OMG; Mainland China needs alot more of my time than I have to spend this trip so definitely a return trip in my future (next year maybe?). The visa is good for 90 days so definitely with the new fiends that I have made it is worthy of a return to be able to visit some of the places that my new friends have recommended. I will definitely will stay in touch with Chanel, my English teacher roomie that I met in Shanghai at the Blue Mountain Hostel. She will maybe be employed in Shanghai at the hostel by the time I return but will be a great resource for additional travel tips from the Shanghai home base. I will definitely return to the INNercity Hostel in Beijing. The staff here are wonderful. Amy (manager), sweet Sophie and of course my new buddy Peter. You guys are the BEST hosts. Love that you guys make everyone so welcome, give great directions, offer the best restaurant recommendations, take the time to walk me to the subway on my first day, have a easy map of where we are and the subway map of where to go. You have been splendid hosts and really made my stay exemplary.
The traditional hutong where I stayed is absolutely fantastic. The neighborhood is traditional, the location is spot on to all the surrounding sights, the tour options are great and diverse...definitely will try the acrobatics show and next time. Thrilled to be going to the Opera tomorrow night and then another branch of the the Great Wall and the Ming temple on Wednesday before I leave on Thursday. there is so much left of the City of Beijing yet undiscovered. I have yet to even touch on the surrounding areas of which there are a plenty. The cultural visit to the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace were out of this world culturally rich. The evening flag lowering ceremony was quite a presentation...closing the street in front of the forbidden city to see the military mark in step which is a site and experience itself only enhanced the pageantry of watching the throngs of people with camera and video camera ready to catch this daily event.
Being locked out of both the forbidden city and the summer palace at closing hour 5:00pm...note to self don't wander to the far end of a site only to be locked out from the only route that you know how to get home from. Fortunately the walk around the forbidden city was easy by following the moat only to be lead back to the front entrance and have it be roped off at closing time. Fortunately the military police showed mercy and opened the ropes to let the freaked out American and about 30 Chinese scurry past to make it to the main entrance before the flag lowering presentation. I was thrilled to then get over to Tienanmen square to hang with the mass of evening spectators for the flag lowering ceremony. The Summer palace was also a phenomenal experience. The renovations are all current so the painted structures all stand out brilliantly, the structure appear sound the stone steps are a bit slippery as it was raining the day that I visited; however the size of both landmarks were Ginormous, again it must have been nice to be the Emperor of a kingdom back in the day. The sheer majesty and splendor that these people (rulers) enjoyed at the expense of their people is overwhelming. A little like the Queen of England in Buckingham Palace or the king of Monaco in their palaces, and yet although the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue appears magnificent and not having ever toured the facility, it just doesn't compare to the expanse, brilliance, and the historical taste that I have gotten from China. I think some of the US rich have as good or better digs than the White house. That being said the historical significance of all of the above are as important to the respective citizens. I just don't know of a county where the excesses are so great. Maybe Russia, but i will have to wait to make a judgement call on that for later in the year after my visit there. Most nations historically significant treasures are sequestered away in museums which is true here as well but the fact that so much is on display in it's original home/palace is amazing to see and to have access to.
My second lockout occurred at the summer palace which was a little disconcerting as the palace is the second to the last stop at the end of the farthest subway station to home (my hutongthru glass windows. Some of the windows were smudged with finger prints and nose prints and there were limited light on inside I think to discourage photography. there were many signs that said no photography and just as many flashbulbs popping by the tourists, western and local. I'm not sure the supreme rule has a good handle on the control of the people. they seem to have alot of rules here, just no one follows them. more on that later. Enthralled with everything my meandering although swift was thorough. I ended up with a hand on my shoulder, and a kind voice telling me that the palace was closed for the evening and to make my way to the exit.
My final stop was at the Jade/bronze/ceramic display that happened to be at the farthest section around the lake once i finally reached the bottom of the mountain only to hear as I left the large red door heave closed. Panic set in knowing that I was along way up from my starting point and not really without signage to tell me where that was beginning to get a wee bit nervous. So what better to do than to ask a Chinese military police. He must have been the only lucky sot in the area to get me to go up and ask him as he was probably ready to call it a day (albeit a rainy one). He was very kind and pointed without a word in the direction that all the tour masses were moving so of course I followed like a good little soldier...only to realize those people paid to have their bus pull up probably to the gate to drop them off and they were not going back via the subway. I have know at least traveled to the bottom of the mountain closest to where I could see the monumental heights that i needed to climb back the way i came. PROBLEM...all the red doors are now closed.
So as I was continuing to follow the tours as they seemed to be going the same way, i realize they are not nor is anyone else headed up, you know toward the top where the entrance that I know how to get back to my rail station is located. So about to burst into tears as it is now pouring down rain and no one would notice, I am semi-dry as there is a covered path that everyone is following, I step off the path into a group of three Chinese young adults. When all else fails just say out loud does anyone speak English. At first no response, then shyly one of the guys said where are you going?... like I appeared lost...ya think? The three were students, the main guy was studying Japanese of all things. fortunately his English was excellent. he offered to guide me to the exit. little did I know that they were taking me to the exit where their car was parked, not the exit near the subway station that i needed to return the only way I knew how back to my hostel. Low and behold they live in my hostel's neighborhood and offered to give me a ride home. i don't know if it was bravery on my part, stupidity on theirs for picking up a lost tourist or just dumb luck that we met. It was at this time pouring down rain and we all had plastic ponchos that were really only creating a sweaty steam bath under the plastic so it kept sticking to our bodies which was uncomfortable and really wet. Needless to say I was dropped at the door of my hostel by 3 new friends. Again caught up in the moment of happiness that I have made it home in one piece, I failed to get my good Samaritans contact information. They were great fun to chat with and will always remind me that I owe one and to pay it forward. It is a great game...kindness to strangers reaps heaps of joy. I think I will play it everyday.
Rules...case in point, the traffic lights! Why have them if no one is going to follow them. They do have meaning but i guess that in a city of a few billion people the rules are meant for the other billion people...who will notice? No spitting, G-Jesus with all the phlegm that is hocked up in this part of the world, someone out there needs to find a purpose. On the train, in the street, in the department stores, in the elevator, on the escalator it is sooooo gross, just hoping that as they non-chalantly spit that it doesn't land on your foot or worse on your leg and really gross is I wear shorts almost daily. The peeing in public, it is not just the kids with the split pants it appears men and boys have no problem just walking up to a car parked or one just idling in traffic and zipper down and away we go. Queueing, it is an art form for taxi lines only. The arrows at the subways where off coming passengers are to move thru the middle and the ongoing pass angers enter the cars from either side, there is ALWAYS someone or a group of people, some times elderly, sometimes not that think that open space was just meant for them. I love the body blocking old ladies that will by darn get on first to get a seat. Although they do give up their seats to the elderly, pregnant women or people w/children in tow, always)!
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