As the capital city of Beijing's Parade and thus downtown were closed off to The People for the grand commemoration of the day, I turned my bike around in defeat and and stopped for a stroll in the park.
sidewalk sighting
the sidewalk is a urinal: urinate to commemorate?地坛公园 [dìtán gōngyuán, Temple of Earth Park], downtown Beijing: a toddler* pees directly into the sewage.
This is a daily sight here in China.
No matter the [formal] education of the parents, the children urinate and defecate at will -mostly at the base of trees and in drain holes, but also directly on sidewalks and the street.
The practice is encouraged and thought to be normal, though no one will admit it upon questioning.
Just last week, I witnessed a 4-yr old defecating in the middle of a busy street that is closed off to cars - a street where, everyday, thousands of people roam and linger as they shop. And eat street food.
This collision [of lack of hygiene where there ought be hygiene] speaks not only of the role of the government in providing sufficient access to public bathrooms (there is a serious lacking here), but also the practical education and will of the people.
Any awareness of hygiene is overshadowed by apathy and disregard for one's impact on or the well being of any other living being.
word of advice in china
Watch where you walk and don't step in any puddles.
That puddle probably isn't rain-water, and that dog poo may not be canine.
*Interestingly, the mother (white shoes) pays no attention to her daughter and walks onward. The grandmother (squatting adjacent, right) had no part in helping the girl choose this location. The child chose this spot only as a second choice. Her first choice was the earthen ring surrounding a tree, but she hustled away in confusion when she touched the ground only to realize that it was not dirt, but concrete-set stones.
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