Beijing Day 1

July 7

We woke early (1, 3, 5, 6) and finally got up.  We headed downstairs for the Chinese and Western buffet breakfast.  There were lots of choices: pan fried zucchini strips and cherry tomatoes, eggs, French toast, congee (rice porridge), made to order omelets, lettuce salad fixings, watermelon and fire dragon fruit (kiwi-sized fruit featuring bright pink rind over white flesh speckled with black seeds) to name a few.  Also strong, hot coffee!!

Annie and Mr. Gin were awaiting us just before 9 AM and whisked us off to Tiananmen Square.  The day was warm but overcast.  We walked through the crowded square.  This is summer vacation time for many Chinese so most of the people in the square were Chinese tourists.  A recent addition to the square is two huge movie screens currently showing pictures of the Shanghai Expo.  Annie commented that the government is trying to de-politicize the square--more family gathering place and less protestors’ venue.

We walked a tunnel under the busy road over to the Forbidden City side of the street and entered the Gate of Heavenly Peace which is still adorned with Mao’s picture.  Annie commented that Mao is still viewed favorably by many Chinese although there is recognition of some of his failings also.  Inside while waiting for Annie to get our tickets, we became objects of interest to some Chinese also awaiting entry tickets.  First the parents of a little girl asked if we would pose with her for a picture.  Next a couple of boys circled us trying out their English “hello” on us.  I asked if I could take their picture with Mark (they really seemed to like his hat) and suddenly we were taking pictures with the whole family!  Annie commented that many of the Chinese tourists were likely country folks visiting the big city.  And here we thought we were such celebrities……..

With our tickets in hand we progressed through the three Harmony (Supreme, Middle and Preserving) Halls all of which are part of the Outer (public) Court.  Eventually we reached the Inner Court with throne rooms and private living quarters for emperor, empress, other wives, concubines, and eunuchs.  In looking back at our pictures, all the areas started melding into continuous images of yellow tiled roofs (yellow was a color that only the emperor could wear or use), changing numbers of little beasts on the corners of the roofs, elaborately painted eaves, and huge courtyards.  “Which gate or hall is this a picture of?“ we keep asking ourselves. 

The complex was finished in 1420.  The shear weight of the history behind these walls was overwhelming.  Think of the intrigue and the corruption, the boredom but also fear of hundreds of women living with only one non-castrated male.  We also saw the living quarters for the Empress Dowager who contrived to rule China from 1861-1908.  On her deathbed, she appointed Puyi, a 3 year old, to be emperor after her.  He was China’s last emperor.

Annie then took us to a delicious lunch of sweet and sour pork, honey glazed and rice stuffed lotus root, and a Chinese eggplant dish.  Steamed rice, of course, filled out the menu.  She was intent on giving us some unique taste treats in addition to more familiar. 

Madame Soong’s former home and grounds was our next stop.  Madame Soong Ching-Ling  came from a very wealthy and powerful Chinese family.  Amazingly, she went to college in Macon, Georgia at a Christian college.  (One of her sisters married Chiang Kai-shek.)  Despite a 26 year age difference, Ching-Ling ended up marrying Sun Yat-sen.  After his death in 1925, she finally allied with the communist party and did work in high government positions as well as literary and charitable endeavors.  We knew nothing of her before this.  Good stop.

Our last event of the day involved a pedicab ride through a hutong and a home visit.  According to Annie, there are probably only 30 hutongs, traditional Beijing alleyway neighborhoods, left in Beijing.  Riding through the hutongs in a pedicab has become a favorite tourist activity judging by the dozens of men and cabs lined up.  However, we were more unusual in that we also visited a home of a retired single woman Ms Wang in the middle of the hutong.  She and her niece served us tea, engaged in conversation with us, and demonstrated the ancient art of painting scenes inside crystal bottles.  (Yes, we fell in love with one!)  These neighborhoods have no toilet facilities within the homes.  Everyone uses the community bathroom.

Back at the hotel, we tried to nap.  Venturing out in the early evening, we walked a few blocks to the Donghuamen Night Market.  The foods on display are raw but ready to be cooked.  Some traditional foods such as dumplings and meat skewers are offered but so are some strange and bizarre foods--crickets, beetles, snakes, lizards, scorpions, centipedes, sea urchins, starfish. 

We continued walking on to the famous modern pedestrian shopping mall Wangfujing.  It is lined with upscale stores and frequented by hundreds of people.  We were looking for something to eat and experienced such sudden and total fatigue that neither one of us could make a decision.  We ended up walking back to our hotel for bowls of soup and glasses of really bad Chinese wine.  By 8:30 we couldn’t keep our eyes open…..