China continues to impress (except for that smoky airport part). Smooth flight on a practically new plane took just about an hour to get to Dalian. Another beautiful new airport. The hotel is very new and ultra-modern. I'm on the 21st floor and can see a small harbor with sailboats just below in the bay. And... there have been fireworks going off over the bay for the last 25-30 minutes. Too bad I'm only here a few days - this place looks really nice. I'll know more tomorrow morning during my daylight tour. My translator, Amy, has already called to confirm. :-)
P.S. All luggage arrived intact. I'm home free now!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Last Day in Beijing
My guide, Rina, said we had seen the whole city… She said if I had stayed another day, that we’d have to go out to the ‘burbs to see how the non-city folks live… We started the morning late since there were only a couple of stops on the itinerary – which was fine by me, as I had packing to do.
We began at the Beijing Underground – which was fascinating, though musty. After all, it’s an underground tunnel. You see, when Japan invaded China they began digging tunnels to connect their most important sites. These tunnels were built in MY lifetime… with construction beginning in 1969 and ending in 1979. Per the guide, China was “very poor” and didn’t have mechanical equipment to build these tunnels – so they were dug by hand, 27 meters underground (around 80 feet). It’s hard to imagine that recent-day China didn’t have the necessary equipment just 30-35 years ago. (Even more amazing to see how far they’ve come since then!) Anyway, these tunnels connect every vantage point in Beijing – and the total length of the tunnels is greater than the length of the Great Wall of China! Under the tunnels was everything from arsenal storage to a hospital and even a silk factory (I’ll get to that in a minute.)
The tunnels are still “operational” and managed by the China Department of Defense… so pictures were not allowed. Our interpreter graciously allowed us to take a single picture – you’ll see below that the image only captured about 15-20 feet of tunnel. It was dark, damp (wet, even), with indoor/outdoor carpet stripped out of the tunnels and crumpled on the ground to walk over. Pictures of Mao and other demonstrations and military parades lined the tunnel halls. The tour through a quarter-mile or so of these cave-like tunnels ended in… yes, SHOPPING! (Whoooooooooeeeeeeeey!) So – here’s the silk story.
Silk is strong – amazingly strong. To this day, the Chinese army still makes flak jackets out of silk. We learned how silk blankets were made, what to look for in counterfeiting, etc. So – how we have down comforters as the higher-end bedding in the States… they do the same with silk. The spun silk fibers are stretched over a (bed-size) form like a big spiderweb, then the next layer is stretched, then the next – and after 100s of layers, you have a silk blanket. Then they wrap it in
a gauze cover (leaving the end open so that you can validate that it’s silk and hasn’t been replaced by cotton batting). You then put the blanket inside a pretty duvet cover. I know my description doesn’t do it justice, but I was quite impressed. And yep, I bought one. So, ladies and gentlemen, I’m now a paying supporter of the Red Army. :-) Below is a shot of my tour guide, Rina, and the really nice army interpreter who took us through the tunnels. (By the way, this was Rina's second "first" with me -- I'm the first visitor in three and a half years to want to go to a grocery store, and the first she took to the Beijing Underground. May she have many more "firsts!")
After my silk shopping soiree (and a soiree it was!), we grabbed some lunch at a restaurant specializing in dumplings. We had only a short amount of time, and I wanted to experience the Silk Street Market… so we took a 30-minute stop on the way to the airport. Geeeez…… I could have spent a DAY in there! Shoes, bags, jewelry, clothes… I was just bummed that we hadn’t stopped there earlier. I procured two nice silk scarves on my whirlwind blow-through and away we went to the airport.
Our stop at the Silk Market spurred an interesting dialogue between my guide, my driver, and me. We talked about the Asian focus on “quality” and the different American interpretation of “quality”… You see – China was not (nor was India, for that matter) the “shopper’s paradise” that Ms. Cheap had anticipated. And for the life of me I couldn’t figure out why they’d press and press me to spend $2,500 (that’s USD, ladies and gentlemen) on a pearl necklace and lecture me on quality as if I were a recycle-your-Ziploc-bags cheapskate. From my perspective, I know that $2,500 represents about two months’ salary for the average China tech worker – so in my mind, I can’t fathom who would spend two months’ salary on a necklace they’d wear 4-5x a year.
