate but above all delicious lunch. In the afternoon we sat down for a great picknick. We are not sure if it was because of the lunch or dinner of the night before but that afternoon Koen, Natasja and Xu Laoshi had an upset stomach.
We stayed at the Summerpalace until quite late. It was even more beautiful when it was so quiet and empty.




The next day Koen and Ester went to the park alone as Maarten and Natasja weren’t feeling too well. That day it was very quiet anyway. We did a lot of Fa Li exercises and (pushhands) Tui Shou applications. Time just fly that day.
The next day we were all there again and in the evening Xu Laoshi’s wife also came to dinner. We had the most wonderful Peking duck and some other dishes in a fancy looking restaurant. The bits and pieces of the eaten duck that weren’t served at with the pancakes was fried (very yummie) and served with a spicy herb and salt dip. Half way the dinner Xu Laoshi’s daughter joined us. It was clear that she wasn’t quite sure what to do with all these strange foreign people. After being a bit shy to start with (who wouldn’t be) she started to talk more later that evening
After the delicious dinner Xu Laoshi showed us around in the local supermarket, and told us which things were good to buy. Ester and Koen bought some sort of powder that only needed added water to transform into so very nice small evening snack. That is what we could make of the explanation of Xu Laoshi but there is only one way to be sure and that is to try! We bought some bags and thought it would be a good pre-breakfast snack.. It turned out to be some sort of sweet sesame paste with raisons and other dried fruit, we loved it and it certainly gave you extra energy!


Today we stopped early with the training and were taken to some shops were they sold wapons and Kung Fu and TaiChi clothing. Maarten bought a beautiful broadsword in a holder of very light nice wood, some fans and a TaiChi suit. Ester bought 3 fans, 2 bamboo ones and one made of metal. Ester and Koen also bought a Qi Gong belt, next time we hope to get some instruction on how to wear it.
This evening we went for a quick look in the hutong shopping street next to our hostel, when we suddenly saw lot’s of police motorbikes arriving with screaming sirens. At once all shopkeepers started moving all their things that were stalled on the street indoors. A lot of local people gathered to see what all the fuss was about. Because we weren’t quite sure what was going on we decided that it was probably better to leave. On the way back we saw many police officers handing out fines to the shopkeepers who hadn’t managed to get their things inside. So it turned out oke, nothing drastic happened.
Tomorrow Xu Laoshi will take us to Beihai park were we will go and do some eh.. water cycling. But more about that the next time.

Heavy rain and an unexpected day off

Heavy Rain and an unexpected day off
Date: 05-05-2008
Location: Beijing


Today we had a lay in and were expected at TianTan at 11:00am. Not soon after waking up there was some serious thunder and lightning followed by a heavy shower. It was light but now it was getting dark as if it was late at night. Soon water started to leak into the room, coming from a tube that disappeared into the air-conditioning. We solved the problem by placing the garbage bin underneath it. This would be some real mud walking! We asked the reception to phone Xu Laoshi to find out what the plan was. He had no intentions to train in the rain and said we had a rest day. We had a Swiss style breakfast that even contained yogurt and some oatmeal and sat down to make an action plan.
The Pearlmarket is just perfect for a rainy day! First we thought to get there by foot but we ended up taking a taxi for the last km. Everybody was freezing and it honestly was stormy weather. We spent hours haggling and negotiating but with great success. With some beautiful silk ( we hope) TaiChi suits and other silk items we left. Except for one thing I (Ester) forgot to buy a coat and I was still cold. I ended up wearing my just bought TaiChi jacket and felt very Chinese. We drunk some excellent coffee in the I think Tao coffee shop next to the Pearlmarket and then walked home

Shopping is much more tiresome then training, that evening we all slept wonderfully in our new silk pyamas.

Healthmassage or something else?

