Mary Jo

Maryjo13

Mary Jo

I grew up in a small suburb on the Southside of Chicago. Even though I lived in the suburbs, I always went to school in the city and I think that as well as my camping experience with the Chicago Boys Club had a great influence on my development -- second of course to my family. As a kid I hated geography because I really wasn't interested in memorizing the capitals of different countries or memorizing rivers...I would have loved to have learned about people and culture. I have been so blessed...I have traveled to Mexico multiple times, El Salvador, Honduras, the Caribbean, Paris, Japan, Budapest, Vienna, traversed all of Ireland -- North and South, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa, Barcelona, many cities in Canada, India and Nepal, Egypt...and now China and Tibet -- unbelievable. And I am not done...I have my sights set on Turkey and Thailand... (I arrived in Egypt last year the day before the revolution began. what an experience and to think I was a witness to history in the making!)

Last day in China

Asia » China » Beijing September 28th 2012

Tibet monk

Maryjo13

9/28 You are all probably glad this trip is coming to an end. You hear more from me when I am off and running than when I am at home. It is a lot of work and I really do it becasue I have the best mom in the world. I don't want her worrying about me. Well, I thought I was off to the Forbidden City today – site of the Last Emperor but such was not to be the case. I was quite sick last night – chills, vomiting, bad cough, etc. I knew I was going to reach my limit soon and it came one day earlier than I had hoped. I am not used to beginning day after day at 5:30 and going strong until at least 9 at night; I am ... read more

Walking the Great Wall

Asia » China » Beijing September 27th 2012

Maryjo13

I goofed because I am so tired. I did not walk much of the Great Wall. I walked much of one section of the GReat Wall. It is the part that has the least tourists. I was happy we went to this section. MJ... read more

The Great Wall

Asia » China » Tibet September 27th 2012

On the Great Wall

Maryjo13

Today was quite a day. I did walk much of the great wall of China. I still can’t believe it. I made it to the 6th of 8 stations and then the Siberian winds started really blowing and the Chinese people started coming down the mountain. Then the rain started and I began my descent. It was quite a climb because the stairs are not even, there are few handrails and each step is 4 or 5 bricks high. I had a very high time getting up the 5-brick steps. One very nice younger Chinese lady helped me with one as I approached what was the end of my traveling along the Great Wall. We then went to the Olympic Village and I saw the beehive and then to the zoo to see the pandas. I ... read more

Arrived in Beijing

Asia » China » Beijing September 26th 2012

Tibetan cultural show

Maryjo13

9/26 I am in the airport in Tibet awaiting my flight to Beijing. It is a 4 hour flight. This morning on the way we had hardly passed an old man with a cart drawn by a donkey or some other animal when a car came at a fast pace in the other lane. He crashed right into him. I am sure he died. It was not the way to start the day. Going through security hear I had to pull up my jeans and show the scars on both knees…a first for me. I am now in Beijing. I have been up since 5AM and it is now 4:30 PM…I forgot to mention the napkins here---they are the size of one sheet of the cheapest toilet paper made in the US…no pictures today and I ... read more

Second real day in Tibet

Asia » China » Tibet September 25th 2012

At the temple

Maryjo13

9/25 I am really confused about time and date. I am twelve hours ahead of EST so I thought it would be easy but I do not find it so. Yesterday afternoon after a rest and quite a bit of soaking my foot and ankle I went out for the afternoon trip to a handcraft factory and then to dinner with a show about Tibetan culture. If I could have skipped the dinner I would have because there is too much food. However, the bus did not come back to the hotel so I had to go. It turned out it was a buffet so I had just a little rice with oysters and mushrooms; I don’t think I will east rice for a very long time once I get home. I don’t know if you ... read more

Tibet

Asia » China » Tibet September 24th 2012

Welcomed to Tibet

Maryjo13

9/24 in Tibet Today is the real test of my stamina. We go to the Potala Palace. It is a little over 14 stories high and you climb on the ancient cement stairs. I am going to give it a try. I can go half way before I after to continue and can’t turn around. Another wrinkle is you must do it in an hour. For every minute you are late, you are fined !00 RMB (.60 US) for every person in the group. For us that is 21 since we have 19 tourists, 1 local guide and a tour manager. To tell the truth I am less concerned about going up than coming down. Two young guys on the trip told me they would help me. I will see how it goes when I am ... read more

Last day in Xi'an and first day in Tibet

Asia » China » Tibet September 23rd 2012

DAncing in the park on Saturday morning

Maryjo13

It is Sunday here. We are leaving for the airport in 30 minutes so I thought I would try and catch up a bit. Yesterday was truly a remarkable day. The guide referred to the Terra Cotta soldiers as the 8thwonder of the world and they truly are…unbelievable – 8000 infantry men, 2000 on horses and then all of the big shots. They were made in 221 BC because the emperor wanted to be sure and have a wonderful next life. They have discovered his tomb and believe there is a whole underground city with loads of gold and silver but the scientists do not want to dig up the tomb yet. The soldiers originally were painted but they lost their color almost immediately after being exposed to our air. I hope I am still on ... read more

Greetings from Xi"an

Asia » China September 22nd 2012

Maryjo13

9/22/12 73) am No pictures from yesterday. Much of the day was spent traveling from hotel to airport, airport to Xi’an and then to new hotel. We did stop and spend a couple hours at a natural history museum which had 9 Terra Cotta soldiers and 4 horses. Today we go to a park where the Chinese exercise and then to a lacquer factory and finally to the Terra Cotta soldiers – 8000 of them. I can’t wait. I really like Xi’an. It is very quaint and is the ancient capital of china; now it is the cultural center of China. Our local guide here is Dari…about 30. She is very nice and has a 4 year old daughter. She talked about the one family, one child policy and said farmers get a second chance if ... read more

Leaving Shanghai

Asia » China » Shanghai September 20th 2012

An intersetin ad

Maryjo13

9/21/12 6 AM Today we move on to Xi’an. I had to put my suitcase outside my door for pick-pubs 6:30 and I woke up early…I do not want to be late. This is my third Gate One tour and this is the first time the guide told people that if they were not on the bus on time, they would need to catch a cab to catch up with the group! I think this is cultural and part of being in China. You always follow the rules –no exception. Sorry I am a day behind on my travels but by the time we come back to the hotel I am beat. Yesterday again what was most interesting to me is my two guides. The woman who is 31 talked about growing up in her family ... read more

MJ in water village in front of neighborhood level of government

A watertown in China

Asia » China » Shanghai September 20th 2012

The Grand Canel

Maryjo13

9/20 am I am going to write today about my tour guides. The program manager who will be with me through Tibet has the English name Nina. The Shanghai specialist is Charlie and Charlie is the person who picked me up at the airport when I arrived. Nina is 31 and a university graduate; Charlie is much closer to my age and he looks tired and like he has had a hard life. (Six of us leave the group after Tibet because we are not going on the Yangtze River cruise. Everyone else is…I just did not have the time to spend. A couple from Canada are going from here to Thailand. They are maximizing there flying and they are both retired so time is not an issue) Yesterday in the bus both shared some of ... read more

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