The difference, it seems, is that we in America have lots and lots of everything. “Us girls” – many of us go through several purses each year. But in China, my guide had been carrying hers for four years and expected a few more. On the pearl front, I’d rather have several different necklaces (different lengths, different sized pearls) – but in China, you only need to have one (but one of very high quality). It’s culturally very different, for example I would never have someone compliment my jewelry and then me start telling them the grade and size of the pearls or diamonds, where they were purchased, etc. But in China, those are active conversations the wearer leads in with! (As in: “Like my new pearls? They’re AAA grade oceanwater – not freshwater – and I paid 36,000 RMB at Ling-Ling.")
In China, they make do with fewer items, but they are items expected to last a long long time. I think the difference (I’m waxing philosophical here toward the end of this journey) is that Americans do have a lot of material things. However, our mindset is very change-oriented – i.e., we like to get NEW stuff. We’re living in a culture a little over 200 years old. Now, contrast this with the Chinese (and my friends in India, as well) who are operating off a mindset of centuries/millennia of heritage. Couple that with the intense focus on the family and the parents often provide everything well into adulthood (until the child marries) and you create a culture where it’s more important to invest in the “really good quality” pearls so that they last through many generations of your family line. That’s my assessment, for what it’s worth.
So I’m typing up my day’s experiences from the airport as I wait on my flight to Dalian. Beautiful modern airport -- light years ahead of those hand-dug tunnels in the 1970s. It’s filled with smoke, as is the expectation here. A fierce headache is setting in – I’m just not used to these smoke-filled corridors. Tonight I meet up with a colleague in Dalian and tomorrow morning I’ll be touring around the city before starting the business-side of my China-tour tomorrow afternoon and Friday. I’m anxious to get back to work – it makes me appreciate the things I enjoy doing most and the really awesome people I get to work with each day. More tomorrow.
We began at the Beijing Underground – which was fascinating, though musty. After all, it’s an underground tunnel. You see, when Japan invaded China they began digging tunnels to connect their most important sites. These tunnels were built in MY lifetime… with construction beginning in 1969 and ending in 1979. Per the guide, China was “very poor” and didn’t have mechanical equipment to build these tunnels – so they were dug by hand, 27 meters underground (around 80 feet). It’s hard to imagine that recent-day China didn’t have the necessary equipment just 30-35 years ago. (Even more amazing to see how far they’ve come since then!) Anyway, these tunnels connect every vantage point in Beijing – and the total length of the tunnels is greater than the length of the Great Wall of China! Under the tunnels was everything from arsenal storage to a hospital and even a silk factory (I’ll get to that in a minute.)
The tunnels are still “operational” and managed by the China Department of Defense… so pictures were not allowed. Our interpreter graciously allowed us to take a single picture – you’ll see below that the image only captured about 15-20 feet of tunnel. It was dark, damp (wet, even), with indoor/outdoor carpet stripped out of the tunnels and crumpled on the ground to walk over. Pictures of Mao and other demonstrations and military parades lined the tunnel halls. The tour through a quarter-mile or so of these cave-like tunnels ended in… yes, SHOPPING! (Whoooooooooeeeeeeeey!) So – here’s the silk story.Silk is strong – amazingly strong. To this day, the Chinese army still makes flak jackets out of silk. We learned how silk blankets were made, what to look for in counterfeiting, etc. So – how we have down comforters as the higher-end bedding in the States… they do the same with silk. The spun silk fibers are stretched over a (bed-size) form like a big spiderweb, then the next layer is stretched, then the next – and after 100s of layers, you have a silk blanket. Then they wrap it in
a gauze cover (leaving the end open so that you can validate that it’s silk and hasn’t been replaced by cotton batting). You then put the blanket inside a pretty duvet cover. I know my description doesn’t do it justice, but I was quite impressed. And yep, I bought one. So, ladies and gentlemen, I’m now a paying supporter of the Red Army. :-) Below is a shot of my tour guide, Rina, and the really nice army interpreter who took us through the tunnels. (By the way, this was Rina's second "first" with me -- I'm the first visitor in three and a half years to want to go to a grocery store, and the first she took to the Beijing Underground. May she have many more "firsts!")
