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Published: November 8th 2008
After a very long morning, we finally got cleared to disembark the ship, which everyone was eager to do, with all the trouble with the virus so many had. They were even quarantined for two days to their cabins two days after symptoms ended. One man said he was so anxious “to get off this xxxx boat, he was about ready to jump off into the water!”
The minute George and I arrived at the hotel in the city, we took off for Tiananmen Square near the Forbidden City, which was closed already. When you think of what happened there in about 1990 when the Communist came in with tanks to squash the rebellion, it was sobering. So many still love Mao Tse Tung, it’s so sad. They own nothing, they have very little, and they never will under that government. We had some trouble hailing a cab, like in NYC, but finally were off to the Flying Acrobatic Show which was better than any Cirque du Soleil we’ve ever seen, greatly surpassing the athletic ability and the “Gumby-ability” of the performers.
On the second day, we had the best tour we’ve taken in the whole trip because we
took a small bus with only 13 people and went to the Ming Tombs, this family being the most important Dynasty in China’s history. There are memorial buildings with statues of Emperors and mythic beasts, all with fantasy-filled stories to go with them. They were buried in the mountains all around and there is an underground tunnel system that links them. They don’t actually have their sites marked because they didn’t want people to come and steal all the jewels and jade they were buried with to (please the gods). What’s the saying? You can’t take it with you…..?
On the way to the Great Wall, we toured at a Jade factory and store and saw beautiful carvings. They also displayed an example of the 3 Olympic medals which had a ring of different Jade on each. This Jade is more expensive than gold they say. Our tour guide took us to a Cloisonné factory to see how it’s made and a store. My Dad brought my Mom some of this from Hong Kong while he was in the Navy back in the 1950’s. Mom put it in the living room on the mantle for all the years.
The Great Wall is 5600 km long, but we only did two sections, which was a very big climb of random small steps, very large steps and sloping concrete pathways. It was a killer climb. It’s really pretty on the hillsides stretching as far as you can see.
This last picture is for those to see who have not had the privilege of going to the bathroom with the hole-in-the-floor type that is so prevalent in these parts. I could tell you more about these restrooms, but it would make you sick, so I won’t.
On that note, I’ll leave you with a little taste of Asia in your mouth…giving you more to chew on than that favorite Chinese dish you order at the restaurant near you!
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Herveys
Susan & George Hervey
YOU'RE SO LUCKY!!!!!!!!
I'm a ding-dong!!!!! I just heard at crafts about your Travel Blog, I didn't see this earlier on my computer. Thanks for sharing your vacation with all of us! We miss you! Linda and Paul