Tuesday, March 30, 2010
More pictures
Here are a few more shots worth talking about. One is a large porcelain vase discovered in the tomb when it was unearthed. Now the emperor was buried around 1670 I believe. When he was buried and before the tomb doors were closed, these vases were filled with sesame oil and had a copper tube with a large cotton wick inside. They were set ablaze and meant to be burned through eternity for him. I guess they weren't considering the lack of oxygen to inhibit the flame...When the tomb was opened, once the dark black smoke bellowed out that had been sealed in for hundreds of years, they found this vase 3/4 full of sesame oil.
Also, there are the shoes that were buried with Empress. Notice how small they are. Of course her feet were bound and she lived an existence of pure pain. When examining the shoes you will notice they are pointed at the front. Lotus explained to me how the big toe is left unaltered and the remaining toes are folded under and bound. The point allows for the toe to fit comfortably. Of course, the smaller the feet the more beautiful they were thought to be. These shoes were no more than 6" long!
Also, there is the marble coffin which encased the Emperor's body. There was one for the Empress and one for the house maid that the Emperor slept with once, got pregnant and bore him his first son. Although the Emperor did not favor her ever again, the Empress was happy to have what she considered a grandchild. She and the child were fond of the house maid. Well, I would hope he was, it was his mother. He had her placed in the tomb as a sign of gratitude. Also, the empress was allowed to die a natural death. Usually when the Emperor died they would feed his wife a wonderful meal, let her feast and then hang her. They would put her body in the tomb. He thought it cruel so he let her die a natural death. Big of him considering he still bound her feet!
There is also a marble door. It is huge. It glides shut following a marble hinge and there are two that close together to make an air tight seal. There are three sets of these marble doors on the entrance we came through, and I believe three more sets on the other entrance. I was able to touch behind them (the fronts are covered with glass now), and it was ice cold. Wow, amazing structure.
I think for fun I will also enclose a picture of the toilet at the restaurant. For anyone who has not had the pleasure to use a Chinese squat toilet ~ I don't want you to miss the visual. Now imagine that the floor is also very wet. This is actually a very 'upper scale' model. You can't even imagine some that I have used on this trip. And so you know, NO squat bathroom ever supplies toilet paper. You buy the nice little packages to keep in your purse. If you forget them, well - you get the picture.
Also, there are the shoes that were buried with Empress. Notice how small they are. Of course her feet were bound and she lived an existence of pure pain. When examining the shoes you will notice they are pointed at the front. Lotus explained to me how the big toe is left unaltered and the remaining toes are folded under and bound. The point allows for the toe to fit comfortably. Of course, the smaller the feet the more beautiful they were thought to be. These shoes were no more than 6" long!
Also, there is the marble coffin which encased the Emperor's body. There was one for the Empress and one for the house maid that the Emperor slept with once, got pregnant and bore him his first son. Although the Emperor did not favor her ever again, the Empress was happy to have what she considered a grandchild. She and the child were fond of the house maid. Well, I would hope he was, it was his mother. He had her placed in the tomb as a sign of gratitude. Also, the empress was allowed to die a natural death. Usually when the Emperor died they would feed his wife a wonderful meal, let her feast and then hang her. They would put her body in the tomb. He thought it cruel so he let her die a natural death. Big of him considering he still bound her feet!
There is also a marble door. It is huge. It glides shut following a marble hinge and there are two that close together to make an air tight seal. There are three sets of these marble doors on the entrance we came through, and I believe three more sets on the other entrance. I was able to touch behind them (the fronts are covered with glass now), and it was ice cold. Wow, amazing structure.
I think for fun I will also enclose a picture of the toilet at the restaurant. For anyone who has not had the pleasure to use a Chinese squat toilet ~ I don't want you to miss the visual. Now imagine that the floor is also very wet. This is actually a very 'upper scale' model. You can't even imagine some that I have used on this trip. And so you know, NO squat bathroom ever supplies toilet paper. You buy the nice little packages to keep in your purse. If you forget them, well - you get the picture.
Tombs & The Great Wall
You know how you plan things and then they just don't go quite like you planned? Hmm...today was one of those days. You might say it was when I turned lemons into lemonade. Knowing I had just a few days left in China I booked an English speaking guide, a car and a driver to take me to the Mutianyu section of The Great Wall and to the Ming Tombs. I have never been to this section of the wall and I have not been to the tombs since 1988. I was so excited to go!
Heading to the lobby I noticed the pouring rain outside. I ran back up to the room and grabbed my gloves in case it was cooler than yesterday. My guide showed up and we got in the car. She is a sweet little thing name Lotus, the driver was Mr. Wang. As we began the winding, curving mountain road I began feeling a wee bit carsick. It was probably 'good' that I had not had any breakfast.
Soon the car windows became fogged and honestly, you could not see more than half a car length in front of you. Mr. Wang did an awesome job missing bicyclists and the rocks that were sliding down the mountain sides into the road. The rain, the cool air and the mist that was rising from the pavement made for a beautiful 'other worldly' experience. Lotus looked back at me and said, "In all my years of guiding, I have NEVER climbed the Wall in the rain." She looked a bit frightened.
I told her that we did not need to push it simply because I booked the tour. We would take what we could. The rain continued and it got harder and harder to see. We arrived at the Wall and opted to take the gondola (Thank you Jesus) to Guard Tower 14. The steps were steep in parts, shallow in parts, but slippery in ALL parts.
It was cool. I imagined I was in the Qing/Ming Dynasties and warding off Mongolian invaders. The atmosphere was incredible and the tourist level was almost non-existent. Lotus explained to me that each guard tower was built to reflect the manner of buildings that were predominant in each guards home territory. Since the guards moved there to defend the tower the Emperor wanted them to feel at home.
Also, is an enclosed picture of a small arrow shooting window It shows how the inner and outer window were at different levels so that the attacker could not see the face of the archer. It is really cool. I wanted to gaze down the Wall and see it winding and stretching off into skyline but I was lucky just to see the next guard tower. I was a bit disappointed, but I was in the rain - in the mist - in China - on the Great Wall. How could any of that be disappointing?
We finally left the Wall (oh, after I tumbled down a 20" step). It was the last of about 10. They were SO steep and so slippery. My foot just twisted and thank God I was on the last step. All I could think about is those poor Chinese guys who would have to haul my big American body up 300 steps to transport me if I had broken my ankle!
We decided to have lunch next. We pulled up to this rather large greenhouse. I thought it quite odd, until we walked in! It is a little Oasis of green in the middle of nowhere. I had a lovely lunch, saddened that even in 2010 the tour guide and driver are not allowed to eat with me. The staff was very attentive and were some of the cutest teenagers I have ever seen. We left the restaurant and headed to a Jade Factory tour. It was interesting to hear about the different varieties of jade and I finally bit the bullet and bought the most beautiful jade bangle.
In china it is still tradition to give a bangle on the wedding day rather than a ring. The bangle is round and also represents eternal love. Jade is considered a living stone and the deposits in it will continue to blossom over the years. Mine has a small pocket of lavender (very light lavender - almost clear) and a couple of veins of darker jade that will bloom more in the yars to come. It is simply exquisite. Chinese tradition says to wear the bangle on the left arm. they believe jade is good for the body and the left arm is near the heart s they believe it is of benefit to wear it.
Arriving at the Ming Tombs we walked in the rain some more. By now my leather gloves were becoming quite wet and I was wondering why I was having water drip on my head even under the umbrella. Must have had something to do with the hole it the top? That's the last time I buy a $1.25 umbrella!
