In The Hills

Our second day in Beijing was a day filled with beauty and nature. Heading an hour out of the city center we began our journey at the expansive grounds of the Summer Palace. Here is where the Emperors and their family and servants would retire to when they wanted a summer respite from the confines of the Forbidden City Palace. I wish I could have had more time in Beijing so that we could have spent longer at the Summer Palace, but I think you could spend a couple days there and still not see all there is to see. Pagodas, temples, statues, courtyards, living quarters and a huge lake are scattered across the 2.9 square kilometers that make up the palace grounds.

Wandering through woods and grass and along dirt paths we were able to find countless numbers of these hidden treasures. It was like being in a storybook or a movie. It really was beautiful.

Nearing the lake from the north end we came to the long corridor; a wooden walkway stretching the length of that section of the lake. The ceiling was painted with countless murals each unique. We found a lot more people nearby the corridor than we had the wooded hills northward.

Dragon boats floated along the lake, taking passengers to various docks.

Walking along the edge we found the seventeen-arch-bridge. Made of marble and spanning the distance to a nearby island, it was a sight to be seen It was decorated with numerous Chinese lions each one unique from the rest.

We also came across a man playing with some toys that I recognized from home. I can't remember what they're called, but I had played with them before, and attempted to again.

I think my skills may have dwindled however haha ;)

Every building we found was so colorful and decorative. It really showed how much more open and relaxed the Summer Palace was.

It's a place to wander among the trees and feel a cool breeze. A place to sit and paint or write. To just enjoy life.

After leaving the Summer Palace we went trekking through the street looking for a bus stop to catch to our next destination. We got a little turned around and couldn't figure out where it was. We ended up standing there for a few minutes wondering what to do until we finally saw the bus we needed go by. We began following it, hoping that it would lead us to the stop. However, when we were still walking a few minutes later we realized that we probably should have gone the other way. However, we ended up being pretty content with our choice since we eventually did find a bus stop and along the way we got to see a lot of cool things.

It was kind of a run down area with people mulling around doing odd jobs. Children were playing in doorways, and each place we passed we got quick glances from the people inside. It was a different side than most tourists get to see.

After riding the bus for about half an hour we were dropped off a short walk from Xiangshan Park. One of the reasons I really wanted to see this place was because I heard it was one of the best places to see the fall red leaves. It was something I really missed about home. As we walked into the park it did not disappoint.

It was a sea of red, yellow and orange. As we walked along the trail, for the first time I almost felt at home. It was eerily similar to walking through the mountains back home and it brought a smile to my face to know that my two worlds could be connected by something so simple and beautiful.

One tip when it comes to names in China if the park has the word "Shan" in it you can count on there being a mountain to climb since Shan in fact means mountain. So I was expecting it when we came to a trail map that showed how far it was to the peak. From where we were to the top it was about a mile and we had to get back down as well. We needed to get back to our hostel by 6:30 to get our ride to an opera show we were going to so we only had about an hour and half left in the park. Nick, Kareena, and I looked at each other, smiled and knew that a challenge had been issued that must be taken. So we left the others to explore at the base of the mountain while we began our sprint for the top. Now normally walking two miles in an hour is easy to do, but you have to understand exactly what we were up against. Not only were we going up a mountain, we were going almost STRAIGHT up a mountain. It seems the Chinese have an affinity for stairs taller than they are. The majority of the hike was spent climbing as quickly as we could (and as quickly as we dared) up stairs that at some points I had to practically use my hands to get up.

Eventually Kareena and I had Nick go on ahead while he kept working our way upwards. We weren't sure if we'd have time to make it up before we had to begin heading down and we wanted him to at least make it. But don't worry, Kareena and I are a couple of stubborn headed girls who would not be denied. When we got to the point where we could see the top within reach, we just started scrambling as fast as we could. I startled a couple of Chinese coming down, with my monkey like climbing up those ridiculous stairs.

All our hard work paid off when we were standing on that precipice looking down over that sea of trees. Nothing has ever made me so happy as knowing that I had made it up that mountain.

At the top almost every tree and railing had red ribbons tied around them with names and messages from Chinese who had been up there.

It reminded me of the locks on all of the chains on Huangshan. I wish I had had time to put one of my own on but alas we had to get back down that mountain and time was ticking. Getting down was almost as hard as getting up. Especially since we were in a hurry.

I was basically clutching the cold metal railing with both hands as I ran/jumped down those same stupidly steep steps that I had just been clambering up, while Chinese yelled at me (probably to slow down and stop trying to get myself killed). It was kind of scary, but I think that made it even more fun for me. Kareena was behind me attempting not to roll her bad ankle.

