Have you ever had “breakfast intestinal”? To be greeted by this phrase at the hotel buffet first thing in the morning gave pause before eating. It turned out to be hard-cooked Vienna sausages which, in my book, are almost as bad, but after trying them, they were ok.
Our guide Alice had given us time to sleep in and our van was scheduled to leave at 11:00am in order to avoid the heavy Monday morning Beijing rush hour(s). We had time to visit Wal-Mart once again, this time with cameras in hand. The manager approached Garry as he was filming and asked him to stop, but we got a few photos to share before walking back to the hotel.
In the van, we drove to the National Center for Performing Arts, dubbed the “Huge Egg”. It looks like a big stainless steel egg with a moat around it, but it was attractive, especially with beautiful flowers beds in the surrounding park. Next, was the short walk from the “Egg” to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Heroes Monument, the Great Hall, and the Arrow Tower, just to name a few.
A very common sight in pedestrian areas is the umbrella, which is used more for protection from the sun than from rain. However, the biggest change we noticed is the number of cars on the streets. When visiting Beijing ten years ago, swarms of bicycles dominated the city’s streets, but now, cars are the vehicle of choice.
Another striking change is the clothing and behavior of the young Chinese. Ten years before, their clothing bordered on austere and dark with lack of any imagination. Now, they are hip with heels, capris, stylish tops all in the latest designs. Not only is their dress more modern, but they laugh and smile more often. Cell phones abound everywhere. The atmosphere on the streets has changed, but with it comes more pressure to succeed and earn money to support the new life style. Even our guide flies to Hong Kong with friends to go shopping, supposedly for cheaper prices. The Chinese after years of resistance now fully embrace capitalism.
We headed to The Hutongs, an area of narrow streets winding past centuries-old one-story residences and neighborhood fruit, vegetable and meat stands. As we rode in touristy rickshaws pedaled by skinny men, we were struck by the quietness, even with the occasional vehicle. The government had wanted to raze these areas, considering them a blight on Beijing, and because population growth and movement to the city demanded that the space be used for high-rise apartments. However, now the area is considered a national treasure worth saving. Some parts of the Hutongs lack plumbing and electric power, and charcoal briquettes once used for cooking and heating are now banned to reduce pollution. However, the land is very valuable. We visited a residence in the Hutong and met a family who has lived there for generations - the father is still living at age 90.
Next, we visited the Olympic Green, first stopping at the Bird’s Nest Stadium which looks more delicate in photos than in person. It will seat 91,000 spectators. A tower looms nearby, perhaps for the Olympic Flame, and our guide told us about rumors that the Olympic flame will be lit by arrows during the opening ceremony. Supposedly, it’s a secret.
For all of you who like big screen TVs, some of the largest ever are located on the side of a newly constructed hotel overlooking the venues. Everything will be spectacular, but as we watched, roses and trees were still being planted, sidewalks laid, and buildings completed. The Games start in two months and much work needs to be finished.
The Water Cube which will hold the aquatic competitions is nearby and along the street is the Olympic Village for the athletes, the Tennis stadium, the beautiful new Inter Continental Hotel and the Olympic Gardens with newly planted vegetation protected by fences to deter any trespassers.
Before driving to the airport, our final stop was a Tea Room, sponsored by the government as a way to share this aspect of their heritage and culture. A young woman prepared tea in the traditional manner and we tasted about seven teas including jasmine, rose, green, Black Dragon (oolong), pu’er, and Hairy Peak. We also learned about their medicinal values, and after listening, we felt as though we’d all live long healthy lives.
At the airport, for our fourth consecutive day of flight, our guide Alice and an airport employee friend of hers pulled some strings and got us through check in without having to pay extra for our overweight luggage. Before saying goodbye, we asked Alice how she got her English name. She told us that everyone in her class needed a different name with no duplicates and her teacher had a list of 16 names. Many of the girls wanted to be Linda because of the popular last name of Li, but she was not the first person to raise her hand when that name was announced. Alice got her name on the second try.
The name game,
Garry, Rich and Tamara
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