We went to the only tomb that has been opened. It is the tomb of Ding Ling (thought you'd all like that). It is nothing I remember from when I went in '88, except the inside of the tomb. The grounds were beautiful and so eerie. Eerie, in the coolest way. You will see the photo of the Diamond Gate which is the gate they found to enter the tomb back in '58. Sadly, during the cultural revolution of '66-'76 the protestors filed in and destroyed the tombs. They said that this represented the Feudal system and they were now the 'free' system so the blatantly destroyed thousans of years of relics.
Also, I learned that the the walls of the tombs along with the Great Wall were fused together with sticky rice and egg whites since cement had not been invented. There are sections preserved where you can see the rice. It is awesome. I have also attached a photo of one of several trees on the grounds at the tombs. It is called the Dragons Claw. It is really unusual and you can almost imagine a huge dragon claw when you look at it.
Coming home traffic was so thick it took 2 hours to go 35 miles. It afforded me time to talk to Lotus though and was worth every minute. She even came inside my hotel when i got back and bargained with them to allow me to stay in my room until 5pm on Friday since my flight is not until 9pm. Maybe I can sleep and get rested for that long flight home.
When we were in Prague 2 years ago I had a day planned to take my family to Wenceles Castle. I thought it would be splendid in the bright warm sunlight. It was pouring rain! As I apologized to my boys Dalton looked at me and said, "Look up mom." The gargoyles on the castle roof were spewing water at a rapid rate. It was incredible to see each figure and animal doing the job it was placed there for. He said, "If it had been sunny we would have missed this. This is more than I hoped for." Today was like that. The rain never stopped. There was an eternal mist and fog that blanketed every thing we saw. It felt surreal and transported me to ancient China. I thought of Dalton's comments, and like him, I felt this was more than I could have hoped for.
Heading to the lobby I noticed the pouring rain outside. I ran back up to the room and grabbed my gloves in case it was cooler than yesterday. My guide showed up and we got in the car. She is a sweet little thing name Lotus, the driver was Mr. Wang. As we began the winding, curving mountain road I began feeling a wee bit carsick. It was probably 'good' that I had not had any breakfast.
Soon the car windows became fogged and honestly, you could not see more than half a car length in front of you. Mr. Wang did an awesome job missing bicyclists and the rocks that were sliding down the mountain sides into the road. The rain, the cool air and the mist that was rising from the pavement made for a beautiful 'other worldly' experience. Lotus looked back at me and said, "In all my years of guiding, I have NEVER climbed the Wall in the rain." She looked a bit frightened.
I told her that we did not need to push it simply because I booked the tour. We would take what we could. The rain continued and it got harder and harder to see. We arrived at the Wall and opted to take the gondola (Thank you Jesus) to Guard Tower 14. The steps were steep in parts, shallow in parts, but slippery in ALL parts.
It was cool. I imagined I was in the Qing/Ming Dynasties and warding off Mongolian invaders. The atmosphere was incredible and the tourist level was almost non-existent. Lotus explained to me that each guard tower was built to reflect the manner of buildings that were predominant in each guards home territory. Since the guards moved there to defend the tower the Emperor wanted them to feel at home.
Also, is an enclosed picture of a small arrow shooting window It shows how the inner and outer window were at different levels so that the attacker could not see the face of the archer. It is really cool. I wanted to gaze down the Wall and see it winding and stretching off into skyline but I was lucky just to see the next guard tower. I was a bit disappointed, but I was in the rain - in the mist - in China - on the Great Wall. How could any of that be disappointing?
We finally left the Wall (oh, after I tumbled down a 20" step). It was the last of about 10. They were SO steep and so slippery. My foot just twisted and thank God I was on the last step. All I could think about is those poor Chinese guys who would have to haul my big American body up 300 steps to transport me if I had broken my ankle!
We decided to have lunch next. We pulled up to this rather large greenhouse. I thought it quite odd, until we walked in! It is a little Oasis of green in the middle of nowhere. I had a lovely lunch, saddened that even in 2010 the tour guide and driver are not allowed to eat with me. The staff was very attentive and were some of the cutest teenagers I have ever seen. We left the restaurant and headed to a Jade Factory tour. It was interesting to hear about the different varieties of jade and I finally bit the bullet and bought the most beautiful jade bangle.
In china it is still tradition to give a bangle on the wedding day rather than a ring. The bangle is round and also represents eternal love. Jade is considered a living stone and the deposits in it will continue to blossom over the years. Mine has a small pocket of lavender (very light lavender - almost clear) and a couple of veins of darker jade that will bloom more in the yars to come. It is simply exquisite. Chinese tradition says to wear the bangle on the left arm. they believe jade is good for the body and the left arm is near the heart s they believe it is of benefit to wear it.
Arriving at the Ming Tombs we walked in the rain some more. By now my leather gloves were becoming quite wet and I was wondering why I was having water drip on my head even under the umbrella. Must have had something to do with the hole it the top? That's the last time I buy a $1.25 umbrella!
We went to the only tomb that has been opened. It is the tomb of Ding Ling (thought you'd all like that). It is nothing I remember from when I went in '88, except the inside of the tomb. The grounds were beautiful and so eerie. Eerie, in the coolest way. You will see the photo of the Diamond Gate which is the gate they found to enter the tomb back in '58. Sadly, during the cultural revolution of '66-'76 the protestors filed in and destroyed the tombs. They said that this represented the Feudal system and they were now the 'free' system so the blatantly destroyed thousans of years of relics.
Also, I learned that the the walls of the tombs along with the Great Wall were fused together with sticky rice and egg whites since cement had not been invented. There are sections preserved where you can see the rice. It is awesome. I have also attached a photo of one of several trees on the grounds at the tombs. It is called the Dragons Claw. It is really unusual and you can almost imagine a huge dragon claw when you look at it.
Coming home traffic was so thick it took 2 hours to go 35 miles. It afforded me time to talk to Lotus though and was worth every minute. She even came inside my hotel when i got back and bargained with them to allow me to stay in my room until 5pm on Friday since my flight is not until 9pm. Maybe I can sleep and get rested for that long flight home.
When we were in Prague 2 years ago I had a day planned to take my family to Wenceles Castle. I thought it would be splendid in the bright warm sunlight. It was pouring rain! As I apologized to my boys Dalton looked at me and said, "Look up mom." The gargoyles on the castle roof were spewing water at a rapid rate. It was incredible to see each figure and animal doing the job it was placed there for. He said, "If it had been sunny we would have missed this. This is more than I hoped for." Today was like that. The rain never stopped. There was an eternal mist and fog that blanketed every thing we saw. It felt surreal and transported me to ancient China. I thought of Dalton's comments, and like him, I felt this was more than I could have hoped for.
Temple of Heaven
Waking early I lay in bed contemplating the day that lay before me. I decided without too much hesitation to visit the Temple of Heaven. I have been there twice before, and I think it's a beautiful spot but I have just never had the time to wander and explore. I was quite excited to get my day started.
It was a bit warmer this morning and I was able to dress in a fleece top and a vest. It looked like impending rain all day long but never did transpire. Showing my Temple of Heaven card to the cabbie we headed off in a direction I was not quite sure of. None of it looked familiar after the first kilometer. We drove for quite a while and then he started pointing and speaking rather rapidly to me. I assumed we were there (or near by) and when he stopped. I thanked him and departed from the cab.
