a little coffee

“Madison’s all right, I guess, but no one place is good enough…I want to get around.  I want to see things,” Emily Haan, world traveler and former New Yorker writer wrote in her collection of essays “No Hurry to Get Home.”

Right now, I so am sympathizing.  Minnesota is all right.  It’s a pretty state.  If you look, there are things to do, especially if you’re outdoorsy.  I shouldn’t complain too loudly about boredom and monotony since I’m freeloading from my parents- spending my days reading, writing and watching TV.  

Chris’s visit was a wonderful distraction from the waiting game to China  (September 17th and we’re on our way!) and we managed to find a few things to do: Spam Museum, gambling.   But half way through his week-long visit, I started to feel that tingle.  My mind wandered, I stared out the window at the soy bean fields, and fantastic images rose: pagodas and mountains and laughing, fat Buddhas and crazy, brightly colored bejeweled outfits.  All sorts of pictures of China that could have appeared in National Geographic.

The Olympics, with their incessant shots of Beijing: the Birds Nest, CCTV, Tienanmen Square and so on have only made me more anxious to go.  I’m especially excited to fly into the new terminal of Beijing’s airport which, if I’m to believe Vanity Fair, will make me want to hunker down, sip a cocktail, and admire its crisp, efficient beauty.

I even want to go to that market in Beijing that serves up insects.  Being a vegetarian, I have no idea what part of my brain thinks that would be a good idea.  Then again, Mary Carillo made Scorpion on a Stick look very enticing.   Will I muster up the courage to try it- or any Insect on a Stick?  Maybe if it’s covered in chocolate.  

In my continuing quest to read as much about China before we leave, to mentally prepare myself and add to my list of places to visit, I picked up J. Maarten Troost’s new book “Lost on Planet China.”  He wrote about his time living in China, his attempt to understand this formidable, mysterious country.  This morning, I read a heartwarming description of his hotel door man in Beijing expelling a wad of snot that made me completely loose interest in my cereal.  Then there’s the insane traffic, the disregard for personal space, the karaoke and I wonder what made me think China was a good idea?  

I suspect it was that part of my brain that thinks the Insect Market would be fun.  It’s twiddling my fingers thinking, “ooooh… I’ve never tried karaoke before!” Somehow, that’s a lot more enticing Over There than Over Here.  Anywhere you go has it’s problems and if you have to dodge a few puddles of mucus, then well.  I won’t wear sandals.