China

Here we are in china in our quest to see all the world's wonders. Brit obligingly dropped us at the Providence train station- thanksBrit. Always good to start a trip with a train ride. We flew United from Boston to Dulles to Beijing- about 22 hours with the stops. We are again travelling with OAT along with 11 other passengers- 22 days - home by Easter. we received an email informing us that the border with Tibet has been closed. It is the 50th anniversary of the takeover by China and there has been some unrest. We are still hoping to get in as we are scheduled to go there on April 2. We will have an overnight train, several internal flights, overnight in a farmer's house and a panda sanctuary visit.
We finally got into Beijing about 3 hours late. Our plane had mechanical problems in DC and after a long delay we had to get off, switch terminals and reboard another plane. Luckily the plane was 3/4 full. We'd upgraded to economy plus so we had a little extra room and extra seats near us to stretch out. Passed the 14 hours reading, watching movies and snoozing. Worst airplane food I've ever had.
Beijing airport is just a year old due to the Olympics. It was clean, modern and efficient. Though it was just 4:30 when we arrived, it was nearly dark- pollution. Quite honestly I've never seen anything like it. The air appears greenish gray and not just in the sky. It is pervasive. Stephen, our local guide met us at the airport and told us to pray for wind.
We're staying at a Chinese businessman's hotel- the Inlodge. The room is also clean, efficient and modern. So is Beijing for that matter. Our window overlooks a park where we watch the locals do Tai Chi,play ping pong and sing, exercise and rollerblade. Beijing is not what I expected. It is really a nice city. Many new buildings,quiet traffic, friendly people.. If they can just clean their air.
Sunday March 21, 2008
Trying to adjust to a 12 hour time change, we slept well and this AM met the rest of our group.13 in all- age range 57 (me) to mid 70s. Mostly single, 8 woman, 5 male. Our tour leader is Kathy, real name Wong something in Chinese.
We spent the morning in Tian an Men square. It is much like Red Square in Moscow- government buildings, memorials,Chairman Mao's tomb- closed for renovation. didn't get to see him! Acroos the street is the Forbidden City. So named because it was the home of the Emperors from the 14th to the 20th century and the commoners were never allowed. It consists of acres of low slung red brick buildings with yellow tile roofs. It is laid out in a pattern of squares "rings". You enter each through an ornately painted building gate with 5 entrances- the middle only used by the Emperor himself. It was interesting but not as impressive as I thought it would be. Obviously spruced up for the Olympics, there are nointeriors to visit. In the concubine section you could look through windows at very dusty furniture and beds. There are no trees except fpr the Imperial Garden which was very eerie with its limestone figures and ancient cypresses and dragon trees.
We finished the day with a Peking duck dinner served at a huge round table with an equally huge lazy susan. It is a bit hard to serve yourself as someone seems to move the susan just as you are grabbing your food. Especially difficult since we are just getting to know eacg other. the group, though, is quite fun and boisterous at times which is great.
March 22 Beijing
We started our day with a visit to a cloissonne factory. Fascinating to watch these women add strips of copper to a copper vase, then add pigments and paints. then they are fired up to 6 times and sanded for hours. We had a chance top try our hand. Herbie, our guide deemed mine one of the best- a bird in a tree- and I won a pair of cloissonne chopsticks.
A further half hour drive took us to the Great Wall in the north in the mountains. The Badaling section is a gigantic tourist trap with hundreds of busses and many thousands of tourists jostling each other for their trip. To avoid this the OAT people took us further to another section which is not developed as yet. We were vitually the only ones there. Climbed over a thousand steps to the top. Everyone in our original group made it to the top, apparently a first. It was really strenuous but we were proud of ourselves and took lots of pictures. Goi ng back down was hard on the knees. theweather was beautiful. the wind had cleard the air and we couls see very clearly for miles. The wall just goes on forever- 4000 miles in fact. Most of it is undeveloped and unrestored.
We had lunch in the village with a local farmers wife. I am getting good eating with chopsticks. In fact I did not use my fork at all. Lunch consisted of rice, cabbage soup, beans, garlic sprouts, tofu, peanuts, sugar glazed potatoes. I am missing meat but the Chinese rarely eat meat.