After my silk shopping soiree (and a soiree it was!), we grabbed some lunch at a restaurant specializing in dumplings. We had only a short amount of time, and I wanted to experience the Silk Street Market… so we took a 30-minute stop on the way to the airport. Geeeez…… I could have spent a DAY in there! Shoes, bags, jewelry, clothes… I was just bummed that we hadn’t stopped there earlier. I procured two nice silk scarves on my whirlwind blow-through and away we went to the airport.Our stop at the Silk Market spurred an interesting dialogue between my guide, my driver, and me. We talked about the Asian focus on “quality” and the different American interpretation of “quality”… You see – China was not (nor was India, for that matter) the “shopper’s paradise” that Ms. Cheap had anticipated. And for the life of me I couldn’t figure out why they’d press and press me to spend $2,500 (that’s USD, ladies and gentlemen) on a pearl necklace and lecture me on quality as if I were a recycle-your-Ziploc-bags cheapskate. From my perspective, I know that $2,500 represents about two months’ salary for the average China tech worker – so in my mind, I can’t fathom who would spend two months’ salary on a necklace they’d wear 4-5x a year.
The difference, it seems, is that we in America have lots and lots of everything. “Us girls” – many of us go through several purses each year. But in China, my guide had been carrying hers for four years and expected a few more. On the pearl front, I’d rather have several different necklaces (different lengths, different sized pearls) – but in China, you only need to have one (but one of very high quality). It’s culturally very different, for example I would never have someone compliment my jewelry and then me start telling them the grade and size of the pearls or diamonds, where they were purchased, etc. But in China, those are active conversations the wearer leads in with! (As in: “Like my new pearls? They’re AAA grade oceanwater – not freshwater – and I paid 36,000 RMB at Ling-Ling.")
In China, they make do with fewer items, but they are items expected to last a long long time. I think the difference (I’m waxing philosophical here toward the end of this journey) is that Americans do have a lot of material things. However, our mindset is very change-oriented – i.e., we like to get NEW stuff. We’re living in a culture a little over 200 years old. Now, contrast this with the Chinese (and my friends in India, as well) who are operating off a mindset of centuries/millennia of heritage. Couple that with the intense focus on the family and the parents often provide everything well into adulthood (until the child marries) and you create a culture where it’s more important to invest in the “really good quality” pearls so that they last through many generations of your family line. That’s my assessment, for what it’s worth.
So I’m typing up my day’s experiences from the airport as I wait on my flight to Dalian. Beautiful modern airport -- light years ahead of those hand-dug tunnels in the 1970s. It’s filled with smoke, as is the expectation here. A fierce headache is setting in – I’m just not used to these smoke-filled corridors. Tonight I meet up with a colleague in Dalian and tomorrow morning I’ll be touring around the city before starting the business-side of my China-tour tomorrow afternoon and Friday. I’m anxious to get back to work – it makes me appreciate the things I enjoy doing most and the really awesome people I get to work with each day. More tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Day 3 Afternoon – Hot Pot, Lama Temple, and Beijing Acrobats
They say if you live long enough that you “become” your mother (or father, as it may be). Well – I’ve skipped a generation and have embodied my Grandma: I have taken a picture of a table of food.
When Rina asked if I was interested in going to a “hot pot” restaurant for lunch, I assumed this was like our local fondue. Boy, did I underestimate the experience! They bring out this huge copper chimney heated by real charcoal that keeps a bowl of boiling water piping hot to cook your meat, veggies, etc. We had a table full of pork, bean sprouts, sweet potatoes, cabbage, and bok choy to cook… I love a “working dinner” and this was it! It was such fun, I just had to take a picture. The first includes Rina and our driver, Mr. Fong. The second is just the table of food. Opal has to be smiling down from Heaven. (Dad’s smiling, too, if he knows I’ve eaten cooked cabbage.) Oh - and check the window decal -- notice anyone? (hint: Olympic babies)
After lunch, we walked off some of our lethargy at the Lama Temple – a Buddhist temple that was converted from a former Emperor’s grounds. The temple was gorgeous, with dozens of devout Buddhists lighting the three incense sticks required to pay respect to Buddha. This temple contains Beijing’s largest statue of Buddha, but you can’t take a picture of it. One of the more interesting shots, I thought, was one of a modern skyscraper rising in the background between two of the centuries-old rooflines of the temple and outbuildings. And that’s Beijing – successfully mixing the old and the new.