I could see the entrance and began to follow the groups of 'obvious foriegners' towards the south gate. I purchased my ticket and noticed a bathroom nearby so I decided to make a stop before entering. OMG! I am standing there and old ladies just start pushing me out of the way. The more I tried to move toward a stall, honestly - 25 people pushed past me. Finally I threw my hands up in the air and yelled, "Really ? ! " They stopped for a moment and then tried to push me over, I just put my arm out and yelled, "No!" they looked at me as though I were half mad. Which is true. I WAS mad!
It is hard to believe the serenity which resides within the walls that enclose the TOH and Ritian Park, you would never believe such a maddening city lies outside of them. The park is full of several thousand (according to the plaques) old cypress trees, many which are 800 years old. There are miles of paved sidewalk and it is peaceful as birds chirp, music plays and locals sing along while walking slowly through the park. The TOH itself is a beautiful building and there are many on the grounds that the Emperor used once a year during the Harvest Festival. The domed ceiling in the TOH is made of thousands of hand fired ceramic tiles. There is not a nail in the ceiling, the tiles are all tongue and groove. Amazing.
There were old men chattering and doing water calligraphy on the sidewalks. Children were flying kites with their parents and the most beautiful bride and groom were having photographs taken. I sipped on chrysanthemum tea and played ball for a few minutes with a man. It was a very nice day.
I remember the last time I was there. Our family was here together. I was texting Jim all throughout the park, it was like he was there. I wish he could have been. My boys bought a chinese hacky sack with feathers attached. Today, they were out in mass playing with them and selling them. I looked up and there were two little boys, brothers obviously. They each had one and were laughing and kicking it around. One had blonde hair and one had brown hair, they were no more than 3 years apart in age. Wow, it just stopped me in my tracks. It was so reminiscent of my boys when we were there. I'm grateful I got to see them. God is GOOD.
It was a bit warmer this morning and I was able to dress in a fleece top and a vest. It looked like impending rain all day long but never did transpire. Showing my Temple of Heaven card to the cabbie we headed off in a direction I was not quite sure of. None of it looked familiar after the first kilometer. We drove for quite a while and then he started pointing and speaking rather rapidly to me. I assumed we were there (or near by) and when he stopped. I thanked him and departed from the cab.
I could see the entrance and began to follow the groups of 'obvious foriegners' towards the south gate. I purchased my ticket and noticed a bathroom nearby so I decided to make a stop before entering. OMG! I am standing there and old ladies just start pushing me out of the way. The more I tried to move toward a stall, honestly - 25 people pushed past me. Finally I threw my hands up in the air and yelled, "Really ? ! " They stopped for a moment and then tried to push me over, I just put my arm out and yelled, "No!" they looked at me as though I were half mad. Which is true. I WAS mad!
It is hard to believe the serenity which resides within the walls that enclose the TOH and Ritian Park, you would never believe such a maddening city lies outside of them. The park is full of several thousand (according to the plaques) old cypress trees, many which are 800 years old. There are miles of paved sidewalk and it is peaceful as birds chirp, music plays and locals sing along while walking slowly through the park. The TOH itself is a beautiful building and there are many on the grounds that the Emperor used once a year during the Harvest Festival. The domed ceiling in the TOH is made of thousands of hand fired ceramic tiles. There is not a nail in the ceiling, the tiles are all tongue and groove. Amazing.
There were old men chattering and doing water calligraphy on the sidewalks. Children were flying kites with their parents and the most beautiful bride and groom were having photographs taken. I sipped on chrysanthemum tea and played ball for a few minutes with a man. It was a very nice day.
I remember the last time I was there. Our family was here together. I was texting Jim all throughout the park, it was like he was there. I wish he could have been. My boys bought a chinese hacky sack with feathers attached. Today, they were out in mass playing with them and selling them. I looked up and there were two little boys, brothers obviously. They each had one and were laughing and kicking it around. One had blonde hair and one had brown hair, they were no more than 3 years apart in age. Wow, it just stopped me in my tracks. It was so reminiscent of my boys when we were there. I'm grateful I got to see them. God is GOOD.
Shopping Post Script
I knew I had more to say. I am enclosing a picture of the tea set I picked up today. It is small and delicate. It is hand made porcelain and frankly, it is possibly the cutest tea set I have ever seen. You hold the little tails of the gold fish as your handle. Oh! It is sweet. (And Jim, I know what you are thinking...and No, I don't 'need' another tea set, but if the truth be told - you would have bargained for it as well, and maybe paid more than I did ;). You will love it...)
Also, the little girl attached to the last mail kept grabbing my face. She would look at me and tell me she loved my eyes. She would laugh and laugh. Finally she said, "You know why I love your eyes?" Ok, so call me vain, I am thinking, "Hmmm, because the are a beautiful sparkling green with a hint of blue around the edges?" She touches my face and says, "I like these lines." Oh my hell! She liked my wrinkles!!!! I said, "You like the wrinkles?" She laughed, and said, "You not old lady - you have pretty wrinkles on your eyes!"
It was just so funny. I showed her the pictures of my boys. All the shop girls within a 20' radius filled the shop and passed the pictures around. One said, "Oh! I like him! (Austin)"...Another said, "I like the older boy! (Dalton, even though he is younger)." They said, "You no have husband lady?" I said, "Yes, I do." I showed the photo from a few years ago when we had a family photo done. Several of the girls squealed with delight. "Oh lady, your husband look good."
Years ago when we were here women would always run up and want their photo taken with Jim. So Jim, FYI - they had the exact same reaction today as they did a few years ago :) The market was fun. Maybe I will go back and try meandering without buying and just enjoy myself.
Also, the little girl attached to the last mail kept grabbing my face. She would look at me and tell me she loved my eyes. She would laugh and laugh. Finally she said, "You know why I love your eyes?" Ok, so call me vain, I am thinking, "Hmmm, because the are a beautiful sparkling green with a hint of blue around the edges?" She touches my face and says, "I like these lines." Oh my hell! She liked my wrinkles!!!! I said, "You like the wrinkles?" She laughed, and said, "You not old lady - you have pretty wrinkles on your eyes!"
It was just so funny. I showed her the pictures of my boys. All the shop girls within a 20' radius filled the shop and passed the pictures around. One said, "Oh! I like him! (Austin)"...Another said, "I like the older boy! (Dalton, even though he is younger)." They said, "You no have husband lady?" I said, "Yes, I do." I showed the photo from a few years ago when we had a family photo done. Several of the girls squealed with delight. "Oh lady, your husband look good."
Years ago when we were here women would always run up and want their photo taken with Jim. So Jim, FYI - they had the exact same reaction today as they did a few years ago :) The market was fun. Maybe I will go back and try meandering without buying and just enjoy myself.
I shopped, I dropped......
Relishing the moment of having just had yet another 2 hour massage, I went next door from the Dragonfly to my favorite little Sunday afternoon restaurant. As I entered, the sweet little girl who offered me a second cup of hot water in the previous snowstorm smiled as I walked in and took me to my 'usual' table. The business deal I thought I was watching transpire last time between some business men and the chef had obviously made changes in the restaurant. This time I was waited on by the man in the tight white pants, (whom I now refer to in my mind simply as Hawaii Five-O), and another man with a hairline similar to Chow Yun Fat in Curse of the Golden Flower.
