THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | OCTOBER 2024 81 The restriction on diplomats driving more than 25 kilometers from the city center was loosened slightly to allow road trips to Tianjin, the closest major city about 130 kilometers away. Itching to hit the open road, we jumped in our car for steamed buns at an innovative restaurant there, which served food straight through from lunch to dinner—an unusual move. On the way we bought a traditional merchant bed that an eager seller had positioned along a narrow lane. As we later learned, “Tianjin people can sell anything to anyone.” The oncedenounced entrepreneurial spirit was back in force. Gradually we witnessed more societal shifts, often just in small ways, as the PRC embarked on “socialism with Chinese characteristics.” When bananas appeared for the first time, word spread like wildfire, and the diplomatic community all rushed to buy this previously unseen commodity. Three months later, another banana boat arrived from Central America, sparking the same rush. By the time we left Beijing, bananas were regularly available and headlights had gone from forbidden to required. What did not change, however, was the quirky and unpredictable CAAC service—despite many adventures with the official airline, we were never tempted to send a letter of commendation. n This alien-to-us world continued to reveal itself, starting with the dark road into town.
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