I just left Beijing, the first stop in an Asia Pacific tour of training I am delivering for my coworkers. This was my first time in the greater China region and my expectations were low. I had only 72 hours in the city and knew that work would dominate my time. Also, and I cannot explain why, but I was unenthusiastic about visiting any part of the Chinese mainland. But this trip was a professional joy and a personal delight. I am already counting the ways I can use my one year multi-entry visa for China.
Beijing was the first of three cities in which I am leading a “VMware 101” workshop with a colleague. We are also running the show in Tokyo and Singapore. The next installment of this quarterly event (November) will include a Sydney visit. The inclusion of both Sydney and Tokyo guarantees good weather at at least one location year round.
Team China (our audience in Beijing) showed us a handful of Chinese restaurants that completely changed my opinion of Chinese food. My American perspective of Chinese food is General Tso’s chicken, Sweet-and-sour pork, Broccoli Chicken, and Kung Pow chicken. In fact, even a few months ago I was professing my dislike for Chinese food. But our sample in Beijing–including Cantonese, Shanghai, and Sichuan cuisines as well as Beijing (Peking) Duck–was absolutely fantastic. It was not the MSG laden, sauce drenched noodle/vegetable mix that dominates US-Chinese food. The variety of flavors and textures amazed me and the taste was universally excellent.
Beijing’s worst quality is its smog. From my BlackBerry I snapped the following picture from the window of EMC’s offices in Beijing.
My local coworkers told me that this amount of pollution is abnormal. But I saw the same for three straight days. I am sure the humid, hot August month is Beijing’s worst.
With a three day visit, I cannot say that I have truly experienced China. But my colleagues have invited me to visit them in Shanghai and Hong Kong (the region’s other Singapore) and I hope to do so. I need another trip for a few more days in Beijing to see its great sights (Forbidden City, Great Wall, vigorous nightlife) and I hope to see base camp at Everest next summer. But I have 360 days left on this visa, so I am sure to put it to good use.