Both men attended to me with more attention than I give a wonderful meal I am cooking. They wouldn't let me drink more than two sips of beer without being there to replenish it. I ordered some Fried matsu-taki mushrooms and the wonderful beef and rice noodles I love so much. When they brought out the mushrooms, the chef had placed them inside a beautifully designed rice noodle heart. It was a beautiful plate and the one man kept asking if it was ok. I said, "Yes - I want to take a picture of it." He stood over my shoulder watching my camera screen as I took the photo, all the while nodding at Hawaii Five-O.
It was really tasty. The Chinese crack me up. I think they have discovered 'sprinkles'. You know, the sugar kind the kids love on ice cream. They sprinkled them all around my dish. There were hearts and moons and stars (not lucky charms). It is odd, they add sprinkles to the most savory of dishes, but that is what they do here. Anyhow, it was a delicious meal...again!
Leaving lunch I hailed a cab and had him take me to the Silk Market. OMG! I have just spent 6 hours in a labyrinth of indoor stalls hocking everything from tea sets to trinkets, silk to shoes, tailor-made suits to handmade crafts. I am EXHAUSTED! No, really. I am exhausted! I don't think I could have spent another 5 minutes in there. All I heard was, "Lady, come look. Lady want cashmere. Lady, you want Tiffany? Painting? Tea? Jewelry? Jade? Pants? Jeans? Silk?" My head is hurting as badly as my feet are!
I did leave with 5 large bags of items and realized it was easier to walk back to my hotel. I did not realize I was so close until I looked up at the skyline and saw the CCTV tower. It was only about a 20 block walk, which is not bad - but carrying all I had it damn near killed me. Only two little things are for me, well - 3 if I decide to keep the porcelain goldfish tea set - but I ended up with awesome gifts. I even spoke to my son Austin twice on the phone while in the market. that was fun. He would have hung in there with me, it would have been more enjoyable :)
It was a full day. I think my shopping is done and I will spend the next four days sitting in parks and being still. Tuesday I hired a private guide who will pick me up at my hotel in his/her car, take me to the Ming Tombs and Mutianyu, a section of the Great Wall that is more in it's natural state and a section I have never been to. We will have lunch and visit a small market as well. It should be a fun day and I will meet someone new.
Although I am a tourist there are small things that make me feel at home here. Just seeing familiar faces (my little girl in the restaurant and Hawaii Five-O) smiling at bicycle repair man and having a girl chase me down in the silk market and say, "You look tired. Let me make you a cup of tea" ( I bought from her earlier and she remembered). At the Dragonfly today I asked the girl at the front desk if they sold a CD with the music they play durring massage. She said, "No, but if you bring your USB memory stick next massage I will copy it from the computer for you." WOW! It's these moments that really make me happy - but as time goes on I am looking forward to getting to the airport and seeing my son when he picks me up. I am looking forward to my husband and my youngest son. I want to smooch my dogs and hold my baby goats. I want to breathe 'fresh' air and sleep on a bed with a mattress. I wan to soak in my tub!!
I will spend the next few days enjoying the quiet I have come to love in such a bustling city. Although I have been here for a month I have not turned on a TV! I am finding solitude and peace in myself and it makes me very happy. I do not sit and text all day, I do not have Facebook or Youtube. I don't miss American Idol or my car really. I am learning what really matters to me and what I want to change in my daily routine when I get home. For starters, as surprising as it seems - I took FB off my phone. I have learned I don't need it to make my day more interesting.
Oh! I walked out of the restaurant and the guy who bicycle scammed me last week was sitting there on his bike. He said hello and I said, "Oh, I remember you. You are the very bad guy." He dropped his head a bit. There were many people standing there and another guy said, "Me take you to Tian'anmen..only 3." I looked at him and said, "Yeah, only 300!" He looked surprised and then they all just laughed and laughed. Geesh! What a place....
****the photos are of my Matsu-taki mushrooms from lunch, flowers at a bank opening and a girl from the market who told me I am HARD bargin lady*****
Both men attended to me with more attention than I give a wonderful meal I am cooking. They wouldn't let me drink more than two sips of beer without being there to replenish it. I ordered some Fried matsu-taki mushrooms and the wonderful beef and rice noodles I love so much. When they brought out the mushrooms, the chef had placed them inside a beautifully designed rice noodle heart. It was a beautiful plate and the one man kept asking if it was ok. I said, "Yes - I want to take a picture of it." He stood over my shoulder watching my camera screen as I took the photo, all the while nodding at Hawaii Five-O.
It was really tasty. The Chinese crack me up. I think they have discovered 'sprinkles'. You know, the sugar kind the kids love on ice cream. They sprinkled them all around my dish. There were hearts and moons and stars (not lucky charms). It is odd, they add sprinkles to the most savory of dishes, but that is what they do here. Anyhow, it was a delicious meal...again!
Leaving lunch I hailed a cab and had him take me to the Silk Market. OMG! I have just spent 6 hours in a labyrinth of indoor stalls hocking everything from tea sets to trinkets, silk to shoes, tailor-made suits to handmade crafts. I am EXHAUSTED! No, really. I am exhausted! I don't think I could have spent another 5 minutes in there. All I heard was, "Lady, come look. Lady want cashmere. Lady, you want Tiffany? Painting? Tea? Jewelry? Jade? Pants? Jeans? Silk?" My head is hurting as badly as my feet are!
I did leave with 5 large bags of items and realized it was easier to walk back to my hotel. I did not realize I was so close until I looked up at the skyline and saw the CCTV tower. It was only about a 20 block walk, which is not bad - but carrying all I had it damn near killed me. Only two little things are for me, well - 3 if I decide to keep the porcelain goldfish tea set - but I ended up with awesome gifts. I even spoke to my son Austin twice on the phone while in the market. that was fun. He would have hung in there with me, it would have been more enjoyable :)
It was a full day. I think my shopping is done and I will spend the next four days sitting in parks and being still. Tuesday I hired a private guide who will pick me up at my hotel in his/her car, take me to the Ming Tombs and Mutianyu, a section of the Great Wall that is more in it's natural state and a section I have never been to. We will have lunch and visit a small market as well. It should be a fun day and I will meet someone new.
Although I am a tourist there are small things that make me feel at home here. Just seeing familiar faces (my little girl in the restaurant and Hawaii Five-O) smiling at bicycle repair man and having a girl chase me down in the silk market and say, "You look tired. Let me make you a cup of tea" ( I bought from her earlier and she remembered). At the Dragonfly today I asked the girl at the front desk if they sold a CD with the music they play durring massage. She said, "No, but if you bring your USB memory stick next massage I will copy it from the computer for you." WOW! It's these moments that really make me happy - but as time goes on I am looking forward to getting to the airport and seeing my son when he picks me up. I am looking forward to my husband and my youngest son. I want to smooch my dogs and hold my baby goats. I want to breathe 'fresh' air and sleep on a bed with a mattress. I wan to soak in my tub!!
I will spend the next few days enjoying the quiet I have come to love in such a bustling city. Although I have been here for a month I have not turned on a TV! I am finding solitude and peace in myself and it makes me very happy. I do not sit and text all day, I do not have Facebook or Youtube. I don't miss American Idol or my car really. I am learning what really matters to me and what I want to change in my daily routine when I get home. For starters, as surprising as it seems - I took FB off my phone. I have learned I don't need it to make my day more interesting.
