Wednesday, April 28, 2010
We try to see as much as possible, but in the end there is only time
for two more of Steve's highlights. Once again, we are not
disappointed.
SUMMER PALACE
This is a huge park that was the Royal Family retreat. The
scale of the place is grand and the architecture is remarkable, but once
again I think the people are the stars of the visit. It is popular for
all sorts of Beijing
folks and today seems to be a big day for school field trips. Great
flocks of yellow baseball hats and much youthful excitement. The future
of the New China is everywhere. Posing for class photos, they yell
"Eggplant!" in Chinese and show the v-victory sign.
We see that pose all over China when pictures are taken.
Older visitors stroll the grounds, and rest for the views. The climb up
to the high temple is worth the effort - the crowd thins out a bit and
is a little more subdued.
LAMA TEMPLE
China shows its tolerance for religion by supporting the
large Yonghegong Lamsery. Inside, worshipers of Tibetan Buddhism mingle
with foreign visitors. The street outside is bustling with merchants
hawking incense and religious trinkets. The atmosphere is more subdued
inside the grounds and we wander from one temple structure to the next.
One older worshiper, with incense offering in hand, chats on her cell
phone as she makes her way between temples. I am respectful of the
worshipers, but I do sneak a picture or two so that I remember.
T R A V E L S
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Two Days is not Enough
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Beijing is a spectacularly large city, partly because they have just gotten around to building skyscrapers. Much of the city is mid-height and stretches on forever, but the universal feature that catches my eye is the broad tree lined streets and boulevards. The city has an honest feel, as cities go. We have a tour guide who goes by Steve for his English name. The name was given by his English teacher, and it stuck. Steve says there are seven highlights when visiting Beijing and there is no way we can see them all in the time we have. We choose the ones we think we will enjoy and we are not disappointed.
TEMPLE OF HEAVEN
This is not a temple, but an ongoing party for Beijing residents. It is a huge park complex, once used by the Emperor, but now is popular for family recreation.
We visit during the week and I see crowds of people, mainly older, being active in all manner of ways. A whole area is simple exercise equipment that is well used - everyone has some way to make use of the equipment. Bending, stretching, pulling, pushing. A troop of ethnic dancers keep the crowd smiling.
An old man demonstrates his calligraphy with a damp brush on the dusty stone pavement. Fifty couples do the foxtrot to Chinese music.
Several groups practice something like hacky sack with a feathered ball. Music and karaoke singers are everywhere. Rhythmic dancing with bright colored ribbons. And of course, card playing and gambling. All of this eclipses appreciation the temple structures which are, by the way, magnificent. Lunch is at a large, noisy noodle house but it hits the spot.
FORBIDDEN CITY
The heart of Beijing is former residence of the Emperor and his family originally built in the early 1400's, and the place is only about as big as Central Park. Whoever is in charge of counting, came up with 9,999 rooms - respectfully, one less than heavenly perfection. The primary entry is from the south, under the ever youthful portrait of Chairman Mao. Police and military are nearby, but the atmosphere is upbeat and expectant. The military Honor Guard is impressive - (all members are chosen to be 1.83 meters in height). Families pose for pictures everywhere.
Plazas and courtyards lead into the inner heart of the complex where every structure seems to have a throne room. In one building, ceramics are on display which could have been made today but are thousands of years old. Huge bronze urns once held water to protect against fire and show the scratches where invading foreign troops scraped off the gold plating with their bayonets during the Boxer rebellion. Bronze trim on hundreds of doors show the polish of millions of fingers outlining the dragon motif.
By the end of the day, we are worn out and beg Steve to cut the tour short. It is a rush to the Chinese Acrobat Show for a 1 hour show that is a lot of fun. Dinner is another food highlight with Beijing Duck at a popular restaurant. I think during this whole trip there have been only two meals that missed being exceptional.
Beijing is a spectacularly large city, partly because they have just gotten around to building skyscrapers. Much of the city is mid-height and stretches on forever, but the universal feature that catches my eye is the broad tree lined streets and boulevards. The city has an honest feel, as cities go. We have a tour guide who goes by Steve for his English name. The name was given by his English teacher, and it stuck. Steve says there are seven highlights when visiting Beijing and there is no way we can see them all in the time we have. We choose the ones we think we will enjoy and we are not disappointed.
TEMPLE OF HEAVEN
This is not a temple, but an ongoing party for Beijing residents. It is a huge park complex, once used by the Emperor, but now is popular for family recreation.
We visit during the week and I see crowds of people, mainly older, being active in all manner of ways. A whole area is simple exercise equipment that is well used - everyone has some way to make use of the equipment. Bending, stretching, pulling, pushing. A troop of ethnic dancers keep the crowd smiling.
An old man demonstrates his calligraphy with a damp brush on the dusty stone pavement. Fifty couples do the foxtrot to Chinese music.
