CHINA, DAY ONE

For part of the time I worked at Woodland Park Zoo, Dave Towne was my boss. He was also the President of the Giant Panda Conservation Foundation which was established in 1984. Dave only relinquished his position a few years ago, and it’s really thanks to him the giant pandas were saved even though you won’t read that anywhere…Dave doesn’t like being honored or thanked.

Anyway, while I worked for Dave, at least once year I had to get his Chinese Visa renewed, usually at the last minute via FedEx overnight and pack up gifts for him to give to his Chinese hosts. Each time I’d tell him that one of those times I was going to go along.

Dave and his wife Chris actually led a tour in 2001 for 14 people. John tried to get me to sign myself up, but they were leaving a week after we’d get back from Kenya and I just felt after a year’s cancer treatment and a trip half way around the world, I shouldn’t push my luck and try to cram in China too…good thing because my thyroid died in Kenya.

Anyway, move ahead to 2006. Dave was no longer my boss, but he was planning a reunion tour of the group that went in 2001. For some reason, he didn’t have a lot of takers…I heard later most of the people on the tour thought this one difficult couple were sure to go so said no thank you. Well, that was great because that meant John and I could go. It also meant Claudia (who became my best friend) and her husband Buck could go. And, so we did.

It was a very long plane ride to Beijing with a plane change in Tokyo. We arrived after dark and looking down from the plane, it didn’t look much different than what you would see when landing at any other city. We were met by the Chinese individuals who would tour us around China. We were transferred to the Beijing Hotel and given the itinerary for the “Delegation of American Panda Foundation” for the next three days. We had both a Beijing guide and a National guide.

When we woke up the following morning, we looked out our hotel window. Far below us were Chinese workers who were reclaiming bricks and other materials from a building that had been demolished. Nothing goes to waste. Also below were a row of what had to be more than a hundred bicycles which the construction and hotel workers had undoubtedly ridden in to their jobs. We could also see quite a bit of the city, but the smog gave everything a gray cast.

Breakfast was at 7:30 the next morning after which we went to the Forbidden City. This would be our first interactions with the Chinese people who lived there or were visiting. They are extremely rude and we soon discovered if we wanted to get to the head of the line or to the front to see an exhibit, waiting wasn’t going to get us there. Quite amazing really. 

At the Forbidden City, as we were waiting to enter, there was a group of Chinese Army men practicing on the other side of the moat. All looked to be fairly young, in green uniforms and very serious about their maneuvers. We had two hours to go through the Forbidden City and it is a very large place with lots of art and information. The photo shows only a portion of a plaza. Unfortunately, some of the buildings were being restored because of the upcoming Olympics in 2008. What was wonderful about the restoration was the fact artisans who knew how to make the various things like roof tiles were brought in, so the restoration wouldn’t be coming out of a factory. The craft would live on. The photo shows one of the roofs what would not need restoration.

If you know anything about China, the roofs and decorations were just as you would imagine. One of the first exhibits we saw was the Bao HE Dian or Hall of Preserved Harmony. It was constructed in 1420, destroyed by fire and reconstructed many times. It was also given many different names with the one cited the latest. What was interesting is below the signage was the following notice, “Made possible ty the American Express Company.” The adjacent photo is of the throne inside this exhibit. 

The photo of the stone carving also came with signage. It is the largest stone carving in the palace weight more than 200 tones, hence th44 name Large Stone Carving. It was carved out of a huge natural stone in the Ming Dynasty when the three main halls were built. In 1761, the original patterns on the stone were removed and new patterns carved. It was interesting to read how this huge stone was originally moved. They did it in winter by sprinkling water and making an iced road and then pulled to the palace on that road.

I could have spent way more time in the Forbidden City looking at so many different things. I also took way m ore photos than I’m sharing here, like this one of the ceiling in one of the last buildings in the city. Beautiful. There was also a very old tree that looked as though it, and it may have, had grown there for centuries. Somehow, it remains alive. There was signage, but I didn’t take a photo so I cannot tell you much.

We left the Forbidden City to go have lunch at a Beijing resident’s home. Not only did we have lunch, but were taught how to make lettuce roll-ups. That’s John making his roll-up, although he refused to eat one. He was sure the lettuce had been washed in tap-water and didn’t want to end up with Montezuma’s (should have learned what it’s called in Chinese) revenge. They rest of us ate them with gusto and we were all fine…John missed out.

Next on our agenda was the Hutong tour which is a word for neighborhood. The one we visited in Beijing was the one where you would go if you were young and wanted to have a good time in the evenings. Our tour was via bicycle rickshaw. Even though the yoyung man wasn’t running and pulling us, I was so uncomfortable being hauled along like that. We also learned, I think, that the river that runs through the Hutong we visited was originally dug by people. Someone important wanted a river to flow there. I tried to look it up to be sure of my memory, but could not find it. 

     Then, it was back on the bus and off to the Summer Palace. Oh my gosh, what a beautiful place. There were lots of metal sculptures like the one in the photo, and the pavilion beside the lake was gorgeous. We heard a story about the royal women who lived in this palace. Whenever there was a war and the enemy was getting close, they would throw their valuables into the lake to save them. If memory serves, at some point the lake was drained and a fortune in valuables recovered. 

We were given dinner at the Quanmen Hotel and then attended the Peking Opera at the Liyuan Theatre. I don’t seem to have any photos of the opera, but I do have quite an elaborate program that contains explanations and information in Chinese, English, French and possibly another language. The opera was very enjoyable and interesting, especially since the program was so informative. The photo is, I believe, my ticket, but also a post card I could mail if I chose.

When the opera ended, we were taken back to the Beijing Hotel…it was then 8:00 pm. What a very full, fascinating, interesting and wonderful first day. Perhaps there’s going to be way more posts than I thought since I’m having such fun going through the photos, scrapbook, memories and sharing.