Oh! I walked out of the restaurant and the guy who bicycle scammed me last week was sitting there on his bike. He said hello and I said, "Oh, I remember you. You are the very bad guy." He dropped his head a bit. There were many people standing there and another guy said, "Me take you to Tian'anmen..only 3." I looked at him and said, "Yeah, only 300!" He looked surprised and then they all just laughed and laughed. Geesh! What a place....
****the photos are of my Matsu-taki mushrooms from lunch, flowers at a bank opening and a girl from the market who told me I am HARD bargin lady*****
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Art
A few blocks down from where my hotel is located there is a new art district rising up into the Beijing skyline. New hotels are going up at a rapid rate, art is changing always, clubs are opening and apartments are flourishing. The outdoor art exhibits are awesome.
I posted photos a couple of weeks ago of several big silver statues of the same man making different poses. As I walked by the other night I noticed they were gone. It made me sad, they were happy statues. What I didn't realize is that they had been there for almost 2 years. Within 24 hours new art was being delivered to take the place of the statues. I feel so blessed to have gotten to see 'both' exhibits.
The new statues are 2 Phoenix's. They are made of recycled materials and are currently hanging from many large cranes that kept them suspended in the air. It appears they will eventually be made stationary on the ground as area has been cleared and roped off, but for now they hang in the sky, looking like big beautiful Chinese birds.
On my way to the market tonight I noticed the press was out in mass photographing them. It was cool, everyone in suit and tie, taking pictures, (then this crazy blonde American with pig tails bounces in between them to get her shots). They allowed it :) I was grateful. What totally took me by surprise was ~ when I came home, they were lit up like huge ornaments on a Christmas tree, floating beautifully in the night sky. WOW. Pictures do not do them justice. I have enclosed a couple though, so that first, you can see how many cranes it takes on the ground to support them, and second, just to get an idea what they look like.
There are also many figures of 'paper mache men' that sit around the edge of the art museum rooftop, and around the corner in the courtyard is a table of feasting pigs (makes pigs of themselves). It is about 30' long and made of metal. It is whimsical and fun.
The market was like Sams Club on a Saturday afternoon and I couldn't wait to leave. I did however search for the Jackfruit salesman when I saw a lady walk by with a small bag with several fresh pieces in it. I bought 5 pieces and he threw in a 6th for free. I find now that I am here that I have replaced my 'shopping' addiction with different ones like, exotic fruit, honey cakes and massage. With the Jackfuit tonight I was finding myself in a place where you have to wonder: does the moment of satisfaction for your taste buds reach it peak before you get a stomach ache from eating all the fruit? Tonight for me, it was the latter.
I posted photos a couple of weeks ago of several big silver statues of the same man making different poses. As I walked by the other night I noticed they were gone. It made me sad, they were happy statues. What I didn't realize is that they had been there for almost 2 years. Within 24 hours new art was being delivered to take the place of the statues. I feel so blessed to have gotten to see 'both' exhibits.
The new statues are 2 Phoenix's. They are made of recycled materials and are currently hanging from many large cranes that kept them suspended in the air. It appears they will eventually be made stationary on the ground as area has been cleared and roped off, but for now they hang in the sky, looking like big beautiful Chinese birds.
On my way to the market tonight I noticed the press was out in mass photographing them. It was cool, everyone in suit and tie, taking pictures, (then this crazy blonde American with pig tails bounces in between them to get her shots). They allowed it :) I was grateful. What totally took me by surprise was ~ when I came home, they were lit up like huge ornaments on a Christmas tree, floating beautifully in the night sky. WOW. Pictures do not do them justice. I have enclosed a couple though, so that first, you can see how many cranes it takes on the ground to support them, and second, just to get an idea what they look like.
There are also many figures of 'paper mache men' that sit around the edge of the art museum rooftop, and around the corner in the courtyard is a table of feasting pigs (makes pigs of themselves). It is about 30' long and made of metal. It is whimsical and fun.
The market was like Sams Club on a Saturday afternoon and I couldn't wait to leave. I did however search for the Jackfruit salesman when I saw a lady walk by with a small bag with several fresh pieces in it. I bought 5 pieces and he threw in a 6th for free. I find now that I am here that I have replaced my 'shopping' addiction with different ones like, exotic fruit, honey cakes and massage. With the Jackfuit tonight I was finding myself in a place where you have to wonder: does the moment of satisfaction for your taste buds reach it peak before you get a stomach ache from eating all the fruit? Tonight for me, it was the latter.
Graduation
It's funny...I sat around the table last night watching my fellow classmates giddy with the excitement of graduating. It is such a mixed bunch. For some, it is the only school they have attended since high school. For one, he has a BS in Physics and a MA in IT. One girl has a BA in Japanese and one has a BA in Engineering and a BA in Commerce (finance & accounting). I can say with complete honesty that each and every one that received their certification last night was completely thrilled.
I watched as those with no education felt they had been handed the 'Golden ticket', an opportunity to hold a valid certification in something. I also saw that my friends with multiple degrees seemed to value this one more. I also saw a friend of mine who has attended many colleges over the years (never finishing any) light up when she 'finally' held a certificate. It was fun to see the reactions and displays of joy and happiness.
I am the only one returning to their homeland (well, Vika went back to Russia today but is moving back), and the others will remain here, some already teaching. They are go getters each and every one of them and I discovered that although several held what we would consider to be very good degrees - each was here in search of something else.
I watched them all develop over the past few weeks and change. I saw them all become people who developed a true desire to 'teach'. It was interesting for me to witness this. We put such emphasis on long term (highly expensive) degrees, yet here were 9 other students who acted much like they had obtained their Doctorate rather than an Intensive Course Certificate. It thrilled me to see their faces, to watch their growth on a daily basis and to learn where each one came from and where they hope to go with their lives.
At the end of the day I sat back, laughing, smiling, proud. Odd as it is, I felt I had a real "mother" connection with each of them in some way or another. Although I was included in the group, receiving the same documentation - I was more thrilled to see see each one of them reach their personal goal. It was a great night last night. The perfect end to the past 4 weeks. And, at the end of the day, it's only 9 people, but it is 9 people who care, 9 people who 'want' to make a difference....And somehow I believe with all my heart that these 9 people will make a wonderfully positive impact on the world :)
I watched as those with no education felt they had been handed the 'Golden ticket', an opportunity to hold a valid certification in something. I also saw that my friends with multiple degrees seemed to value this one more. I also saw a friend of mine who has attended many colleges over the years (never finishing any) light up when she 'finally' held a certificate. It was fun to see the reactions and displays of joy and happiness.
I am the only one returning to their homeland (well, Vika went back to Russia today but is moving back), and the others will remain here, some already teaching. They are go getters each and every one of them and I discovered that although several held what we would consider to be very good degrees - each was here in search of something else.
I watched them all develop over the past few weeks and change. I saw them all become people who developed a true desire to 'teach'. It was interesting for me to witness this. We put such emphasis on long term (highly expensive) degrees, yet here were 9 other students who acted much like they had obtained their Doctorate rather than an Intensive Course Certificate. It thrilled me to see their faces, to watch their growth on a daily basis and to learn where each one came from and where they hope to go with their lives.