Finally we made it back down to the relatively flat area and we had about 10 minutes left and a good half-mile to go. So the two of us put our heels to the wind and started running. With the steep stairs behind us we were really able to get some speed up. I'm pretty sure some of the people we passed must have thought we were a little cuckoo. It was the first time I had had a good run in a while and it felt so good! As we rounded the last corner and met back up with Nick and the others we were elated. We had made it!!

Basically we were the coolest people ever and we so knew it ;)

Leaving the park we attempted to get on a bus back to the metro, but for some reason the one we wanted to take wasn't working so we went sprinting down the road further to a different bus stop where we hopped on and immediately got stuck in a horrendous traffic jam. We hadn't accounted for something like that happening and it took far too long to get back to the metro. Then it still took us a good 40 minutes to get back to the hostel and by that time it was already after 7. We had missed our show but the hostel was really cool and said that we could go the next day instead, but they warned us if we didn't make it back this time they would only refund part of our money (although honestly I'm surprised they would refund us at all!)

With the show out of our minds we all immediately realized how hungry we were. A couple girls we met in the lobby told us to go next door where there was a restaurant with an English menu and really good fried rice. So we followed their advice and ate some super yummy food. Afterwards a few of us decided to go get some ice cream and began wandering down the street when we ran into some of our other teachers. About half of us were in my group who decided to do things on our own, while the other half had decided to do a three-day guided tour of Beijing instead. They told us of a cool street not to far away and so we followed them and explored around the city for awhile before ending up at a McDonalds where we got our delicious ice cream.

On the way back to the hostel an epic idea was formed. Earlier the previous day Ashley and I had both proven that we could piggy-back Nick and walk with him (we are the two shortest girls in the group). So we decided to have a piggy-back race!!! With Nick poised to jump on my back and Louis ready to hop on Ashley I was confident in my abilities to win. I had done this a million times and had no problems carrying around big guys. So Kelly ran ahead and counted us off.

Tragedy struck when, as soon as he hopped on, my legs crumpled beneath me. I hadn't exactly accounted for the physical feat I had accomplished earlier that day, and I hadn't realized just how tired my poor legs were. Laughing hysterically we reorganized and decided to try it a way that made more sense. With me and Ashley on the boys backs. Now I had complete faith in Nick. He was a solid , strong guy and should have no problems carrying me. So as Kelly counted off once again I knew we had it in the bag.

#3.....I was poised ready to jump on 2.....I crouched ready to spring up....3! I jumped on Nick's back, he took a step and suddenly I was falling head first toward the ground. I managed to tuck and roll rather than slam my head into the ground and ended up face down on the ground laughing so hard I couldn't breath. Nick jumped up quickly convinced he had killed me. As soon as he knew I was all right we were surrounded by people and all of us just sat and laughed for a good while until we could compose ourselves.

Due to extenuating circumstances we decided to reconvene the match when Nick and I were in a proper physical state to compete. Our beds were more comfortable than ever before that night.

The Heart of China

As I sit at my computer to begin work on this post I can't even think how to start. I am made speechless by the countless memories that are wiggling through my mind. I spent four amazing days in the beautiful and awe-inspiring city of Beijing and I can't imagine ever being able to truly convey what I saw and felt and experienced while I was there. Hopefully I'll be able to do it some justice as I try to recreate that phenomenal weekend for you.

As with all vacations here in China it starts with a train ride. This particular train ride however, was....... unique :) The trip from Changzhou to Beijing is a good 10 hrs long. Now even in the softest of seats, I would not want to ride one of our normal trains all that way. So instead we opted to go a different way. Normally we would take either a G train (the fast ones) or a K/no letter train (the slow ones); this time we took a D train. We didn't know quite what to expect, but from what we were told it wasn't supposed to be seats like we were used to. So as we boarded the train we all had our fingers crossed that we'd be able to find some way to sleep that night.

As it turns out the arrangements were a whole lot better than we were expecting. We were split up into six person compartments that had four "beds". Technically I think there were two beds and two benches for seats, but they worked just as well as beds. Now most of you can probably do the math, but for those who may be a little impaired: six people + four beds = uh.........

Luckily, my compartment had all teachers in it (some others were sharing with strangers) so we could spread out however we liked. And as it may be, my compartment was lucky that I take up next to know space as I can sleep in any way on anything perfectly fine, and I am perfectly comfy sleeping curled into a tight ball. So we gave Nick (our resident tall man) his own bed, Katie got her own cause she has trouble sleeping, Rachelle and Kelly shared, and I curled up on one corner of a bed while Zack took the other side. It actually worked out quite perfectly.

Our train left around 10pm Wednesday night, so we were all already pretty tired when we got on the train. Somehow we managed to stay up for a couple hours anyways and goof off and chat. Zack and Katelin brought out a color code test book and like the young adults we are we got a kick out of it. Pretty soon we were all drifting off to lala land excited to wake up with a new place to explore.