02-05-2008, Beijing China

Written and translated from Dutch to English by Ester van Dam

After another day of training actively, we were told that we could arrive a bit later the next morning at 11am instead of 10am. Natasja and Maarten decided to go and sleep early but, Koen and I had plenty of energy left so we decided to go out for a walk and to buy a water cooker somewhere so we would be able to make some tea in the room. And maybe more important some coffee now and then, well I mean Nescafe that is almost like
After a search and some haggling we found a fine looking white with yellow plastic 100% made in China water cooker. The shop owner told us it was a very good brand and pointed enthusiastically at the logo and name in Chinese characters. We got it for 5euro’s, probably way to expensive but for us still quite cheap. The shop owner left us alone in his shop to get a big plastic bag to wrap up our newly acquired treasure, apparently the crime rate is low here as there was a very large knife just on the counter. A little later we found some tranquil mind tea and thought it would come in handy.
Then we walked passed a place that looked like a civilized massage salon. From the outside it looked kind of tidy and normal. Also the sign outside carrying pictures of the massage rooms didn’t raise any red flags. A healthmassage for only 38yuan! What do we have to lose we thought? So we went inside and asked if it was possible to get a healthmassage…We were assured that that would be no problem at all and we were told to take our shoes off. They found some Barbie pink slippers for me and some normal blue ones for Koen. We went of the stairs through a hallway, there we were told to hand in the bracelet with the number of our shoes attached to it. Then Koen was led to one door and I had to go to another, it made little sense as it both led to the same space. Hm interesting it seemed to be some relax space, because there were some sort of stretchers’ everywhere with men laying on them just dressed in a towel. .Then we noticed a rather large stage with an enormously heart shaped mirror and some decorative pictures of half naked (western) women were hanging on the wall. Hmmm it was getting more interesting by the minute.
We were led to a room containing two beds and atmospheric pink light. Mind you it was one of those energy saving lights that last forever, I didn’t even knew they came in pink! Slightly anxious we were waiting would was going to happen next. It is a small world. Koen was totally stunned to see that one of the masseuses was the same lady as who had been working at the Dragon Spring Hotel. Being a sturdy, slightly plump Chinese lady with a somehow low voice was something he had not forgotten yet. Thank God I could keep all my cloths on but Koen was stripped until he was in his underwear. I did look the other way and couldn’t help to giggle a bit. We had made absolutely sure that our bag and money was placed in such a way that we would notice immediately if someone would try to take it. I must say it was not as bad as we thought it would be. I am sure it wasn’t the promised 45 minutes and never ever have I been spanked on the butt by another woman (or man for that matter) or pulled by my hair but really we were much more relaxed when we left the massage but I am not sure if that was because of the laughing afterwards or because of the technical skills of the massage ladies..
Never mind there is a first time for (almost) everything. We paid the promised 38yuan and set of to buy some more nice tea and a teapot with some cups. In a all for 10 yuan (but all should not be taken literally as it merely was the start off price) shop we found the really good tasting tea we also have in the school in the Netherlands. Then it was time to go home again. It was for sure an unforgettable evening and without doubt will not be the last. However I do think that this will remain our first and only visit to a well how to say it politely place of many other things beside's massage. We ended the evening with some good tea and had to giggle for a very very long time.

The past few days China blog 2

The past few days
Date: 01-05-2008
Location: Beijing,China
Written and translated from Dutch by Ester van Dam

The past few days were unforgettable like everyday seems to be here. Every day In TianTan park it is busy with people doing all kind of activities. Today we saw a lady with a fine pink feather on top of her head she was juggling with a small ball, trying to keep it up with her feet. Yesterday there was an old man in a wheelchair who was accompanying himself with some Chinese castanets like instrument while he was singing loudly.
Later when we were walking our Bagua circles, I saw somebody from the corner of my eye, hanging upside down in a tree. In certain things Chinese people are definetly more free then we are in the Netherlands. The Dutch like to pat themselves on the chest and say they are so liberal and free, but to be honest many things are frowned upon. There is a saying in Dutch that roughly translated goes as followed: “Act normal that is already crazy enough”.
The past few days we have trained a lot. We walked Bagua circles, did Qinna, TaiChi and Pushhands (Tui Shou). Today we got the change to practice with some of the Chinese students of Xu Laoshi. That was quite a challenge. When we explained that in the Netherlands hardly anything is allowed in Tui Shou they were stunned. In China almost anything is allowed, the idea is to mimic a real fight as realistically as possible. So anything from sweeps, qinna, throwing, grabbing, or pushing with plenty of force, using the whole body and ofcourse moving around is allowed, even encouraged. Xu laoshi showed us plenty of ways to make things pretty difficult for a Dutch style opponent and still (almost) stick to the rules.
Yesterday it was sweet to see how Maarten got tightly taken by the hand by Xu Laoshi while we were crossing the street. Not only is he an incredible good teacher he is very protective and concerned about our well being. He showed us what the normal prices are, were we can safely eat, he is very worried about us being taken for a ride (paying too much because we are non Chinese). Sometimes we feel like little toddlers safely following mother geese into the big wide world. And then again during a lesson you are suddenly tightly put into a qinna lock and he will smilingly explain to you that this is most effective! And I can assure you it is!
See you tomorrow!