At the end of the day I sat back, laughing, smiling, proud. Odd as it is, I felt I had a real "mother" connection with each of them in some way or another. Although I was included in the group, receiving the same documentation - I was more thrilled to see see each one of them reach their personal goal. It was a great night last night. The perfect end to the past 4 weeks. And, at the end of the day, it's only 9 people, but it is 9 people who care, 9 people who 'want' to make a difference....And somehow I believe with all my heart that these 9 people will make a wonderfully positive impact on the world :)
Friday, March 26, 2010
Breaking ground
Each new day here feels as though I am always forging into new territory. Whether it be trying to find my way, make sense of a menu, locate a service or manage my way through the elevator, each day brings a new experience and a new challenge. I have been blessed thus far and seem to meet the challenge head on and prevail. I may take a few detours along the way, but in the end my path is set clear, my goal reached, and maybe I have even picked up a few valuable or unexpected pointers along the way.
Today we did not have to be at our final day of school until 2 pm. I found myself quite bored and feeling like I should just go to the school and hang out for a bit. When I arrived (around 10:30 am) the doors to our 20 story building were locked with chains. I walked around to the revolving doors and was met with he same thing. Surrounding the building were about 50 policemen and 15 or so police vehicles. I noticed no other building was locked down.
Standing there wondering what to do I turned and Henry came around the corner. He told me there would be no class and the awards ceremony we were supposed to have at 2 pm would take place at our graduation dinner tonight. He said he 'heard' the power was off. Weird, they never send police to my house when the power goes out...?
I thought I'd make the best of the situation and get a manicure that I desperately needed but had not found the time for the past few weeks. I walked a block or so and found the little shop I go to. The lady welcomed me inside, made me a cup of Chrysanthemum Flower tea and began working on my nails. It was quite nice, it was early and we were the only two in there for quite a while.
I came back to the room, hit the art museum up the street and had a light nap. WOW...good day so far. I noticed various people doing 'their' jobs. There was a man sitting on the curb on a metal box. He had a large wet stone laid in his lap and was sharpening knives for occasional passers by. The cabbie had just woke up from his morning nap, crawled out of his cab, smoothed the seat covers and removed a small towel from under his seat and shined his shoes. The small sidewalk soup stalls were filled with construction workers taking their lunch.
As I approached the soup stalls I once again caught a terrible odor. Perhaps it was more pungent today because the weather was at least 15 degrees warmer. I noticed though just why this one area smells so badly. Not only is there the open public toilet I described several days ago, but directly in front of the bathroom is a tremendous heap of rotting compost. They throw all the "food" peels, trim and waste into this pile on the sidewalk. Next to that, (and the tables where workers were eating) I saw food on the sidewalk. Upon further examination I noticed that there was a grate in the sidewalk. They just throw their left over food into it. Um....the cesspool they call "food alley". Ick. (and no Connie, I do not eat there).
I also made a decision today that I may question several times over the years to come. Sometimes we act without thinking, and this will easily classify as one of those moments. I went to the bakery and picked up the large birthday cake I had ordered and pre-paid to have in class today to celebrate Johan's 21st birthday on Monday. Since class was cancelled Henry said I could bring it to the restaurant tonight. Where I made my itty bitty judgment error was when I ordered a hot Latte and began drinking it as I left the bakery holding the rather large cake in the other arm.
Now, none of this really poses a problem, and I am actually quite good at doing several things at once. What I did not take into account was the fact that with both arms full, trying not to spill a HOT coffee and trying not to tilt a beautiful Tiramisu, I still had to cross the 3rd Ring Road. This is that stretch of freeway I cross every day in 6 of the most treacherous places known to man....
As I stood on the curb with a daunting look on my face I noticed traffic seemed to move at a different pace. I was a bit slower, but drivers seemed a 'little' friendlier. Maybe it was the beautiful Platinum nail polish I had applied today that caught their attention, or the fact that even they thought a foreigner wielding a cake, a coffee, and blonde hair needed their momentary compassion. Whatever it was, it was in my favor.
Rounding the corner of Goumao and Baizaiwan my bicycle repairman saw me and smiled. He looked at the cake box, said something (OMG HE SPOKE TO ME!!!) so I walked over and pulled back the cutout in the top of the box so he could peer inside. (They wrap the box with decorative ribbon and it is so beautiful). He smiled, jabbered, I jabbered and then we gave our customary nod and I began walking to the hotel. It was wonderful and it kept me smiling all the way back.
As I entered the elevator a tall, nicely dressed, quite handsome Japanese man smiled and said, Hello. As he got off the floor before mine he turned around and said, "Have fun." What he couldn't possibly know is that I already had....
******photos are of the really large snails we had last night for dinner, our Peking Duck before being carved, and a beautiful cup of flowering tea....all delicious******
Today we did not have to be at our final day of school until 2 pm. I found myself quite bored and feeling like I should just go to the school and hang out for a bit. When I arrived (around 10:30 am) the doors to our 20 story building were locked with chains. I walked around to the revolving doors and was met with he same thing. Surrounding the building were about 50 policemen and 15 or so police vehicles. I noticed no other building was locked down.
Standing there wondering what to do I turned and Henry came around the corner. He told me there would be no class and the awards ceremony we were supposed to have at 2 pm would take place at our graduation dinner tonight. He said he 'heard' the power was off. Weird, they never send police to my house when the power goes out...?
I thought I'd make the best of the situation and get a manicure that I desperately needed but had not found the time for the past few weeks. I walked a block or so and found the little shop I go to. The lady welcomed me inside, made me a cup of Chrysanthemum Flower tea and began working on my nails. It was quite nice, it was early and we were the only two in there for quite a while.
I came back to the room, hit the art museum up the street and had a light nap. WOW...good day so far. I noticed various people doing 'their' jobs. There was a man sitting on the curb on a metal box. He had a large wet stone laid in his lap and was sharpening knives for occasional passers by. The cabbie had just woke up from his morning nap, crawled out of his cab, smoothed the seat covers and removed a small towel from under his seat and shined his shoes. The small sidewalk soup stalls were filled with construction workers taking their lunch.
As I approached the soup stalls I once again caught a terrible odor. Perhaps it was more pungent today because the weather was at least 15 degrees warmer. I noticed though just why this one area smells so badly. Not only is there the open public toilet I described several days ago, but directly in front of the bathroom is a tremendous heap of rotting compost. They throw all the "food" peels, trim and waste into this pile on the sidewalk. Next to that, (and the tables where workers were eating) I saw food on the sidewalk. Upon further examination I noticed that there was a grate in the sidewalk. They just throw their left over food into it. Um....the cesspool they call "food alley". Ick. (and no Connie, I do not eat there).
I also made a decision today that I may question several times over the years to come. Sometimes we act without thinking, and this will easily classify as one of those moments. I went to the bakery and picked up the large birthday cake I had ordered and pre-paid to have in class today to celebrate Johan's 21st birthday on Monday. Since class was cancelled Henry said I could bring it to the restaurant tonight. Where I made my itty bitty judgment error was when I ordered a hot Latte and began drinking it as I left the bakery holding the rather large cake in the other arm.
Now, none of this really poses a problem, and I am actually quite good at doing several things at once. What I did not take into account was the fact that with both arms full, trying not to spill a HOT coffee and trying not to tilt a beautiful Tiramisu, I still had to cross the 3rd Ring Road. This is that stretch of freeway I cross every day in 6 of the most treacherous places known to man....
As I stood on the curb with a daunting look on my face I noticed traffic seemed to move at a different pace. I was a bit slower, but drivers seemed a 'little' friendlier. Maybe it was the beautiful Platinum nail polish I had applied today that caught their attention, or the fact that even they thought a foreigner wielding a cake, a coffee, and blonde hair needed their momentary compassion. Whatever it was, it was in my favor.