You won’t get pictures of two of the more interesting afternoon activities: my Chinese foot massage followed by a visit to a large Chinese supermarket. My foot massage was out of this world. I’m certain I have bruises over most of my arms and legs… but it was worth it. The man performing my massage told my guide that I was wealthy, based on the condition of my feet. I laughed and confessed that I had a pedicure the night before I left Nashville. :-)
So total relaxation (via the foot – and [bonus!] arm – massage) was followed by a totally stressful run to the local supermarket. Wow! What complete chaos. What pandemonium. People pushing and shoving. Others stalling the process by stopping their carts in the middle of rush-hour for no apparent reason. Phwewwww! And the weatherman wasn’t even forecasting snow! (Grins and giggles to all us Nashville folk.) But I got what I went for. I kept expecting the Mad Hatter to round the corner, but I escaped this Wonderland unscathed with my procured spices safely in hand.
Last treat for the day was my visit to a show of the Beijing Acrobats (who recently toured the U.S., including Nashville). How impressive. I won’t even try to describe – and the pictures don’t do it justice…
When Rina asked if I was interested in going to a “hot pot” restaurant for lunch, I assumed this was like our local fondue. Boy, did I underestimate the experience! They bring out this huge copper chimney heated by real charcoal that keeps a bowl of boiling water piping hot to cook your meat, veggies, etc. We had a table full of pork, bean sprouts, sweet potatoes, cabbage, and bok choy to cook… I love a “working dinner” and this was it! It was such fun, I just had to take a picture. The first includes Rina and our driver, Mr. Fong. The second is just the table of food. Opal has to be smiling down from Heaven. (Dad’s smiling, too, if he knows I’ve eaten cooked cabbage.) Oh - and check the window decal -- notice anyone? (hint: Olympic babies)
After lunch, we walked off some of our lethargy at the Lama Temple – a Buddhist temple that was converted from a former Emperor’s grounds. The temple was gorgeous, with dozens of devout Buddhists lighting the three incense sticks required to pay respect to Buddha. This temple contains Beijing’s largest statue of Buddha, but you can’t take a picture of it. One of the more interesting shots, I thought, was one of a modern skyscraper rising in the background between two of the centuries-old rooflines of the temple and outbuildings. And that’s Beijing – successfully mixing the old and the new.
You won’t get pictures of two of the more interesting afternoon activities: my Chinese foot massage followed by a visit to a large Chinese supermarket. My foot massage was out of this world. I’m certain I have bruises over most of my arms and legs… but it was worth it. The man performing my massage told my guide that I was wealthy, based on the condition of my feet. I laughed and confessed that I had a pedicure the night before I left Nashville. :-)
So total relaxation (via the foot – and [bonus!] arm – massage) was followed by a totally stressful run to the local supermarket. Wow! What complete chaos. What pandemonium. People pushing and shoving. Others stalling the process by stopping their carts in the middle of rush-hour for no apparent reason. Phwewwww! And the weatherman wasn’t even forecasting snow! (Grins and giggles to all us Nashville folk.) But I got what I went for. I kept expecting the Mad Hatter to round the corner, but I escaped this Wonderland unscathed with my procured spices safely in hand.
Last treat for the day was my visit to a show of the Beijing Acrobats (who recently toured the U.S., including Nashville). How impressive. I won’t even try to describe – and the pictures don’t do it justice…
Day 3 Morning - Summer Palace and Beijing’s Giant Pandas
This is a real “peoples’ park”… formerly the summer home of the Dragon Lady (one of only two female empresses that succeeded to the throne). The Dragon Lady, widowed at 26, camped here every April through October with no one but her, her servants, and her male concubines. She was Buddhist and commissioned the build of a monstrous three-story temple on the Summer Palace grounds. She never went beyond the first of three floors – and it was the only building the British didn’t burn during their invasion. Modern day Beijing residents love to come to this park to practice their calligraphy and their tai chi, to relax by the huge man-made lake, and to ride the dragon boats that float that lake in the summer months.
But this is winter. Still – there are many people visiting Summer Palace to see its beautiful murals on the long covered corridors, and to enjoy the crisp outdoors.
After visiting Summer Palace we went to see the Giant Pandas at Beijing Zoo. Folks in the States know that the Beijing Zoo is well-recognized for various efforts to assist the Atlanta, D.C., and San Diego zoos foster their panda population. The Beijing Zoo is very small – mostly just the pandas… Enjoy the snaps.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Alice (Tonya) in Wonderland
This is not a Beijing-sightseeing-China-as-cultural-odyssey story, so skip it if you’re only interested in China details. This is a classic “Tonya took a wrong turn” diddy for my family’s amusement.