As the sun rose the next morning so did my excitement. The train rolled into the station and before long we were on the subway speeding towards the center of the city where we would be staying at a hostel just a few minutes walk from Tiananmen square. One thing that was nice about the subway in Beijing was that it had a flat fare price unlike most cities that make you pay more the further you travel. We were thoroughly happy with this outcome since subway tends to be our preferred method of travel anywhere we visit.

As we exited the metro right at the southern end of the square, I was in awe. I don't know how to even describe that feeling to you. I had seen this place in books and pictures and on TV, I had read about it countless times, and dreamed about being here someday, and there I was. Little did I know that that moment, that incredible first moment, would almost pale in comparison to all the things I would see that weekend.

Our first order of business was to get rid of all our baggage at our hostel so we could travel the city unhindered. As it turned out, our hostel was more like a hotel than anything else. It didn't help that we had private rooms, so we had no strangers and no bunk beds, both of which I think I actually prefer to be honest. But, despite the bumpy nights sleep and the early hour, before long we were back out on the street wending our way back towards the heart of the city.

Tiananmen square was the perfect way to spend our first day in Beijing. Although still crowded with people, I imagine that us being there on a Thursday afternoon was a smart move. As we approached the square we noticed that it was entirely fenced off and guarded. We had to wander our way around the side until we came across one of the few entry points, where we had to go through a security screening before entering the actual square. You know what was the most strange about standing in that square and taking it all in? Thinking that a year ago, I would have never believed that I would be standing there at that moment.

At the southern end of the square you'll find the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. Everyday in the morning you can go into the Mausoleum and see the supposedly preserved body of the dear Chairman. It was definitely on our agenda. As we approached the mausoleum however, we were informed that we actually had to leave the square and go drop our bags off at a storage area across the street before we could enter the building. In hindsight, we really should have just left the bags with half the group and then switched after the first people went through, but 1) we hadn't realized how expensive the storage was and 2) we didn't know how little time it took to get through the mausoleum (especially since it was Thursday so there were not nearly as many people). However, the thing about hindsight is that you only have after the event has occurred so alas we paid for the overpriced rental storage and got in line to enter the mausoleum.

As with just about everything in Beijing we had to first make our way through various checkpoints and security screenings before being allowed into the building. Along the way we passed several stalls where the Chinese were buying bouquets of white flowers, and for the first time the owners made no attempt whatsoever to sell them to us, in fact they hardly even looked at us. As you enter the first doors, you are greeted with shrine to the Chairman overseen by a large painting of the man himself. While the Chinese lay their flowers at his feet, we were ushered quickly by to the next room. There we followed a line of people through a small walkway with thick glass walls to one side where several guards stood before another set of glass walls inside of which was a glass sarcophagus encasing what is purported to be the body of the dear late Mao. As to the authenticity of that claim I cannot say. Admittedly the body may have appeared a little waxy to me, but after all who am I to say anything about the long-term methods of preserving a dead body?

After retrieving our belongings, we headed towards the other end of the square. At the center we passed by the Monument to the People's Heroes. Set there to pay tribute to all those who had died in defense of their country, it stands alone as a sentinel watching over the people from above. Marble bas-relieves pay homage to the lives lost in the wars that had ravaged the country.

Further north you come to two giant screens that continuously play a video depicting all of the greatest sights of China. We paused a moment to watch as images flickered by of winding rivers, jagged mountains, and terraced rice fields. I even saw a few things I had already been able to witness, such as West Lake in Hangzhou, and the Pudong skyline at night. It was an incredible feeling to get to take a moment and look back on all I had done and accomplished since I've been here. Moving on we saw the flagpole, surrounded by guards, on which waved the Chinese flag.

After exiting we crossed the street on the north end of square, and headed towards the entrance of the Forbidden city. Before we went in Katelin, Zack, and Madelynn decided to go find food first, but the rest of us opted to head into the city right away, so we could make sure and not miss anything.

I think the best way for me to continue in my description of this amazing place is simply to show you :) along with a few words to bring them to life of course ;)

In order to enter the city from the south end you must first go through the Tianan gate, the front of which is adorned with the famous picture of the Chairman. As we entered the gate we found ourselves in a large courtyard where various vendors hawked their wares.

Further in, past all the stalls you'll find yourself at the Meridian gate. I could barely contain my excitement and awe as we purchased our entrance tickets and made our way through the gate.

The first courtyard was very large, very open, and for the most part bare. Until you cross it and reach the next gate, the only thing adorning the view is the Golden Water river (whose waters are not so golden) and the five spectacular marble bridges that span the river, representing the five Confucian virtues.

After crossing the river and the rest of the courtyard you enter the Gate of Supreme Harmony. It's the first of the gate's of the Outer Court. Inside red pillars hold up an intricately designed roof, and you really start to feel the emptiness that pervades the different rooms and halls despite the bustling crowd.