Rounding the corner of Goumao and Baizaiwan my bicycle repairman saw me and smiled. He looked at the cake box, said something (OMG HE SPOKE TO ME!!!) so I walked over and pulled back the cutout in the top of the box so he could peer inside. (They wrap the box with decorative ribbon and it is so beautiful). He smiled, jabbered, I jabbered and then we gave our customary nod and I began walking to the hotel. It was wonderful and it kept me smiling all the way back.
As I entered the elevator a tall, nicely dressed, quite handsome Japanese man smiled and said, Hello. As he got off the floor before mine he turned around and said, "Have fun." What he couldn't possibly know is that I already had....
******photos are of the really large snails we had last night for dinner, our Peking Duck before being carved, and a beautiful cup of flowering tea....all delicious******
Sea Slugs & Durian
It's interesting how I came here with expectations of the things I wanted to do and the things I wanted to eat. I have not had the time to see what I have wanted to see and I have not had the chance to eat some of the things I wanted try. Today changed for me when it came to what I got to 'eat.'
Having finished my portfolio, my two Russian friends and I headed for Walmart so I could buy a 500 gig hard drive. As we were walking through Walmart Vika said to me, "Look, there is that fruit - Durian." They had taken segments of it and packaged them separately. We smelled it and it was SO bad. She said, "Would you girls like to try it?" Olia and I looked at each other and said, "sure, why not."
We walked through walmart and even Chinese people were staring at us. We walked into a tea store and the clerk brought a bad and put the Durian in it and closed it. They couldn't even stand the smell :) We were going to take it back to the school and challenge others to eat it with us but we decided the 12 floor ride in the elevators might kill us all. We opted to try it on the street instead.
Attached are photos of the Durian, my "While tasting" photo and the "OMG It is so nasty" photo. It tasted like spoiled vadalia onions. We each had a bite, made faces - had a second bite and tossed it. Olia instantly gave us hand sanitizer to kill the smell and Vika handed out coffee candies to kill the taste! Can't say I'll have it ever again...however, it has made me belch all afternoon. And just a Durian FYI ~ it tastes the same as when I ate it! YUCK.
Tonight we went to Ghost Street for a Peking Duck Dinner. I had Jellyfish & Cabbage Salad, Braised Sea Cucumber (Sea Slugs), huge Snails in Sichuan Peppercorn Sauce and many other dishes. I LOVED the Sea Slugs and Jellyfish! Really! LOVED them both. Attached you will also find pictures of the inside of the restaurant. It was a really cool traditional Chinese style house.
What a great day and wonderful night. I found out I am receiving a Level 1 Certification!!! Woo hoo! It was such a great day. I am seriously contemplating if this classifies as my PD#7 (Perfect Day #7), I will know by morning, but I am thinking it is really close and just may squeak in there to be #7.
Funny, the things I so wanted to try I have not, the things i did not plan on trying, I have. It was a wonderful day. I even got a pair of sandals with about 2 dozen (or more) stones adhered to the inside sole. When you step on them the stones are placed at different heights to push on the acupressure points. They are awesome. I found them in a pharmacy where they sold everything from dried sea slugs to these pods that people love to eat that are grown only in Yak poop in the Himalayas. It was a cool store to say the least.
Having finished my portfolio, my two Russian friends and I headed for Walmart so I could buy a 500 gig hard drive. As we were walking through Walmart Vika said to me, "Look, there is that fruit - Durian." They had taken segments of it and packaged them separately. We smelled it and it was SO bad. She said, "Would you girls like to try it?" Olia and I looked at each other and said, "sure, why not."
We walked through walmart and even Chinese people were staring at us. We walked into a tea store and the clerk brought a bad and put the Durian in it and closed it. They couldn't even stand the smell :) We were going to take it back to the school and challenge others to eat it with us but we decided the 12 floor ride in the elevators might kill us all. We opted to try it on the street instead.
Attached are photos of the Durian, my "While tasting" photo and the "OMG It is so nasty" photo. It tasted like spoiled vadalia onions. We each had a bite, made faces - had a second bite and tossed it. Olia instantly gave us hand sanitizer to kill the smell and Vika handed out coffee candies to kill the taste! Can't say I'll have it ever again...however, it has made me belch all afternoon. And just a Durian FYI ~ it tastes the same as when I ate it! YUCK.
Tonight we went to Ghost Street for a Peking Duck Dinner. I had Jellyfish & Cabbage Salad, Braised Sea Cucumber (Sea Slugs), huge Snails in Sichuan Peppercorn Sauce and many other dishes. I LOVED the Sea Slugs and Jellyfish! Really! LOVED them both. Attached you will also find pictures of the inside of the restaurant. It was a really cool traditional Chinese style house.
What a great day and wonderful night. I found out I am receiving a Level 1 Certification!!! Woo hoo! It was such a great day. I am seriously contemplating if this classifies as my PD#7 (Perfect Day #7), I will know by morning, but I am thinking it is really close and just may squeak in there to be #7.
Funny, the things I so wanted to try I have not, the things i did not plan on trying, I have. It was a wonderful day. I even got a pair of sandals with about 2 dozen (or more) stones adhered to the inside sole. When you step on them the stones are placed at different heights to push on the acupressure points. They are awesome. I found them in a pharmacy where they sold everything from dried sea slugs to these pods that people love to eat that are grown only in Yak poop in the Himalayas. It was a cool store to say the least.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Human Chicken
There is the age old car game that people seem to play. You know the one I am talking about, it's called 'Chicken'. The drivers, heading towards each other on a narrow country road notice that there is only room for one of them to have full access to the narrow road. Neither driver deciding that he wants to surrender his passage way stares the other down and heads his vehicle straight towards him, all the while hoping the other guy will back down, hit the brake and move out of the lane so to allow him to pass.
I have noticed much of the same here. I approach and elevator and people stare straight at me, walk towards me and seem as though if I do not get out of their way that they will simply mow me down. If I am on a sidewalk, (especially with men coming my direction) they will keep walking and push me into the wall next to me or force me off the sidewalk into the road. It was during one of these episodes the other night that I realized it was like a game of "Human Chicken." No cars involved, just bodies ready to knock me over if I did not 'concede' first.
The pace is maddening. The city moves like nothing else that I have seen, yet it works in harmony. I hear more police sirens in my sleepy little mountain town in 3 days than I have heard here in over 4 weeks. The traffic, crazy as it is, moves with rapid success and although it does NOT make the least bit of sense to me, it does to the driver, the bicycle rider and the pedestrian.
I have learned how to get across the freeway. You walk into the road and stand in the street between vehicles. When there is a slight break, you move to the next lane. This goes on until you get across. I am becoming bolder with each new day. I have even found that people look at me to see when I will cross, and now some even follow. Maybe it is the bright red coat, the shiny blonde hair, or the fact that a Beijinger would never want to hit a tourist (even though they still refuse to slow down for me).
I finished my Teacher Practice #6 today. It was my last group lesson and I got my grade. In 15 years my instructor has given only one 100%. I achieved his second one today. It was a wonderful end to my lessons. I have to do a one-on-one Chinese national lesson tomorrow and then about 10 hours of paperwork and I am done with my course work. I believe I will actually get that Level 1 Certification. He only has given a handful of those as well.
It has been good. It has been productive, and it has been more rewarding than I can tell you. We had a proposal (marriage) in class today, and our little group is such an amazing family. I got flowers from a student and I hear 'I love you", daily. I thank God for this opportunity, and to be honest - I will miss my 8 hours a day of class. It has challenged my mind, my thought processes and my creativity. I am so grateful for all.