So, a neighbor of mine back home is world-travelled and has owned restaurants where I grew up. I procured him some spices from India and he was quite pleased, setting to work making fabulous dishes with them. I wanted to bring him some from here (notice past tense). My driver explained that there was a mall attached to my hotel – and in the basement was a traditional Chinese grocery store. Easy enough.
So I entered the quiet “mall entrance” and found myself in a large 6-story ultra-hip mall with no “basement.” It wasn’t out of reason that a large mall would have an associated grocery story – after all, Harrod’s London has a very exquisite outlet that dispenses wonderful culinary items. So not finding a basement, I began looking around… This mall is a single store – just multiple departments across many floors with a tall central atrium. I looked up the atrium at the identifying signs on each floor and noticed that the top floor was titled “Gourmet”… I had visions of the Harrod’s experience – lush chocolates, fabulous teas, and yes… spices. So after much ado and finding no one who understood the term “lift” or “elevator” – I set out riding the half-dozen escalators it took to wiiiiiiiiiiind my way up the sixth floor. Gourmet? Not quite - it was the mall's Food Court. I walked all the way around around it – nothing but a smelly smoky food court. (Sorry, Jim.)
So I knew there had to be a way to get back to my entrance point to the hotel more quickly than a half-dozen escalator rides with connection points half-way around the mall. (After all, I was in a hurry – I had blog entries to write!) I scanned the perimeter for a service lift – and voila! ... Floor 1, please. But when I emerged through the “Looking Glass”… I was nowhere near my hotel entrance. I was in a run-of-the mill standard office building. And dumb me, I left the safety of that single portal back into Wonderland in search of clearer directions.
My “Mad Hatter” was a young uniformed security gal that didn’t know the first thing about English (except the words “Office Building”). Frustrated, I got back on an elevator (key, an elevator) and started pushing buttons for the upper floor of the mall from which I’d accessed the service lift to begin with. Amazingly, the door opened and there was no Wonderland - just floor after floor after floor of office cubicles.
Deflated, I went back to the main floor to see the Mad Hatter. Mad Hatter spoke no English… hotel, Courtyard, mall, eating, shopping. Nope, not at all. She suggested I go outside and walk around the building – communication by hand gesture, of course. And as luck would have it, I had shed my coat when I dropped off my day’s purchases at the hotel room. There was no 10-degree-Fahrenheit-way I was going outside!
After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, I finally figured out the secret passage (a select un-marked elevator was the only one that exited at the Food Court service area on the top floor of the mall). I made that round of escalator round-the-mall spirals. An hour’s adventure later, I’m (now) back at my hotel "home" and that’s all that matters. All, except, of course that I don’t yet have those darn spices. Oh, well – the search continues.
So, a neighbor of mine back home is world-travelled and has owned restaurants where I grew up. I procured him some spices from India and he was quite pleased, setting to work making fabulous dishes with them. I wanted to bring him some from here (notice past tense). My driver explained that there was a mall attached to my hotel – and in the basement was a traditional Chinese grocery store. Easy enough.
So I entered the quiet “mall entrance” and found myself in a large 6-story ultra-hip mall with no “basement.” It wasn’t out of reason that a large mall would have an associated grocery story – after all, Harrod’s London has a very exquisite outlet that dispenses wonderful culinary items. So not finding a basement, I began looking around… This mall is a single store – just multiple departments across many floors with a tall central atrium. I looked up the atrium at the identifying signs on each floor and noticed that the top floor was titled “Gourmet”… I had visions of the Harrod’s experience – lush chocolates, fabulous teas, and yes… spices. So after much ado and finding no one who understood the term “lift” or “elevator” – I set out riding the half-dozen escalators it took to wiiiiiiiiiiind my way up the sixth floor. Gourmet? Not quite - it was the mall's Food Court. I walked all the way around around it – nothing but a smelly smoky food court. (Sorry, Jim.)
So I knew there had to be a way to get back to my entrance point to the hotel more quickly than a half-dozen escalator rides with connection points half-way around the mall. (After all, I was in a hurry – I had blog entries to write!) I scanned the perimeter for a service lift – and voila! ... Floor 1, please. But when I emerged through the “Looking Glass”… I was nowhere near my hotel entrance. I was in a run-of-the mill standard office building. And dumb me, I left the safety of that single portal back into Wonderland in search of clearer directions.
