It appears that the couches (1st stop) are very comfortable. Several must come with very high recommendations. How do I know this? At least 20 models had people, no, grown men, sleeping on them. Maybe they were just resting their eyes the way my dad sometimes watches t.v., but it appears they were sleeping, sitting straight up, head tilted back, eyes closed, mouth slightly ajar. I believe they rated the couches 3-4 snores.
IKEA is also apparently the perfect place to go on a date. I know, not your first thought for (an American)date night. But, in Beijing, it seems to be the place to be. Of course, your date needs to be during business hours. We saw several couples in separate family room settings cozied on the couches, having a personal, friendly chat. You can visualize it, can't you? Girl has a leg tucked under her, turned toward the boy who has a pillow on his lap, elbow resting on the back on couch, staring deeply into the girls eyes. Both have nervous smiles. They are oblivious to the rest of the world, or in this case, the throng of the IKEA shoppers.
The IKEA kitchens are the place to be for neighborhood coffee. Or maybe it was a book club? Maybe it was a Tupperware party. OK, I'm stretching what I saw a bit to embellish the story. I did see 4 or 5 women standing around the kitchen counter like they were filming a coffee commercial. Maybe they were just waiting for fresh coffee? I know! They were waiting for the husbands to choose a couch!
All of this IKEA stuff is new to me, and I was fascinated. I never thought about IKEA as anything more than a place to spend money! After my trip, I know there is so much more to do there!
I think IKEA'S main purpose, at least in Beijing, is to provide a nap area for small children. I wish I had photos of this. It was my first day and I had not yet mastered the "photo on the sly". I also was nervous about the guards and cameras everywhere. I also hadn't realized yet how blatant I could get with my photography. I'd go back to Beijing just to take pictures of this wonder of the world..."Naptime at IKEA". Unless...hmm...maybe this is how they display the children up for adoption. That thought hadn't crossed my mind until now... Yeah, I'll probably want to avoid lightening for a few days after that remark.
Anyway, I am not kidding, little children nap at IKEA. Not like American children nap at stores, in carts, or strollers, or in their parents arms. No, in Beijing's IKEA, little children nap IN THE BEDS. In nearly every bed, a small child was sleeping. Their shoes were placed neatly on the floor near the foot of the bed. They were carefully tucked in and a parent was sitting a short distance away engrossed in a book, magazine or perhaps the IKEA catalog. Maybe they were playing Angry Birds. The few empty beds we saw were unmade, sometimes still warm. A couple looked dirty, as if the sheets hadn't been changed for a few weeks.
The Chinese people at IKEA brought to mind The Three Little Bears and Goldilocks. At the end of the store, you would know which bed was just right and assume the empty beds were either too hard or too soft. The same for the couches. And kitchen cabinets. (Only they would be too small, too big, too tall...)
Other Beijing sights that probably need to be seen to believed are the family of three, or four on a single seat moped. It could really be a viral ad "I just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance." I saw nine people in a regular sedan size car, you know, the kind with like 5 seat belts? The windows of this car were all steamy. None of them had a clown nose on.
I asked my brother about car seats for children, as I saw nobody using them. Granted, on the moped it would be tricky. He laughed. It seems there is no Chinese word for car seat. Most car seats are probably manufactured in China, but there is no word for car seat. My brother has found this to be true of several common American products that are manufactured in China. Items are made there, but not used there, so have no word for them. Imagine the dinner conversation "What did you do at work today Dad?" "Well son, I spent the day putting dohickeys on thingamajigs for the white people to strap little children in so they can do something." Here's a concern...if they don't know what the item is, or what it's for, how do they know if they are building it correctly, or safely?
As we were riding to The Great Wall, I was writing notes for my blog. J (my brother's friend, goes by "Slappy") says "Looks like a fire drill." I expect to look up and see people filing out of a building. Instead, I looked up to see two men, on the highway, running around a parked car...on the highway. I saw an honest to goodness Chinese Fire Drill! How exciting! That wasn't even on our itinerary!
There are cameras everywhere in China. Not ones used for personal use, cameras hung in town, on light posts, monitored by security personnel. I think the government keeps very close tabs on it's people. Some folks believe my brother is also closely watched, that perhaps his driver and housekeeper go through random briefing sessions to make sure my brother is in China for the reasons he has said. Work. (In fact, since I've mentioned it...I'll interrupt this blog for a word from our sponsor. The next time you are in the market for a push mower, a tractor or perhaps a combine, consider John Deere. Nothing runs like a Deere. Now back to the regularly scheduled blog...)My brother provided a good laugh when after switching the subway line several times he said he imagined the guy trailing him on the phone saying "Boss, I need more nickles, he's on the subway again."
For the record, Howie Mandel would not like China. There is way too much touching.
We passed one area, by Worker's Stadium (which was used during Beijing's turn to host the Olympics) where all these men were standing looking at what appeared to be 10 or so large bulletin boards.The newspaper was posted on the boards and the men stood and read, moved down to the next board for the next section. I wonder if in the morning they wear their robes and drink coffee while doing this? A few feet from the public newspaper display were more men in groups. Most were hollering loudly. They were playing a game that looked like checkers, but they were slamming the tokens down and shouting. They also played cards in the same fashion, yelling and slamming the cards on the table. I have no idea what they were playing, or what the rules were, but it was fun to watch.
Many women in China wear lightweight fabric sleeves on their arms if they are wearing short sleeved shirts.Some have gloves built into the sleeves. I saw a few that looked like a bib with arms. Many other women carry parasols (not umbrellas, parasols are for sun, umbrellas for rain). Women I suspect wish their skin to stay pale, so they protect themselves from the sun. Men on the other hand must value a tanned belly (read a few blogs back about telling the temperature). An important message! Sunglasses are crucial when touring China! They protect your eye from coming into contact with parasols.
I found China and it's people fascinating. The people watching was the best I've ever witnessed! I saw things I've never seen before and learned so much. I can't wait to move to Denver and check out the new IKEA. I could use a nap.
Love IKEA, will have to try the beds next time I'm there :) Julie
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