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Published: December 11th 2010
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Big Mao Picture
On the gate at the end of Tiananmen Square, leading into the Forbidden City Meanwhile, back in Beijing… I'm stiill hanging around with Robert and we met for breakfast in the lounge then a stroll over to Tiananmen Square. We couldn’t get into the square due to a ceremonial flag raising, which was marking the start of some type of Asian games. Busloads of athletes and banner wavers ware being let off for the event. We walked up the outside of the square to the entrance of the Forbidden City. There we talked to several guides and chose a guy who said he was an English teacher and called himself Beijing Bob. He was easy to understand, but later turned out to be a tad light on the historical knowledge of the palace. He led us around to all the major sites and his commentary, along with just reading the placards (which conveniently were all translated into English) was sufficient to understand the major points. It's absolutley huge. You travel through a series of gates and enormous squares back into the palace. The further you go on, the more exclusive the area was. Eventually, you are in a small city that was reserved for only the Emperor, his family and the eunuch guards and servants.
They used eunuchs to insure that any children born here were fathered by the Emperor. There were innumerable small courtyards surrounded by pavilions. Some were inhabited by the Emporer's immediate family. Some were for concubines. We saw libraries, private temples and even the Imperial Gardens (I think I've had dinner at the Imperial Gardens somewhere).
After the Forbidden City, I set out to expore Tiananmen Square. Everything is huge here and of course this square is right up there in enormous-ness. There are huge gates which once were part of the city walls. There is the huge picture of Chairman Mao on the way into the Forbidden City. And there is the huge mausoleum of Chairman Mao himself! I found that many of the nice chinese girls who hung around the square were very freindly with tourists. Several approached me to "practise their English" and wanted to go for a few drinks! Hmmm...
I headed back to the hotel and stopped in a few shops along the way. At 5 p.m. I met up with Robert up in the Lounge, where we snacked on egg rolls and other finger food at the buffet and enjoyed the open bar.
Peking Duck
Carved tableside at Da Dong's We set out in search of an Irish Pub one of us... had discovered on the internet. Actually, we were looking for a place to eat Peking Duck and it just happened that Molly Malone's Pub was right down the street from one of the branches of DaDong's, a highly rated duck eatery. So off we went. The pub was fun and we eventually wandered down the street to Da Dong's.
Da Dong's was very fancy. The ducks were cooked in brick ovens on a sort of island in the middle of the restaurant. There was a moat around the cooking area, complete with coy fish. They brought the finished duck to the table and carved it tableside. There were thin pancakes (kind of like soft shell tacos) and a variety of sauces to make little duck tacos. Very tasty!
After dinner we stopped back at Molly Malone's where they had a Chinese girl band playing traditional instruments. The songs were a mix of western pop and lounge stlye songs. They were really good! A $3 cab ride took us back to the hotel.
The next morning, after breakfast in the Lounge, we met our guide in
the lobby. While we had been leaving the Forbidden City the day before, we spoke with several tour touts and agreed to go on a packaged tour today to see the Great Wall of China and several other sites along the way. The tour only cost $15 dollars, including English-speaking guide, driver, transportation and lunch. It also included several stops at "buying opportunities" like a jade carving factory and a silk factory. We headed out in a minivan, along with a couple from the Philippines who were fellow tourists. We hit the jade factory then the Ming Tombs. The Ming Tombs were a series of gates/towers which encompased an area where the Ming dynasty Emporers were buried. On to the silk factory, then the Great Wall.
The Great Wall area we visited (there are many such areas, it's a really big wall in case you haven't heard) was the traditional one closest to Beijing. It covers an entire valley pass through the mountains, with walls, watchtowers and gates. It's also the area where visiting dignitaries (think Nixon, etc.) go to be photographed. It's very impressive. Climbing up the walkway on top of the wall, you realize how hard it
The Great Wall of China
It was a really great wall must have been to build. Up the side of a mountain and winding on for hundreds of miles!
Back in the van and off to lunch. The lunch restuarant was set up for similar tour groups. The table for our group was preset with three family stlye serving plates of main dishes. We were each brought bowls of rice, tea, plates and chopsticks. Two of the main dishes were chicken based. One was like Kung Pow chicken , spicy with cashews, the other was sweeter with
a red sauce. The third dish was vegitarian with noodles, beanpods and tofu. They were all tasty, especially the Kung Pow. I also found that my ability to use chopsticks is directly proportionate to my level of hunger!
After lunch it was off to the Olympic village area and saw the "Bird's Nest " stadium. While in the olympic area, they took us to some of the former training facilities, where they had arranged a free foot massage for us. We were trying to figure out what the sales angle was, when a team of uniformed massuses and a learned doctor from Tibet entered. They started by putting our feet in tubs
The Bird's Nest
National Stadium built for the 2008 Olympics of warm water mixed with herbs. They explained the benefits of warm feet and offered to sell us the giant teabag-like packets of herbs for our own use back home. The doctor came around and read our palms and perscribed other herbal remedies to cure our ills. Herbs which they just happened to have on hand and for sale. Ahhhhh, that's the angle.
After the massage, we headed on back to the hotel. Just in time for happy hour in the Lounge! Both Robert and I wanted to head back over to Wufanging Street for some shopping. After a short visit, where I ate a dumpling which tuned out to be an unfortunate descision the next day, we returned to Molly Malone's for our sendoff cocktail. Back at the hotel, I went for a swim in the hotel pool (had to buy a $2 bathing cap before they'd let me in the pool) before bed.
After breakfast I caught a cab to the airport. Traffic was heavy, but I made it with time to spare. The plane to Seattle was far from full and I had several seats to myself. 11 1/2 hours later I was back in
Tiananmen Square
Buses dropping off flag wavers and atheletes the USA. The flight to Detroit was delayed and I would not make my connection home in time, so they changed me to a Minneapolis flight. That flight was packed. Also the nefarious dumpling was starting to have it's effect. An unconfortable five hours later I made it to Minneapolis and caught my new connection. I made it home safe and sound, but my rolling bag had stuck with the original plan and was headed for Detroit. It figures! That bag seems to like travelling on it's own! They had it dropped off at my house at 1:30 in the morning.
My parents met me at the airport with my dog. After straightening out the baggage problem, I got a call from some of my friends and found that they were waiting at our local bar for a welcome home party. It was great to see everyone again and good to be home! Thanks for reading along. Can't wait for the next adventure!
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