Wednesday, March
13, 2013
Changsha Chicken
This blog entry is not about the food here in Changsha… but that
is a blog-worthy topic. (For example, we have learned first-hand
that the Chinese have a much more liberal definition of the word
“chicken.” Where Americans tend to limit their poultry
categories to “dark” and “light”, this would eliminate an entire
class of popular chicken variants in China that includes heads,
feet, ears, and beaks.)
This blog entry is not about the food; it is about the adventure
of walking the sidewalks of downtown Changsha.
First, I need to clarify some terminology. For most of you
reading this blog, the term “sidewalk” will have certain
connotations that may not be relevant here in Changsha. One of
those connotations is that sidewalks are for “walking.”
In Changsha, they have strips of pavement that are clearly
distinguished and separated from what would traditionally be
called a “road” or a “street.” But to the drivers (and
especially the motorcycle and scooter pilots) of Changsha, there
does not appear to be a difference between the two. If anything,
the sidewalk might be more accurately translated as the “express
lane”… because they seem to drive faster on the sidewalk than in
the street.
This behavior becomes quite problematic for the few pedestrians
foolish enough to consider “walking” on the sidewalks.
In choosing to walk, you are in almost constant danger of being
struck by a scooter or a car. The drivers of said vehicles seem
to have no regard for the human beings that serve as potential
speed bumps ahead of them. The only reason I am confident that
they notice the walking humans at all is the omnipresent honking
which seems to imply, “Get out of the way. The sidewalk is no
place for walking.”
I am not kidding when I say that we have almost been hit on
several occasions. Admittedly, this is not an entirely new
experience. I recall asking a guide during one of our previous
adoption trips whether people are frequently struck by vehicles.
She seemed offended by the question and responded, “No. That is
against the law.”
Unfortunately, we know from previous adoption trips that the
inside of a hotel can only provide approximately 17 minutes of
fun per day… and that includes multiple trips both up and down
the escalator. (If any King’s Island officials are reading this,
I think a new ride titled “Excited 3 year old twins on an
escalator” could be your replacement for the Beast. It certainly
is one of the scariest rides of my life.)
So our dilemma is to choose imminent danger on the streets or
mind-numbing boredom in the hotel. In the end, we choose to take
our chances and venture out.
After our “Sidewalk Frogger” session on Monday, we knew we
needed a different approach… so we borrowed two strollers from
the hotel and joined the ranks of the wheeled vehicles.
And do you know what happened? Everything changed. Emboldened by
our own “vehicles”, we quickly observed that this was
essentially an urban game of chicken. You need to keep moving
forward with reckless abandon… even in the face of a seemingly
inevitable collision. Once the scooter driver realizes that you
are crazier than him, he will stop or swerve out of the way.
Since this observation, we have developed a certain cockiness.
We have done the stare down with multiple scooters, and we have
won in almost all cases. (One noted exception was a Toyota sedan
being driven in reverse down the sidewalk. It quickly became
clear that we would not win the craziness contest with this
driver, so we got out of the way.)
And we think our confidence is spilling over into Sam and Ellie.
After one particularly noteworthy time when a scooter intended
to pull in front of us but was turned away by our stroller
juggernaut, I saw Sam and Ellie give each other a celebratory
fist bump… and then explode it in unison.
That’s right, Changsha. The Jutts are in the house and on the
streets!
Who wants some?
Disclaimer: While we have learned to SEEM like lunatics
with no regard for human safety in order to navigate the
sidewalks of Changsha, we do recognize that we are the
caretakers of two children here in China and four more at home.
As such, our actual behavior (if not our façade of confidence)
continue to be consistent with the ultra-conservative, somewhat
skiddish people we are at heart. Remember, I am a mild-mannered
shampoo maker… not some kind of risk-taking daredevil who makes
styling products… |
Wonder
twin powers activate!
The boom!
One of our kids is having a great time.
The other one, not so much...
Who wants some of this?
He's my brother.
Is it Friday yet? 'Cause I am ready to dance.
Actual food label from the "Western" restaurant |
