The Great Wall

Juyongguan Pass

We boarded our bus this morning and while the very capable Mr. Summer navigated through the ever-present Beijing traffic, Kevin told us a bit about The Great Wall and a
lot about Chinese life and customs. It was Saturday morning, the most popular day for weddings. We saw several caravans of bright red sedans led by the bride and groom in another flower-bedecked red car (red is for weddings, white is for funerals). Kevin explained that contrary to popular belief, most couples were happy to have a baby girl "because it's cheaper." Evidently it is the responsibility of the groom's parents to buy a house for the newly weds. The bride's parents supply the furnishings. As Kevin said, one trip to IKEA and they're done.

It was very hazy again this morning. It was difficult to see the mountains as we drove, let alone the Wall. But suddenly, there it was, running along the ridge line of the mountains, a lot higher than I had imagined. We went to the Juyongguan Pass access point because it is a lot less crowded. "Less crowded" being quite relative. Compared to the streets of Beijing it was definitely less crowded. Compared to any other city
other than those in India, it seemed darned crowded to us. And a much more varied
citizenship of visitor. I chit-chatted w/ a group of college girls from Scotland, a Malaysian
family semi-adopted another in our group when he took a group picture of them. Even
more so than any other part of the world, offering to take a picture for others is part
of the fun. Lots of Japanese, Indonesian, Koreans touring. Many more Asians than
Americans or Europeans, but then it's an easier and shorter trip for them to get here.

The Wall. Good Grief! The walk up is staggering. Imagine climbing an escalator that
isn't running, except the ascent is 1500 feet or more and a bit steeper and the rise of
the steps varies from 6 inches to more than a foot. Plus the steps are uneven stone
with dips and divots, but what can you expect from slave labor 500 years ago?! In
the interest of full disclosure, Jim and I climbed up the steps to the Wall itself and
did another couple of shorter flights of steps before we called it, took the picture (my
number one goal on this trip: a great picture on the Wall) and then clambered back
down to chit chat w/ others in our group who had also decided enough was enough.
(We were told, walk ten steps, 100 steps or 3000 miles, it all counts as walking onthe
Wall.) Some of the more intrepid made the climb up to the next tower and earned that
bamboo scroll that marked the occasion. I'm going to send a picture of the endless line
of people making that trek.

It was pretty hazy again, still and always so it was hard to make out the mountain tops
across the valley let alone the Wall. The mountains are lush with trees and bushes. That
pass is the only way into Beijing from the north. The Wall may be 3000 miles long, but
was never connected into one solid line of defense so the invaders simply rode along
until they found a break in the Wall and came charging through. I'm sure it worked well
on paper.

I had not seen anything worth buying on the trip, just street vendors with an endless
variety of junk until, ta dah! The Jade Factory. Jade is the national gemstone of China
and is carved into everything from earrings to immense screens, lions and cabbage.
Evidently the Chinese word for cabbage sounds like the word for financial success
(each Chinese word has four tones and four wildly different meanings. Kevin teaches
us a few words everyday but I still wonder if I'm saying, "Good morning. How are you?"
or "Good Morning. Your sister is a slut.") so any Chinese business man has a sculpture
of a cabbage on his desk. Their cabbage looks much more like a slightly open and more
ruffly head of Napa cabbage rather than the round green cabbage destined for cole
slaw.

But back to the Jade Factory. We had the usual tour led by a charming young woman
who works there (The Chinese are taught to read and write English, but not so much the
speaking. For some reason they usually scream while speaking Chinese, but if they do
speak English with you, it's in a soft, modulated tone.). Then we had lunch...as always
the endless number of courses, one glass of water, Coke, Sprite or beer and this time,
Jasmine Tea. Always a fork along with chopsticks, just in case. Group consensus was
the soup was the best. Frankly, we're starting to find it hard to remember the individual
dishes. And, yes, there are people on the tour that don't, won't or can't eat Chinese food
(I can't imagine what they thought they were going to eat for two weeks). Geez. Just
take a spoonful and try it.

But back to the Jade Factory. Big Factory, Big Store! We learned how to tell the
difference between jade, glass and marble. (Jade "rings" when tapped) A Chinese bride
is given a jade bangle bracelet by the groom's mother (talk about "issues"!) to wear
on her left wrist rather than a wedding ring. Boy oh boy did they have jade bracelets.
To find your size, make a fist and hold the bangle over your knuckles. A bracelet with
a diameter three and a half knuckles wide is your size. Learn something every day.
Our tour guide-ette must have intuited a buyer, because she immediately grabbed a
velvet tray and we were off and running! In four days I didn't spend a single euro on
anything other than Le Metro and cafe creme in Paris, but trade imbalance be damned,
in 40 minutes I dropped a wad of yuans in that place. I wandered from case to case
(and there were dozens of cases) picking and choosing and trying on a ton of stuff
until that tray was full of "possibilities" and the manager was now part of my entourage.
(Lordy I would have been a great empress. It just seems to come naturally) After much discussing, culling and choosing, the calculator came out and the negotiating began.
Even after I had made my choices and handed over my Visa card, various clerks were
still running over with other treasures and trinkets for me to peruse. (By now I was
starting to think that maybe I WAS an empress living my life incognito) My purchases
were put in little (and not so little) red boxes (Remember, only the emperor was allowed
yellow anything) and then came the complimentary trinkets and bowing. What a great
day!!!

A little bit of a karmic bitch-slap later that afternoon when we were back in Beijing and
wandering around the Olympic Park area staring at the Water Cube (the aquatics
stadium, now a giant and very popular indoor water park) and the Birds Nest stadium
now used for soccer matches, big concerts, etc. The Chinese love soccer but never
have a good team. Kevin says the common complaint is how can a country of a billion
and a half people not be able to find 11 guys who can play world class soccer? This
being China, the "Olympic Green" is an immense open and paved (!) area surrounding
the event buildings. By now we had meandered at least a mile away from our bus when
the skies darkened and the thunder boomed. Everyone scattered and found shelter
under a row of temporary canvas pavilions that shaded the seating areas. The rains
came and as day follows night, so did the street vendors with five dollar plastic panchos!
Pretty soon there were more vendors than tourists. We waited until the big drops had
eased up and then began the puddle jumping trot back to the bus. Karma. Gets you
every time.

And for dinner? More wok food. Each restaurant has specialized in a different type
of Chinese cuisine but always little plates, little napkins and one glass each of water,
Coke, Sprite or beer. Kevin says that the Chinese do not think you should drink liquids
with your meal, that it's not good for the digestion. Soup is always the last course. Only
non-Chinese drink beverages, even tea, with dinner. And always, always, thin slices of
watermelon for dessert. Back in the hotel that night we hit the mini-bar for Oreos and
COLD beer!

It's now Sunday morning and we're leaving shortly for the airport and our domestic flight
(I can't imagine) for the two hour trip to the city closest to the river cruise. The boat will
be about an hour's bus ride from the airport.

We're all ready for a slower pace, western food, ice and, most importantly, laundry
service!

I'm not sure if there will be internet access on the ship, so this might be it for a few
days. I'll keep typing away on board (loving my new iPad and especially the wireless
keyboard) so prepare for an onslaught from the next hotel.

Which reminds me, I'll have to write about our hotel. and 50 cent water and NASCAR on
the highways and "lolexes" and one child policy and college entrance exams and, and,
and ...