My “Mad Hatter” was a young uniformed security gal that didn’t know the first thing about English (except the words “Office Building”). Frustrated, I got back on an elevator (key, an elevator) and started pushing buttons for the upper floor of the mall from which I’d accessed the service lift to begin with. Amazingly, the door opened and there was no Wonderland - just floor after floor after floor of office cubicles.
Deflated, I went back to the main floor to see the Mad Hatter. Mad Hatter spoke no English… hotel, Courtyard, mall, eating, shopping. Nope, not at all. She suggested I go outside and walk around the building – communication by hand gesture, of course. And as luck would have it, I had shed my coat when I dropped off my day’s purchases at the hotel room. There was no 10-degree-Fahrenheit-way I was going outside!
After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, I finally figured out the secret passage (a select un-marked elevator was the only one that exited at the Food Court service area on the top floor of the mall). I made that round of escalator round-the-mall spirals. An hour’s adventure later, I’m (now) back at my hotel "home" and that’s all that matters. All, except, of course that I don’t yet have those darn spices. Oh, well – the search continues.
The Rest of Day Two.
We did some interesting things after my “Great Wall” experience. First was to visit a cloisonné factory (and shop, of course). I was quite impressed with the way “real” cloisonné is made. From there we visited a jade production factory (and shop) before heading to the Ming Tombs.The Ming Tombs represent the burial grounds of more than a dozen Ming dynasty emperors. The drive through the Ming Tombs was interesting as it was surrounded in every possible way by peach tree groves. Apparently, it is Chinese belief that peach trees ward off ghosts – so they plant peach tree groves around cemeteries. And a large swath of land commemorating dozens of deceased royalty definitely counts as a cemetery!
We visited the site of the third Ming emperor – the emperor who sanctioned the building of the Forbidden Palace and the Temple of the Heavens. Architectural choices and patterns are always interesting to me. Note the endcaps on the rafter beams... See the dragon? Those are used only for emperors - I saw a different design in the Hutong district, reserved only for "government officials"...
After our tomb-raiding adventure, we did drive-bys of two very distinct Olympic buildings. The
main stadium has been dubbed “The Birds Nest” by locals (no surprise there) and cost Beijing $3.5B to build. The “bubbly” building is not where “Tonya Events” will be held (I know, cheesy) – but is the site of the aquatic center. Both of these buildings have received considerable press due to their “very creative” architecture. Interestingly, neither were designed by a Chinese architect... another step forward in China opening up to share with the rest of this planet.After Olympic site sightseeing, we headed for an early but very special dinner. We were slotted to enjoy Roast Peking Duck for dinner. The meal was fantastic (too much food, of course). And I got a side benefit of seeing Minnie Mouse. Just kidding – the pix below is of our costumed server. She was quite good… But the headdress treatment – well, I just couldn’t help myself and had to nickname her.
Truly Amazing.
Wow. There are those “first glimpses” you always remember. This morning was one… The Great Wall is really just amazing. In varying states of renovation or disrepair, there are many “formal” entry points near Beijing. We began at Badaling. Often criticized as the most commercialized but recognized as the easiest access from a low impact perspective… so I wanted to start my experience there.
Phwewww… good graaaaaavy! Low impact?! What are they feedin’ these Chinese advertisers? :-) First, the elements were not in my favor. I’d guess the temperature at less than 10 degrees (no snow… I read incorrectly somewhere). And thank goodness there was an optional cable car ride to the top… (I never would have made it if there hadn’t been this “lift.”) And then there were steps… and more steps… tall steps, small steps, skinny steps, sloping steps, slippery steps, crowded steps. After this, I’m considering withdrawing my application for American Gladiator! Of course, I had to wear too much clothing to complete my Gladiator application – I looked like the Michelin (wo)man and my guide laughed that all she could see were my eyes.
But the view “from the top”… (or as far as TJL could climb) was sublime. Despite an early morning fog hanging over the surrounding valleys, it was a sight to behold. It took over a million men to build it – many of whom are buried within its walls. The construction lasted 2,000 years – nearly 10x longer than the U.S. has been “United”… Of course I called Mom and Dad from one of the towers… this 13hr time difference kinda works in your favor in some ways. (Oh, and one side note on “commercialized”… if you consider four tables selling trinkets and a coffee booth to be “commercialized”… then you’ve been living pretty low key!)
