Some disruptions to routine life in Hechuan.

I made my way back to Hechuan on Friday, after a mad stampede at the bus station where I found myself packed like cattle and elbow-to-elbow with the last several hundred Chinese people finally going back home after Spring Festival. Also, some security lady tried to confiscate my oxygen tank, but I got really indignant and claimed I had health problems and needed it to breathe; just as I was about to start waxing on about the utter harm Chinese pollution is doing to my health, she simply laughed at me and told me to keep it.

Anyway, I made it back to Hechuan and was quite perturbed to find a number of changes in my absence --

1. The bus from Chongqing did not take me to Ta'ermen, as per usual, but instead to a shiny, brand new central bus station. And, near which a park is being built. A park! In Hechuan! (Part of the "Beautiful New Hechuan" campaign, according to signs). I only hope that it will be finished relatively soon, and won't charge admission like 99% of Chinese parks.

2. Carolina and I went to the gym on Saturday to renew our membership -- for those who do not know of my gym, Acceleration Fitness (加速度健身俱乐部), I had a certain affection for it, but it really was the crappiest gym to ever charge membership fees. For one, it was about the size of most grocery store's produce sections. Second, it only had a few treadmills, each of which was out of order on any given day, as well as one stationary bike, which was never working. Next, the windows were stuck open and unable to close, which meant that all winter the gym was freezing. Fourth, the dance classes were right next to all of the equipment, so obnoxious music would play very loudly at times, and for children's classes, children would be running around and hanging from bench presses and climbing over piles of weights.

Our surprise came when we walked up the three flights of stairs to find the gym completely demolished, and a sign indicating a brand new location and name -- Decom Fitness Club (德康健身俱乐部). This new gym is spectacular in comparison, though still rather small. There are now ellipticals, several bikes, more treadmills, newer weight machines that most likely will not give me tetanus, windows that open and shut, separate rooms for aerobics and yoga, a "relaxation" room with computers and internet, and a massage room. This may seem like the norm for most small, basic gyms, but for Hechuan it's truly spectacular. I am also now friends with the manager on QQ.

3. I hailed a taxi from the bus station, and a shiny new car stopped for me. These new taxis are slowly popping up, and don't rattle when the driver shifts gears. Classy.

4. In the center of Hechuan, there is a new pedestrian traffic light, and even though no one really obeys it, it's fun to pretend. There are also traffic cones separating the lanes in this area to try and keep cars on their respective sides of the road (doesn't really work for motorcycles, though).

And now I'm back to teaching; today is the first day of the new semester after the Lantern Festival yesterday officially ended Spring Festival. I'm trying to win the affection of my students by showing them a Jackie Chan movie instead of making them do listening exercises for the first class back. And I think of Yunnan's blue skies and fresh air as the summer heat and swarms of mosquitoes have already begun to roll inexorably back into Chongqing --