ERLIAN, China - I've re-entered China face first.
The slow Mongolian train made it through the border at around 9:30 a.m. Chinese immigration, customs and health officers came through the train, distributing forms and then slowly coming back around to pick them up again. Three hours later, I staggered off the train, weary from lack of sleep and desperately needing a toilet.
I grabbed a Y5 ($0.65) taxi to the bus station with Jess and Chris, an Aussie and a Brit who met working at the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar. They made good cabinmates, even if Chris didn't participate in our card games. We grabbed three sleeper bus tickets to Beijing with the unnecessary help of Kim, who is increasingly acting like a chaperone on a high school trip to the Mongolian hinterlands.
"Be careful!" he said. "Around there are many thieves!"
Graham, chafing at all the warnings, decided to join us in search of a hot meal.
Erlian is a surprisely developed bordertown. The area around the train station is a criss-cross of wide boulevards and sparkling new buildings. The buildings are painted in bright pastels, and the town avoids the bland white-tile school of architecture found in many Chinese settlements. Buildings had huge Chinese New Year character posters displayed, showing "fu" for good luck and "Happy New Year" written in stylized calligraphy.
We walked on the bus station street for two blocks, passing several pharmacies, guesthouses and convenience stores. I asked someone at the second corner where we could find a restaurant, and she pointed to the left. We turned to the left, and down another equally attractive street. I gazed at the colorful advertisements, streakless glass windows and the bright displays behind them. It was really quite nice. Then suddenly, I felt my left foot sliding downward. I swung my right foot to the side to compensate, and then I stopped.
I looked down to see my leg all the way down a manhole cover. When I stepped on it, the cover had rotated 90 degrees, exposing a hole of several meters. If I hadn't swung my leg out, I'd be a couple stories underground.
That's China for you. Shiny new exteriors masking a more uncertain foundation. I must remember to use caution when traversing the fast-changing landscape.