After Badaling, we drove to the Juyonguan Pass. This area is much less commercialized and the wall has not been restored as recently. If I couldn’t take full advantage of the “low impact” Wall, then I knew better than to full-throttle attack the high endurance version. Nonetheless, I got some great snaps from the ground and overall just really enjoyed walking around on solid (sloping) ground enjoying the end of a nice morning.
I'm Trainable.
The locals love to teach me how to eat. Seems everywhere I go they want to “show” me their local specialties. I don’t know if I just look open-minded – or if I have a big ol’ “SUCKER” stamp on my forehead.
It would be mundane to tell you of the yummy dim sum and lamb curry I had for breakfast this morning – and would be reminiscent of my Grandma who used to take pictures of food on family vacations… but, hey, that was back in the 70s on the rare occasion when our land barge made its way to the Panhandle! However, I never fail to be surprised by the hospitality of the people that can barely understand your question (“what is that?”) and then try like the dickens to explain to you in broken English and hand gestures what you’re about to risk your next few hours of tummy-comfort after partaking. Okay – off to get ready for my trek to “The Great Wall”…
It would be mundane to tell you of the yummy dim sum and lamb curry I had for breakfast this morning – and would be reminiscent of my Grandma who used to take pictures of food on family vacations… but, hey, that was back in the 70s on the rare occasion when our land barge made its way to the Panhandle! However, I never fail to be surprised by the hospitality of the people that can barely understand your question (“what is that?”) and then try like the dickens to explain to you in broken English and hand gestures what you’re about to risk your next few hours of tummy-comfort after partaking. Okay – off to get ready for my trek to “The Great Wall”…
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Saved by the Long Johns!
Those of you outside the U.S. may be a little lost on this humor. Long-johns are “long underwear”… long-sleeve shirts and leggings worn under street clothes to give an added layer of warmth. Without these secret tools of the farmers and the ski-slope crowd, I would have been a human icicle today! As I sit here and type this, I laugh looking at myself in the mirror…. My skin is burned… WIND-burned! (or maybe it's frostbite) And thus, the adventures begin…
Tiananmen Square. Site of the historic student movements of the late 80s. Site where the Cultural Revolution was born – and where it died. The largest “square” in the world, it holds one million people during military parades, National Day, etc. The snaps below show the site of the student demonstrations of the past and the countdown clock for the Olympics that will help def
ine this country's future.
From there we progressed toward the Forbidden City, built in the 1400s… with its beautiful architecture and glimpse into the past centuries of leadership. Mao’s portrait hangs at the first of many entry gates and is refreshed yearly. Jet-lag has me in its firm and mighty grasp, so I’m going to return and provide more detail in the next few days when my eyes aren’t quite so heavy….
I just got an email tip from my nephew, Jackson. He says that the roofs are angled the way they are because spirits can only walk in a straight line. (Third grade - how do these kids get so smart these days?!) Doesn't surprise me at all. Despite their recent history leading to not recognizing organized religion, "superstition" permeates their thinking and discussion of ways they ward off ghosts is quite common.
This tree is known as the "Lovers Tree" as it resembles a couple in an embrace. I had to be very patient to get a shot without a "happy couple" in front of this famous tree.
From the Forbidden City, we toured the Hutong area of Beijing – in a rickshaw! These tiny streets weave in, out, and around in the thriving district where there are 135 bars and clubs that cater to the city’s working class as they stop for a libation on their way home. While visiting 
the Beijing hutongs, I was escorted to the home of a lovely retired couple. I have adopted a new grandma in Beijing - sweet Mrs. Mai - should you ever need to borrow one.
The Hutong district was most interesting. It is a very trendy neighborhood because of its optimum feng-shui and close proximity to the Forbidden City. Although everything looks very similar from the streets, there are vast differences on the inside walls... with some properties being carved up into tiny state-owned homes supporting multiple families and other properties belonging to very high-ranking government officials and rock stars. The visit to Hutong sparked an interesting conversation with my guide, Rina. We all know that it's very difficult to purchase a home in China. One of the "side-guides" for our Hutong visit told of spending $2M US for his home recently. Rina explained that in many families it is unthinkable to "own" a home... Interestingly, you have to save for decades to afford one. But when you do "buy" one -- the government still "owns" it and in 70 years you have to repurchase the property from the Government.
