26 Feb 2011 Sat – Beijing Dentist – Daily Journal

It snowed last night; which was not expected. I started the day with layered clothing and a light weight nylon windbreaker on top and leather dress shoe loafer. But very soon after I left the hotel, I go back and change to heavy winter coat and chemically-treated water proof boots.

In the hotel lobby as I was looking out the glass front door I commented on the snow in Beijing this late in the year. I was surprised when the Chinese man standing beside me response to my comment in English. He and his family were on holiday for 2 weeks in Beijing. He was from Malaysia. He was going back today.

The Day Started At 5:30am And Did Not End Until 11PM

The Dentist was about 30 – 45 minutes away by Taxi but we decided not to spend the money on Taxi (about $35USD) and take the Subway instead. From the hotel, we walked to the Subway station, purchased Subway ticket, and boarded the first train. With the large number of people, you cannot be courteous and let someone ahead of you. If you do, a horde of people will step in front of you and you will miss your train. In order to get to the Dentist, we had to change trains four times. The cost was 2Y (~$0.33).

The subway schedule and all the announcements of the Subway are both Chinese and English. You just have to know the different names of your stops.

Belly Button to Belly Button

On the Subway, I experienced the high population density of Beijing. As I stepped into an already full and very crowded Subway train car, I was pushed further in. I was belly button to belly button with the man in front of me and butt checks to butt checks with the man behind me. The short girl of less than 5 feet, next to me was nearly squashed in the midst of the people. She had to yell out to protect her position.

Once the Subway ride was complete, I thought we must be at the Dentist by then. However, we had to walk outside and wait for a bus for the final leg of our trip. We boarded the bus and asked if the bus goes to our destination, in Chinese, of course. The answer was no, so we stepped off and took another bus. Interestingly, all bus schedules were only in Chinese language only but all the announcements on the bus were in Chinese and English.

The bus dropped us across the street from the Dentist. We ran for the Dentist office and arrived just 2 minutes before the 9 am appointment. To me this was just like running to a check point in the Great Race.

The Dentist visit lasted until 1pm. Once the tooth that needs the crown is prepared, the new machine they use takes several videos with a small video recorder. These video images are converted to a 3 dimensional model, and then the computer sends the model to a machine that converts a block of porcelain to crown. Once the crown is complete, it is cemented to the tooth. Only one trip to the Dentist is needed; no mold and no return trip to the Dentist to install the Crown.

After the Dentist, I was asked where I would like to eat. I answered that I would like to eat at a Chinese restaurant. In China, they are all Chinese restaurants. Even the McDonald’s is a Chinese restaurant. We ate vegetables and noodles in a soup. All the meals I had in Beijing were very good and very tasty.

The areas where I traveled appeared to be very safe. I never felt nervous or fearful or uncomfortable. The people of India are more openly friendly than the people of China. But when I smiled or said hello in China, the response would be friendly. In contrast, the people of Kuwait appear to be unfriendly. They are more difficult to get to know. I have walked or driven the streets of many downtown cities in the US. Beijing feels the same. There are no beggars or people living on the street like India or Djibouti. So far, China appears to be a much wealthier than India. I feel that in the areas where I was traveling, I was as safe or safer in Beijing than anywhere else.

Only once was there a minor situation. When we were leaving the Tiananmen Square, a man on the street asks me if I wanted to buy a book about Tiananmen Square. I said No Thank You. He started to cuss me out and call me names in Chinese. Of course, I did not know what he was saying. The Chinese interpreter with me started yelling back at him.