Several groups practice something like hacky sack with a feathered ball. Music and karaoke singers are everywhere. Rhythmic dancing with bright colored ribbons. And of course, card playing and gambling. All of this eclipses appreciation the temple structures which are, by the way, magnificent. Lunch is at a large, noisy noodle house but it hits the spot.
FORBIDDEN CITY
The heart of Beijing is former residence of the Emperor and his family originally built in the early 1400's, and the place is only about as big as Central Park. Whoever is in charge of counting, came up with 9,999 rooms - respectfully, one less than heavenly perfection. The primary entry is from the south, under the ever youthful portrait of Chairman Mao. Police and military are nearby, but the atmosphere is upbeat and expectant. The military Honor Guard is impressive - (all members are chosen to be 1.83 meters in height). Families pose for pictures everywhere.
Plazas and courtyards lead into the inner heart of the complex where every structure seems to have a throne room. In one building, ceramics are on display which could have been made today but are thousands of years old. Huge bronze urns once held water to protect against fire and show the scratches where invading foreign troops scraped off the gold plating with their bayonets during the Boxer rebellion. Bronze trim on hundreds of doors show the polish of millions of fingers outlining the dragon motif.
By the end of the day, we are worn out and beg Steve to cut the tour short. It is a rush to the Chinese Acrobat Show for a 1 hour show that is a lot of fun. Dinner is another food highlight with Beijing Duck at a popular restaurant. I think during this whole trip there have been only two meals that missed being exceptional.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Train to Beijing
Monday, April 26, 2010
Taxi to Hung Hom Railway Station, which is a hub for regional commute trains, as well as the through trains into Mainland China. The station is busy, but finding the immigration area and train departure lounge is not too difficult.
A “Deluxe Soft Sleeper” means bunks that are actually quite
hard, but private toilet and table make a comfortable setting for the 24
hour trip to Beijing.
After about an hour, we stop at Guangzhou, I think to change engines,
and there is a knock at the door. People with uniforms enter and there
is a moment of confusion until the Conductor introduces herself and want
to get into the toilet because it is “bad” workmen enter and after a
bit of banging and commotion below the train car, all is fixed.
It's now the next morning and the countryside rolls by as I
listen to Mark Knoffler and Emmylou Harris on my headset. I realize
that, at least along this train route, there is not an acre of unused
land. All is crops or towns, farmhouses or apartment blocks. I see
buildings going up, or falling down, trucks & bicycles, isolated
farmers in endless fields or trackside railway workers, Small backyard
plots and new broad highways with no traffic. Much of what goes by is
old and decrepit, but there is activity everywhere. The continuous
rhythm of towns, fields, and cities is relaxing and gives some time to
prepare for bustling Beijing.
Taxi to Hung Hom Railway Station, which is a hub for regional commute trains, as well as the through trains into Mainland China. The station is busy, but finding the immigration area and train departure lounge is not too difficult.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Ferry to Macao
Friday, April 23, 2010
The ferry to Macao is a high speed catamaran – quite impressive, leaving every 15 minutes to the
former Portuguese colony. There is a lot of traffic, mostly due to the many new casinos that have been established there. The paper has an article claiming the Steve Winn is considering moving his headquarters from Las Vegas to Macao. I have some trouble getting my head around Macao. I think I had heard it described as Hong Kong's poor stepsister, and I guess that says a lot. Now is is a mix of one third old Chinese neighborhoods, one third Portuguese colonial, and one third overdone casinos. I don't think they get along well with each other, and the contrasts are there to see every time you look at the skyline. There is a small Taoist temple not far from a pretty Catholic church. Getting lost in back alleyways is easy, but there is a crazy highrise casino that dominates the skyline and promises to have a taxi stand. The ferry back to Hong Kong is packed – two levels of airline style seating, 16 across. Hong Kong harbor is spectacular at night when we return.
The ferry to Macao is a high speed catamaran – quite impressive, leaving every 15 minutes to the
former Portuguese colony. There is a lot of traffic, mostly due to the many new casinos that have been established there. The paper has an article claiming the Steve Winn is considering moving his headquarters from Las Vegas to Macao. I have some trouble getting my head around Macao. I think I had heard it described as Hong Kong's poor stepsister, and I guess that says a lot. Now is is a mix of one third old Chinese neighborhoods, one third Portuguese colonial, and one third overdone casinos. I don't think they get along well with each other, and the contrasts are there to see every time you look at the skyline. There is a small Taoist temple not far from a pretty Catholic church. Getting lost in back alleyways is easy, but there is a crazy highrise casino that dominates the skyline and promises to have a taxi stand. The ferry back to Hong Kong is packed – two levels of airline style seating, 16 across. Hong Kong harbor is spectacular at night when we return.
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