Through the gate is the second courtyard, as open and wide as the first. It was actually super empty compared to most of the pictures I've seen before.

The gates themselves are marvelous to behold. Intricately designed with colorful murals, they are guarded by numerous statues of Lions that adorn the grand staircases one must climb to get there.

After the second courtyard we came to the Hall of Supreme Harmony. It's where the throne of the emperor sits. I've never seen anything so...... splendid. Sure it was obviously old and dirty and worn, but you could really get a sense of the grandeur that once adorned those halls.

The next area was one of my favorites. Behind the emperor's throne room was the empresses and then the gate leading to the inner court. The reason it was my favorite part was because of what surrounded the Empress's throne. To each side were huge marble staircases with several levels, all leading down to small courtyards. I think the reason I loved it so much was that I was able to take a moment and really get carried away in how incredible it was. For a few minutes I was lost in a vision, imagining this wondrous place back at the peak of its life. When everything was alive and bustling and great people walked the halls. I thought about the fates that were sealed here, the decisions that were made, the lives that were lived. Being bale to walk those stairs that Emperors, Princes, and Princesses once traversed; it's something I would have never gotten from a page in a book.

The inner court was much like the first, but on a much smaller scale. There were no huge marble staircases this time, no show to put on. This time there was color, and warmth, and closeness. I think this is where I would have chosen to spend my time if I had lived in this palace. Especially with what we got to see next.

Behind the palaces of the inner court is the Imperial Garden. Anyone who knows me should know how much I love anything to do with nature and the outdoors. Now I've seen a fair share of garden's since I've been here, but nothing like this one. There were countless beautiful flowers and huge rockeries that held up some of the coolest pagoda's I've seen. Part of me longed to be able to climb up to them to see the view from above.

I even got to see one of the things I miss most about home: green grass! It was definitely a sight for sore eyes. Although I admit it wasn't quite as nice as the grass back home, but grass is grass haha. Seeing some of the empty fall bushes made me almost wish I could have been there earlier in the year when they were full and beautiful.

Ashley and Dayna decided to wend their way through one of the many dry canals that lined the pathways. Walking through that garden kind of made me long for my own garden to play with, although I may never have one quite that splendid, I think I may have gotten a few ideas ;)

There are three main areas in the Forbidden city. If you go straight up the center, you are seeing the main palace, however to each side are the Eastern and Western Palaces. You have to pay a little extra to go in and see them, but we decided to pay the 10 yuan more to go into the Eastern Palace, mainly to see this:

The Nine Dragon screen. It's a beautiful painted marbles mural depicting nine Chinese dragons of various colors. There are two like it in Beijing, and we knew we had to see it.

After walking among the various halls of the Eastern Palace we began our journey back towards the entrance of the city. While crossing one courtyard we decided to do a little experiment during which we discovered......

That a 4'11" girl really can cradle a 6'5" male if she has the will (and the incredibly attractive strength ;D) to do it.

My time in the Forbidden City was so incredible. To see that much history and beauty that was so unlike anything I've ever seen before....... I'll never forget it.

After we left the city we headed back to Tiananmen Square where we met up with the others in our group. We were there to see the daily flag lowering at the north end of the square. However, since we had spent so much time in the city, by the time we got there a huge rowd had already gathered and I,being of short stature, could not really see anything. I was able to watch some of it through the screen on the back of some guys camera, but I imagine it was quite lacking. It was fun to see though and I'm glad we made the stop.

By this time it was getting towards dinner time and most of us had not eaten anything since breakfast that morning. So we headed in the direction of a street I had heard about that was supposed to have good street food. Wanfujing road turned out to be very similar to Nanjing rd in Shanghai. Tall buildings, malls, and fancy name brand stores lined the street. This was also where we (surprisingly) seemed to see the most people we had up to that point. At the end of the pedestrian section we saw a huge line of stalls that, from a distance, looked just like our dear night market back home.

It didn't take long to realize that this particular market was VERY different from any we had seen before. Not only did it have an appearance of cleanliness and order (which actually is a bad sign when it comes to finding the good food) but the food selection available was somewhat pricey and somewhat...... well crazy! Walking along the stall we saw eel, shark, snake, tongue, beetles, sheep penis, larva, sea urchin, and......

STARFISH!!!!

Which was my selection of food to try. If I had had more money on me at the time (I had left most of it back in the hostel, thinking I wouldn't need it) I probably would have tried more. The starfish was kind of weird. It didn't taste bad, but it was grainy and made me think of chewing on sand, which actually makes sense if you think about it :)

After getting a taste of some of the "local cuisine" we decided to get something more filling in our bellies and went to Pizza Hut. After we were full and satisfied our exhaustion from the train and the long day kicked in so we headed back to the hostel and crashed for the night.......