The Party "Rains" in Beijing

Just as we thought it would rain no longer, down came the whips of rain, with thunder in their wake. I know Lisa has described the sewage, garbage, and general flotsam and jetsam that wind their way through the Beijing streets when it storms here, but I thought I'd add my own perspective. As I wrote in my private journal the other day, the rains here are like something out of the Book of Revelation - lightning rends the heavens in two, a terrible fury rockets downward, and chaos ensues upon the earth.

The rain poured so heavily last night that the floodwaters threatened to burst through the door to our apartment (which is several inches off the ground). Lisa took pictures, which we'll post shortly. Derek, our kind host, was trapped in the subway station and didn't return from his Beijing workaday odyssey until sometime around 11 pm. While the waters raged, he bared his feet and walked, naked from the shins down, through the brown rapids to return home - an act of daring, in my mind, equivalent to walking on coals.

This night, however, we were prepared for the rain. Rather than being caught out at a restaurant without umbrella or flotation device, we ate instant noodles (which, by the way are far far better in China than anything you'll find in the States - Chinese paomian [lit. "brew noodles"] compared to ramen is like my current HP Pavilion Notebook compared to that old 486 upon which you played "Oregon Trail"), made French-press coffee, read Derek's old issues of Harper's, and solved several crosswords.

In other news, my new cell phone actually works, and works quite well. It slides into place, has a camera, and makes all kinds of carnivalesque beeps with which Lisa and I annoy each other.

I have a follow-up interview with the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, this time with the dean of the school present, too. Wish me luck, place it in a box, and mail it rush delivery to the Dongcheng District of Beijing.

Tonight, we dine like kings and pray for drought.