The Great Parks Checklist

Although a little cooler today (only 35!), we decided nevertheless to head out early and were on the subway soon after 6am. We headed north to Beihai Park, which boasts pools of coy carp, a beautiful lake and copious water lilies with enormous pink blooms.

The point of going to a park so early is to catch all the locals involved in their various activities.  Sure enough there was lots to see - and do.  Chinese parks are full of the over 60’s, all of them extremely sprightly. The whole atmosphere is very social.  

We know now to expect the following in any Chinese park:

• Groups of the elderly exercising together
• Badminton games 
• Groups of ladies performing dance routines to music
• People walking along slapping their bodies or pausing for hamstring stretches or mutual massage 
• Communal music and announcements from loudspeakers
• People hawking up phlegm and spitting
• Tai chi groups 
• Games of cards, backgammon or Go
• Lots of selfies (younger generation Chinese tourists)
• The elderly working hard on various fitness machines provided by the park
• Lots of umbrellas - as sunshades - plus special sun-protecting sleeves worn with short sleeved tops, or facial and neck masks also designed to protect from the sun

Given it is incredibly hot by 7.30am, our tourism has morphed into pointing at the various sights and reading about them on a park bench in the shade, whilst replying in Chinese “Good Morning!” to all the curious stares. 

We find that we too walk along slapping ourselves as part of “the art of blending in” and have not only participated in the group exercises (chanting things like “our community needs integrity” or similar) but also performed our own exercise/yoga routines, which was eagerly filmed by one man in particular, and won us much approval generally.