After a hearty and authentic noodle lunch, we left for Temple of Heaven – often used as the symbol of Beijing (and China). The architecture is beautiful and the city has really cleaned up and refurbished worn paints, etc. in preparation for the Olympics. What I was struck most by, however, is the amount of planning and consistency among these key public places. People of China pay very close attention to the meaning of numbers (as they are the keys to health, wealth, and longevity - example "8" is very lucky... so the Olympics begin on 8-8-08), the hierarchy of north-facing vs eastern-facing objects, etc. And the fact that they could keep all those concepts in check while building multiple HUGE projects across the last four centuries is impressive.
So – having exhausted my patience with this living history lesson, Rina mercifully took me shopping. And I’m here to tell you – all that prayin’ for me and my pearls made a big difference, y'all. I haggled for three hours with four different vendors and came away completely empty-handed. Thanks, I think… :-)
Tomorrow – the Great Wall. If ever there was a test for the mighty Long Johns, tomorrow will certainly be it!
Tiananmen Square. Site of the historic student movements of the late 80s. Site where the Cultural Revolution was born – and where it died. The largest “square” in the world, it holds one million people during military parades, National Day, etc. The snaps below show the site of the student demonstrations of the past and the countdown clock for the Olympics that will help def
ine this country's future.
From there we progressed toward the Forbidden City, built in the 1400s… with its beautiful architecture and glimpse into the past centuries of leadership. Mao’s portrait hangs at the first of many entry gates and is refreshed yearly. Jet-lag has me in its firm and mighty grasp, so I’m going to return and provide more detail in the next few days when my eyes aren’t quite so heavy….
I just got an email tip from my nephew, Jackson. He says that the roofs are angled the way they are because spirits can only walk in a straight line. (Third grade - how do these kids get so smart these days?!) Doesn't surprise me at all. Despite their recent history leading to not recognizing organized religion, "superstition" permeates their thinking and discussion of ways they ward off ghosts is quite common.
This tree is known as the "Lovers Tree" as it resembles a couple in an embrace. I had to be very patient to get a shot without a "happy couple" in front of this famous tree.
From the Forbidden City, we toured the Hutong area of Beijing – in a rickshaw! These tiny streets weave in, out, and around in the thriving district where there are 135 bars and clubs that cater to the city’s working class as they stop for a libation on their way home. While visiting 
the Beijing hutongs, I was escorted to the home of a lovely retired couple. I have adopted a new grandma in Beijing - sweet Mrs. Mai - should you ever need to borrow one.
The Hutong district was most interesting. It is a very trendy neighborhood because of its optimum feng-shui and close proximity to the Forbidden City. Although everything looks very similar from the streets, there are vast differences on the inside walls... with some properties being carved up into tiny state-owned homes supporting multiple families and other properties belonging to very high-ranking government officials and rock stars. The visit to Hutong sparked an interesting conversation with my guide, Rina. We all know that it's very difficult to purchase a home in China. One of the "side-guides" for our Hutong visit told of spending $2M US for his home recently. Rina explained that in many families it is unthinkable to "own" a home... Interestingly, you have to save for decades to afford one. But when you do "buy" one -- the government still "owns" it and in 70 years you have to repurchase the property from the Government.After a hearty and authentic noodle lunch, we left for Temple of Heaven – often used as the symbol of Beijing (and China). The architecture is beautiful and the city has really cleaned up and refurbished worn paints, etc. in preparation for the Olympics. What I was struck most by, however, is the amount of planning and consistency among these key public places. People of China pay very close attention to the meaning of numbers (as they are the keys to health, wealth, and longevity - example "8" is very lucky... so the Olympics begin on 8-8-08), the hierarchy of north-facing vs eastern-facing objects, etc. And the fact that they could keep all those concepts in check while building multiple HUGE projects across the last four centuries is impressive.
So – having exhausted my patience with this living history lesson, Rina mercifully took me shopping. And I’m here to tell you – all that prayin’ for me and my pearls made a big difference, y'all. I haggled for three hours with four different vendors and came away completely empty-handed. Thanks, I think… :-)
Tomorrow – the Great Wall. If ever there was a test for the mighty Long Johns, tomorrow will certainly be it!
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