Tonight as I get ready to do a stack of paperwork, I am dining on a Black Bean and Mulberry Yougurt. It is flippin' amazing! I love these bean yougurts, weird as they sound. As I was purchasing my yougurt at the 7/11, a lady came up behind me in line and sat her food on the counter. I had stood in line for a while and the clerk had seen me. She (the clerk) reached over and grabbed the ladies food when I approached and almost completed her purchase. The lady quickly stopped her and pointed out that I was there first. The clerk seemed disgruntled but allowed me to go. I turned to the woman and said, "Xie Xie - thank you." I am not sure who was more surprised. Me, because she did not push past me - or her because I acknowledged her generosity. It was a moment where the game of chicken was halted and room was made in the road for both cars to pass.
I have noticed much of the same here. I approach and elevator and people stare straight at me, walk towards me and seem as though if I do not get out of their way that they will simply mow me down. If I am on a sidewalk, (especially with men coming my direction) they will keep walking and push me into the wall next to me or force me off the sidewalk into the road. It was during one of these episodes the other night that I realized it was like a game of "Human Chicken." No cars involved, just bodies ready to knock me over if I did not 'concede' first.
The pace is maddening. The city moves like nothing else that I have seen, yet it works in harmony. I hear more police sirens in my sleepy little mountain town in 3 days than I have heard here in over 4 weeks. The traffic, crazy as it is, moves with rapid success and although it does NOT make the least bit of sense to me, it does to the driver, the bicycle rider and the pedestrian.
I have learned how to get across the freeway. You walk into the road and stand in the street between vehicles. When there is a slight break, you move to the next lane. This goes on until you get across. I am becoming bolder with each new day. I have even found that people look at me to see when I will cross, and now some even follow. Maybe it is the bright red coat, the shiny blonde hair, or the fact that a Beijinger would never want to hit a tourist (even though they still refuse to slow down for me).
I finished my Teacher Practice #6 today. It was my last group lesson and I got my grade. In 15 years my instructor has given only one 100%. I achieved his second one today. It was a wonderful end to my lessons. I have to do a one-on-one Chinese national lesson tomorrow and then about 10 hours of paperwork and I am done with my course work. I believe I will actually get that Level 1 Certification. He only has given a handful of those as well.
It has been good. It has been productive, and it has been more rewarding than I can tell you. We had a proposal (marriage) in class today, and our little group is such an amazing family. I got flowers from a student and I hear 'I love you", daily. I thank God for this opportunity, and to be honest - I will miss my 8 hours a day of class. It has challenged my mind, my thought processes and my creativity. I am so grateful for all.
Tonight as I get ready to do a stack of paperwork, I am dining on a Black Bean and Mulberry Yougurt. It is flippin' amazing! I love these bean yougurts, weird as they sound. As I was purchasing my yougurt at the 7/11, a lady came up behind me in line and sat her food on the counter. I had stood in line for a while and the clerk had seen me. She (the clerk) reached over and grabbed the ladies food when I approached and almost completed her purchase. The lady quickly stopped her and pointed out that I was there first. The clerk seemed disgruntled but allowed me to go. I turned to the woman and said, "Xie Xie - thank you." I am not sure who was more surprised. Me, because she did not push past me - or her because I acknowledged her generosity. It was a moment where the game of chicken was halted and room was made in the road for both cars to pass.
Monday, March 22, 2010
End of the day
As of today I have 4 days left of class. I will remain in China for one full week following class to do the 'sight seeing' I wanted to do while I was here. Today was busy. Tomorrow is my LAST teaching day and I still have 2 one on one teaching assignments. It is almost too busy to think about and bit too busy to write about.
This is short. It will be my shortest blog of this entire journey as I need to start things, finish things and plan things for tomorrow. As of now (aside from tomorrows teaching and grammar test) I hold a 98% average. Enough for a level 1 certification and recommendation. There is still so much to do tonight so I bid you farewell and news tomorrow.
Cheers and goodnight :)
This is short. It will be my shortest blog of this entire journey as I need to start things, finish things and plan things for tomorrow. As of now (aside from tomorrows teaching and grammar test) I hold a 98% average. Enough for a level 1 certification and recommendation. There is still so much to do tonight so I bid you farewell and news tomorrow.
Cheers and goodnight :)
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Noodles
Sitting around a table with two British men, a young man from Vermont, and my sweet little friend from Russia, I realized what a wonderfully charmed life I live. Here I am on the other side of the earth, in a country where no one speaks my language (you know what I mean here), and I am blessed with a dinner table full of not only people who speak my language, but people that 4 weeks ago I did not know. Now we spend our weekends together and enjoy a wonderful dinner.
There was only one restaurant I wanted to visit here in Beijing. It is called The Noodle Loft and I have seen it on many Food TV shows. I had the lady at the massage parlor transpose the pinyin (English version of Chinese) into characters for me so that I could give the address to the taxi driver to take me there. The first 4 taxi's all said no. I realized it was because this place had to be close to my hotel and they would only get the set 10 kuai fare. Finally, I reached in my purse, took out 25 kuai and flagged yet another taxi,.
The driver unrolled the passenger window and I handed him the address. He was about to say no when I looked at him and said, "I know it is close, I just don't know where it is!" He didn't understand me, but his face lit up like a Christmas bulb when I handed him the 25 kuai. I said, "Please just take me there." He seemed to understand and motioned for me to get in. We were there in no time.
It was everything I had hoped it would be. Noodles flying through the open air stadium where the chef's 'show off' in a very classy yet lively atmosphere. I watched with joy as they made noodle after noodle, variety after variety. Our dishes were fantastic and everyone had a great time. After dinner they all suggested we walk home - Alan and Martin told me that my hotel was not far from there. We began walking and talking and within 10 minutes we were at my hotel. It is literally 20 blocks if that much. The night was calm and the air a bit fresher than usual. It was just a lovely night. I told them how happy I was with everything and they just laughed and said, "Yeah - but not nearly as happy as the cab driver who made 25 kuai off you tonight." :)
There was only one restaurant I wanted to visit here in Beijing. It is called The Noodle Loft and I have seen it on many Food TV shows. I had the lady at the massage parlor transpose the pinyin (English version of Chinese) into characters for me so that I could give the address to the taxi driver to take me there. The first 4 taxi's all said no. I realized it was because this place had to be close to my hotel and they would only get the set 10 kuai fare. Finally, I reached in my purse, took out 25 kuai and flagged yet another taxi,.
The driver unrolled the passenger window and I handed him the address. He was about to say no when I looked at him and said, "I know it is close, I just don't know where it is!" He didn't understand me, but his face lit up like a Christmas bulb when I handed him the 25 kuai. I said, "Please just take me there." He seemed to understand and motioned for me to get in. We were there in no time.
It was everything I had hoped it would be. Noodles flying through the open air stadium where the chef's 'show off' in a very classy yet lively atmosphere. I watched with joy as they made noodle after noodle, variety after variety. Our dishes were fantastic and everyone had a great time. After dinner they all suggested we walk home - Alan and Martin told me that my hotel was not far from there. We began walking and talking and within 10 minutes we were at my hotel. It is literally 20 blocks if that much. The night was calm and the air a bit fresher than usual. It was just a lovely night. I told them how happy I was with everything and they just laughed and said, "Yeah - but not nearly as happy as the cab driver who made 25 kuai off you tonight." :)
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